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21 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Aquifer
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any water bearing layer in the ground
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Cone of depression
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lowering of the water table around a pumping well
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Salt water intrusion
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near the coast, overpumping of groundwater causes saltwater to move into the acquifer
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ENSO
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El Nino Southern Oscillation, see-sawing of air pressure over the S. Pacific
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During an El Nino year
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trade winds weaken & warm water sloshed back to SA
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During a Non El Nino year
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Easterly trade winds and ocean currents pool warm water in the western Pacific, allowing upwelling of nutrient rich water off the West coast of South America
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. Effects of El Nino
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upwelling decreases disrupting food chains, N US has mild winters, SW US has increased rainfall, less Atlantic Hurricanes
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Nitrogen fixing
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because atmospheric N cannot be used directly by plants it must first be converted into ammonia by bacteria
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Ammonification
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decomposers covert organic waste into ammonia
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. Nitrification
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ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO3-1)
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Assimilation
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inorganic N is converted into organic molecules such as DNA/amino acids & proteins
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Denitrification
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bacteria convert ammonia back into N
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Phosphorus does not circulate as easily as N because
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it does not exist as a gas, but is released by weathering of phosphate rocks
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Sustainability
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the ability to meet humanities current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs
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Excess phosphorus is added to aquatic ecosystems by
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runoff of animal wastes, fertilizer discharge of sewage
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Photosynthesis
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plants convert atmospheric C (CO2) into complex carbohydrates (glucose C6H12O6)
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Aerobic respiration
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oxygen consuming producers, consumers & decomposers break down complex organic compounds & convert C back into CO2
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Largest reservoirs of C
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carbonate rocks first, oceans second
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Biotic/abiotic
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living & nonliving components of an ecosystem
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Producer/Autotroph
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photosynthetic life
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Fecal coliform
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indicator of sewage contamination
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