Final answer:
Burying a dead fish helps in nutrient recycling by decomposition, which releases nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus back into the soil. These nutrients are crucial for plant life and ecosystem balance, ultimately participating in the nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus cycles.
Step-by-step explanation:
We bury a dead fish in the terrestrial chamber to facilitate nutrient cycling, particularly the cycles of nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus. These nutrients are essential for plant growth and ecosystem health. In the case of nitrogen, the process of ammonification, where nitrogen compounds are converted back into ammonia by decomposers, occurs followed by nitrification and denitrification which are carried out by bacteria.
This makes nitrogen available to plants in a usable form. Dead fish undergo decomposition, which results in nutrients being released back into the soil, enriching it and fostering plant growth. Moreover, the carbon contained within the fish's body is released back into the atmosphere through the process of decomposition, contributing to the global carbon cycle.
Similarly, phosphorus is released from the decomposing fish and becomes available to plants, thereby participating in the phosphorus cycle. These processes are crucial in maintaining the balance of ecosystems and preventing circumstances such as dead zones where the excessive growth of microorganisms caused by nutrient overloading depletes oxygen, leading to the mass death of aquatic fauna.