1B - Ecology

Question 1

What are the biogeochemical cycles

Answer 1

Water cycle
Carbon/Oxygen cycle
Nitrogen cycle
Phosphorus cycle
Sulfur cycle

Question 2

Which of the five/six geological cycles does NOT occur in earths atmosphere?

Answer 2

The phosphorous cycle

Question 3

Why is water so important to the geological cycles? What are its unique properties?

Answer 3

Its polarity and hydrogen bonding
-> ability to dissolve and transport materials
-> high surface tension
-> cohesion and adhesion
-> density of ice and survival of aquatic organisms during winter
-> acts as a carbon sink

Question 4

intermolecular force (IMF)

Answer 4

attractive force between molecules, NOT atoms

Question 5

Carbon sequestration

Answer 5

long term storage of carbon (removal from atmosphere)

Question 6

detritus

Answer 6

decaying matter

Question 7

decomposers

Answer 7

return matter by breaking down dead organisms into smaller particles and create new compounds

Question 8

What state change is evaporation?

Answer 8

LIQUID TO GAS

Question 9

What state change is condensation?

Answer 9

gas to liquid

Question 10

What state change is percipitation?

Answer 10

gas to liquid OR gas to solid )snow

Question 11

Transpiration/ evotranspiration

Answer 11

evaporation of H2O from plants

Question 12

Photosynthesis vs Cellular respiration reaction

Answer 12

Photosynthesis traps CO2 and releases O2. Cellular respiration traps O2 and releases CO2.

Question 13

Nitrogen fixation

Answer 13

the trapping of nitrogen

Question 14

Ammonification

Answer 14

bacteria and legumes convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to a plant avaliable form, (NH3/4/AMMONIUM).

Question 15

Nitrification

Answer 15

a microbial process by which reduced nitrogen compounds (primarily ammonia) are sequentially oxidized to nitrite and nitrate

Question 16

Sedimentation

Answer 16

The process of particles settling to the bottom of a body of water

Question 17

Bacterial interface

Answer 17

Sulfate SO4
Inorganic sulfur. S8
Hydrogen sulphide H2S

Question 18

Productivity

Answer 18

Rate at which the producers of an ecosystem can capture sunlight
Sun into biomass

Question 19

Highest productivity ecosystems

Answer 19

Tropical rainforests and wetlands

Question 20

What can wetlands do?

Answer 20

Clean polluted water

Question 21

nitrogen cycle steps

Answer 21

nitrogen fixation, ammonification, nitrification, assimilation, denitrification

Question 22

nitrogen fixation

Answer 22

Converts atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into a usable form, such as ammonia (NH₃) or ammonium (NH₄⁺).

Question 23

ammonififcation

Answer 23

Converts organic nitrogen (from dead organisms and waste) into ammonia or ammonium.

Question 24

nitrification

Answer 24

Converts ammonia (NH₃) or ammonium (NH₄⁺) into nitrites (NO₂⁻) and then nitrates (NO₃⁻), which plants can absorb

Question 25

assimilation

Answer 25

Plants and other producers take up nitrates (NO₃⁻) or ammonium (NH₄⁺) from the soil and incorporate the nitrogen into proteins, DNA, and other organic molecules.

Question 26

denirification

Answer 26

Converts nitrates (NO₃⁻) back into atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) or nitrous oxide (N₂O), completing the cycle.

Question 27

water cycle steps

Answer 27

Evaporation & Transpiration → Water vapor enters the atmosphere.
Condensation → Forms clouds.
Precipitation → Water returns to Earth.
Runoff & Infiltration → Water flows into rivers or seeps into the ground.
Groundwater Flow → Water eventually reaches oceans or springs, restarting the cycl