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55 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Explain the connections between rapid cycling and slow cycling |
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What makes water such a good carrier of ions? |
Water is a polar molecule with a slight positive charge and a slight negative charge. This allows it to attach to ions such as phosphate. |
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Rapid/slow cycling of carbon |
Rapid-relatively quick movement of nutrients through nutrient reservoirs Slow-long term storage of nutrients in nutrient reservoirs |
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Water cycle/ Hydrologic cycle |
The circulation of water through the atmosphere and biosphere |
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Adhesion |
molecular attraction between 2 substances or bodies |
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Biogeochemical cycles |
the cyclical route taken by water and other chemical nutrients through all biotic and abiotic components of the biosphere |
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Cohesion |
intermolecular force that holds molecules of a liquid or a solid together |
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Evapotranspiration |
combined evaporation and transpiration of plants from a terrestrial area |
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Hydrogen Bond |
a weak bond that involves sharing an electron between a slightly positive hydrogen atom and a slightly negative atom (oxygen) |
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Metabolic water |
water that is produced through cellular respiration |
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Polar |
refers to a molecule with an uneven charge distribution (water) |
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Nitrogen Fixation |
process whereby free atmospheric nitrogen is converted into compounds such as ammonium and nitrates that can be used by other organisms |
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Ammonification |
production of ammonium or ammonia when decomposers break down organic matter |
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Denitrification |
conversion of nitrate or nitrite to nitrogen gas by bacteria in the soil |
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Algal Bloom |
rapid overgrowth of algae in a body of water |
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Productivity |
the rate at which organisms produce new biomass-measured in J/m2/yr or in biomass g/m2/yr |
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Explain the role of hydrogen bonding in transporting nutrients over a large temperature range and nutrient cycling in lakes |
1. water stays in a liquid form-water gets transported from the equator to the poles and vice versa 2. as water sinks and rises, nutrients and dissolved oxygen are cycled with it |
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How do organisms gain water? |
animals obtain water by eating, drinking and absorbing water through their skin (cellular respiration) |
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How do organisms lose water? |
Lose through breathing, sweating, urine and feces |
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Nutrient Reservoir |
where substances are temporarily stored |
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Carbon sinks |
reservoirs that absorb more carbon than they emit to the environment |
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How are plants and animals involved in the rapid cycling of carbon? |
Plants-use the CO2 to perform photosynthesis Animals-release CO2 and H2O through cellular respiration |
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List the major carbon sinks on the Earth |
trees, forests, oceans, rocks, zooplankton |
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Explain how each of the following human activities can affect carbon cycling -deforestation -burning of fossil fuels -agriculture |
1. reduces the amount of trees that take in a large amount of carbon>adds a lot to the atmosphere 2. quickly releases large amounts of carbon 3. increase of CO2 by 30% since the industrial revolution |
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How can acid deposition affect ecosystems? |
large amounts of acid deposition can damage plants, acidify lakes and leach nutrients from the soil |
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What is the general role of bacteria in the sulfur cycle? |
bacteria convert sulfur to forms that are laid down as sediments, eventually becoming parts of rocks |
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What are 2 sources of fixed nitrogen that plants can use? |
Soil and water? |
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Why do organisms need phosphorus? |
Phosphorus is a part of cellular DNA and ATP and is a major component of bones and teeth |
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How is phosphorus transported through the biosphere? |
Found in soil and water. Weathering gradually releases phosphorus from rocks |
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What are the effects of increased amounts of phosphorus on aquatic environments? |
causes an algal bloom |
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Can too much/too little solar energy affect productivity? |
too much-no moisture too little-moisture/water is trapped in ice/snow/permafrost |
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What are 2 major factors that limit productivity? |
# of producers, amount of sunlight, thermal energy and rainfall |
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Stromatolites |
dead microorganism cells that pile up, trapping or precipitating sediments and eventually forming sedimentary rocks |
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Identify the properties of water that make it an excellent transporter of dissolved materials |
-universal solvent -high boiling/melting points -less dense as a solid than a liquid -cohesive and adhesive -high heat capacity -polar nature and hydrogen bonding |
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Describe the role of plants and animals in the rapid and slow cycling of carbon |
Plants-rapid-plants use CO2 to perform photosynthesis slow-trees take in a lot of CO2-released when cut down/decompose Animals-rapid-release CO2 and H2O through cell. resp. slow-a small percentage of biomass with carbon in them hit the ocean floor-takes millions of years to be broken down which can become rocks |
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Explain why each of the following is a reservoir for nitrogen: living organisms, soil, water, atmosphere |
1. nitrogen is an essential part of proteins 2. soil is home to bacteria that "fix" nitrogen to ammonium, nitrate and nitrite 3. contains soluble nitrogen compounds-water contains nitrogen released through decomposition 4. atmosphere contains 78% of the world's nitrogen |
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Identify which of the following elements cycle through the atmosphere: carbon, phosphorus, sulfur, oxygen and nitrogen |
Sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen and carbon but not phosphorus |
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Explain how excess phosphate can affect aquatic ecosystems |
an excessive amount of phosphate can cause an algal bloom which uses up all of the oxygen causing the death of fish and other organisms |
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Identify the process that led to the increase in the amount of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere to current levels |
Photosynthesis |
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Describe one way scientist have been able to assess the historical composition of Earth's atmosphere |
Stromatolites |
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Describe the reason why farmers apply fertilizers to many of their crops |
Fertilizers provide another source of accessible plant nutrients |
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Identify the useable forms of nitrogen that are available for green plants in a terrestrial ecosystem |
ammonium and nitrate |
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Explain the role of bacteria in supplying these usable forms of nitrogen to plants |
some bacteria convert nitrogen gas into ammonium and nitrate through nitrogen fixation |
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Describe how other bacteria actually remove these usable forms of nitrogen from the soil |
de-nitrifying bacteria convert nitrate and nitrite back to nitrogen gas |
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Describe acid deposition and explain how human activities have contributed to increased levels of acid deposition in eastern Canada |
sulfur dioxide from fossil fuel emissions react with oxygen and water vapour to form sulfuric acid>reactions cause acid deposition |
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Name 2 biogeochemical cycles that are involved in acid deposition |
Sulfur and Water Cycles |
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Explain why in general there is less productivity deep in the ocean compared with productivity of water closer to coastal areas |
Not enough light reaches the bottom of the ocean for higher productivity |
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Explain the importance of wetlands |
Wetlands are natural filters which decontaminate water. They provide food and shelter for life forms |
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Nitrogen Cycle |
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Explain how the careless dumping of pesticides into a landfill could impair ground-water quality |
Precipitation could wash pesticides in a land fill into the ground water decreasing its quality |
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Relationship between water and carbon cycles |
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Phosphorus Cycle |
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Sulfur Cycle |
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Connection between photosynthesis and cellular respiration |
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Carbon Cycle |
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