2.2 - The Nurtrient Cycle Flashcards
What are three of the main nutrients?
Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus
What are stores?
Places where nutrients are accumulated for short periods of time in the earth’s atmosphere, oceans and land mass.
Is the earth referred to as a closed system or an open system?
A closed system, because only energy in the form of sunlight enters it. There are exceptions though.
What are short term stores?
Animals, plants and the atmosphere
What are some long term stores?
The soil, the oceans, and in sedimentary rock
What is a nutrient cycle?
A flow of nutrients in and out of stores as a result of biotic and abiotic processes
What are the three main nutrient cycles?
The carbon cycle, the nitrogen cue and the phosphorus cycle.
What are nutrients?
The chemicals required for plant and animal growth, plus other life processes
What human activities can effect the nutrient cycle?
Land clearing, agriculture, urban expansion, mining, industry and motorized transportation etc.
How do human activities effect the nutrient cycle?
They increase the amounts of nutrients on the cycle faster than natural abiotic and biotic processes can move them back to the stores.
How do changes in nutrient cycles effect biodiversity?
They alter the biotic and abiotic conditions necessary for supporting biodiversity.
How are changes in nutrient cycles effecting the Fraser river sockeye salmon population?
It changes the water temperature and their species is very sensitive to water temperature change. It can stop them from being able to swim and that leads to their death.
How do changes in nutrient cycles effect biodiversity?
They alter the biotic and abiotic conditions necessary for supporting biodiversity.
How are changes in nutrient cycles effecting the Fraser river sockeye salmon population?
It changes the water temperature and their species is very sensitive to water temperature change. It can stop them from being able to swim and that leads to their death.
