2.3 Flows of Energy and Matter Flashcards
Solar radiation may also be called…
Insolation
How is the solar radiation that reaches the earth called + define it
- the solar constant
- the average amount of solar energy that isreceived by the atmosphere when the sun is at its mean distance from earth.
What is the path of solar radiation through the earth’s atmosphere- with percentages
Only 51% absorbed at surface 19% absorbed by clouds- you NEED to know this
Incoming solar radiation is either absorbed or it is reflected and scattered
- Small particles and gases in the atmosphere will**scatter**solar radiation in random directions some will go back out to space.
- Whilst scattering could send the light in any directionreflectionwill send it backout to space.
What is the reflectivity of a surface called?
Albedo 🐧
Think about penguins: dark colours = low albedo. light colours = high albedo 🐧
Define productivity
The conversion of energy into biomass in a given time = The rate of growth of plants and animals in the ecosystem
Define gross and define net
Gross: Total amount
Net: What is left over after losses
Difference between primary and secondary productivity?
Primaryis to do with plants andsecondaryto do with animals
Define GPP (Primary productivity)
Gross primary productivity (GPP)is all the biomass produced by primary producers in a given amount of time (before any of it is used for respiration)
Define NPP (Primary productivity)
productivity after losses to respiration and repair
Equation for NPP (Primary productivity)
NPP = GPP – R
R being respiratory losses
Define GSP (Secondary productivity)
- GSP represents the total amount of energy or biomass assimilated by consumers
- may also be referred to as assimilation
Equation of GSP
GSP = food eaten – fecal loss
Define NSP
the energy left at the end of all the processes for animal growth
NSP Equation
NSP = GSP – R
(R being respiratory losses )
What is sustainable yield
Sustainable yield(SY) is the amount of biomass that can be extracted without reducing natural capital of the ecosystem.
This means extracting NPP or NSP because it is the only way you are taking out without reducing the natural capital
What are the stores in the carbon cycle?
- Atmosphere ☁️
- Terrestrial plants and food web
- Phytoplanktonand food web in the marine ecosystems
- Soil and organic matter
- Coal, oil and gas
- Sediments and sedimentary rocks
- Ocean surface
- Deep oceans
How is the carbon in the atmosphere stored?
CO2in increasing amounts
How is the carbon in Terrestrial plants and food web?
Carbohydrates made from atmospheric CO2
How is the carbon in the Phytoplanktonand food web in the marine ecosystems stored?
Carbohydrates made from CO2dissolved in the water
How is the carbon in Soil and organic matter stored?
Dead organic matter and soil biota.
How is the carbon in Coal, oil and gas stored?
Organic matter decomposed over millions of years. Decreasing fast.
How is the carbon in Sediments and sedimentary rocks
stored?
Calcite, limestonesand other rocks contains much carbon
How is the carbon in Ocean surface stored?
CO2is initially dissolved but then incorporated into shells, skeletons and organic matter as carbon.
What are the main flows of the carbon cycle (Hint: 4)
- Respiration → releases CO2
- Photosynthesis → absorbs CO2
- Decay → decomposers and detritivors release nutrients (one that is CO2) into the atmosphere
- Combustion → releases CO2
How does marine life use co2 + how do oceans act as carbon sinks
- CO2 simply dissolves into the surface waters of oceans
- CO2 is then used in photosynthesis by marine plants
- Marine animals use this dissolved carbon dioxide to make skeletons and shells
- thus: the ocean acts as a carbon sink holding as much as 60 times more carbon than the atmosphere.
Practice drawing the Carbon cycle
(look up diagram)
Finish the lyrics!
Nitrogen is essential for all life on earth as it is a major component of…
AMINO ACIDS(the building blocks of life, make protein)
What are the main stores of the nitrogen cycle
- atmosphere
- soil organic matter
- ocean
- terrestrial plant biomass
what is the biggest nitrogen store? + percentage
- the atmosphere
- nitrogen makes up 78% of atmospheric gas
How is nitrogen in the atmosphere useless
Plants can only take in nitrogen in solid form
How does the majority of nitrogen come to terrestrial ecosystems (process) (HINT REINA: 3 processes y las iniciales son BF, PF, A)
Biological fixation:
Bacteria transform nitrogen into ammonium
Physical fixation ⚡:
- the lightning process
- Lightninghas enough energy to transform atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen oxides, which then combine with moisture in the air to form nitrates that can enter the soil in rainwater
Ammonification of organic material:
- Decomposers such as fungi and bacteria breakdown dead organic matter and turn the nitrogen into ammonium, ready for nitrification.
How does nitrogen leave the ecosystem? (HINT REINA: 3 processes y las iniciales son D,L,C)
Denitrification
- Special bacteria remove nitrates from the soil, convert them into nitrous oxides or N2gas and release them back into the atmosphere
Leaching
- dissolve the soluble nitrates and wash them out of the soil
Combustion
- releases nitrogen locked up in organic material as nitrogen oxide or nitrogen dioxide.
Dictionary
How do humans impact the nitrogen cycle? (importante) (Hint: son 4 )
- Fossil fuel combustion and forest fires
- Draining of wetlands
- Use of inorganic fertilizers
- Livestock release ammonia
How do fossil fuel combustion and forest fires the nitrogen cycle
Increases nitrogen oxides → which contributes to acid rain and photochemical smog
How do draining of wetlands affect the nitrogen cycle
Reduces denitrification (denitrification takes place in wetlands) and thus less nitrogen enters the atmosphere
How do the use of inorganic fertilizers affect the nitrogen cycle
Inorganic fertilizers use ammonia
Ammonia is made using the Haber-Bosch process, which takes nitrogen from the atmosphere. this removes 90 million tonnes of nitrogen from the atmosphere each year
Increases denitrification and leaching and it can lead to eutrophication in water bodies
