Biogeochemistry is a scientific discipline that studies the chemical, physical, and biological processes that occur in ecosystems. This is a complex term that encompasses many interrelated fields such as environmental science, ecology, microbiology, geology, and many others. There are numerous synonyms for the term biogeochemistry including ecological chemistry, earth life chemistry, abiotic-biotic chemistry, and ecosystem chemistry. All of these fields share a common focus, which is to understand the biogeochemical cycles that drive the earth's natural processes. Regardless of the term used, biogeochemistry remains an essential discipline for understanding the complexities of global environmental change.