bio pt 2 Flashcards
What is the carbon cycle? Why is it called a cycle?
Carbon atoms move from an inorganic form in the air, water or soil to an organic form in living things, then back to inorganic form.
Carbon cycle = Inorganic (air) - organic (living things) - inorganic (air)
What are carbon reservoirs/sinks? Where do we find carbon?
Reservoirs = storage areas, the atmoshpere, earth, oceans + crust
Carbon - found in sedimentary rocks, bogs, peat, oil
Is carbon important to us?
YES - it’s part of carbon dioxide which helps control the Earth’s temperature
How are photosynthesis and cellular respiration involved?
Cellular respiration releases CO2 into the environment. Photosynthesis pulls CO2 out of the atmosphere.
6 CO2 + 6 CO2+ light =
C6 H12 O6 + 6 O2
Does this cycle happen in the ocean?
Yes - Ocean takes CO2 through photosynthesis by things such as algae or plankton
Would some places cycle carbon faster than others?
Yes - depends on ecosystem, climate and human activity
Nitrogen - What is Nitrogen?
Nitrogen atoms move from nitrogen gas in the atmosphere to inorganic form in soil, to organic forms in living things, then back to inorganic form in soil
Nitrogen cycle - nitrogen atoms - atmospheric nitrogen gas - Inorganic (soil) - Organic (living things) - inorganic (soil)
Why is Nitrogen important?
We would be dead and have nothing without it.
What is nitrogen fixation? What does this?
Nitrogen fixation = atmospheric or dissolved nitrogen into nitrate atoms
Lightning + soil bacteria fix nitrogen
How are bacteria + lightning involved?
Both turn nitrogen into nitrates
How are decomposers involved?
Decomposers- break down nitrogen with chemicals in waste or body into ammonia
What is denitrification?
When does it occur?
When bacteria can break down to nitrogen into nitrates then into nitrogen gas
Bacteria - nitrogen - nitrates - nitrogen gan
Denifrication - Best with no oxygen
Aeration
Holes put into the ground to put air into the soil
How are fertilizers connected?
What are the effects of fertilizers?
Provide plants with nutrients like nitrogen and improve growth
Phosphorus cycle
What is phosphorus, what is its importance, and why?
Phosphorus - key element in cell membranes in molecules that help release chemical energy
Important for growth, repair, and maintenance of tissue and cells
Where is phosphorus found?
Bedrock
Long and short cycles of phosphorus
Long term cycle involves rocks + the Earth’s crust
Short term involves living things
Explain the cycles
Weathering erosion of rocks with phosphorus adds it to the cycle
The short term - cycled from soil to producers, then producers to consumers
How is it connected to other cycles?
Changes of other cycles will cause a change in the water cycle
Water cycle
Where on Earth is water found?
Ice; water in rivers, lakes, water vapour; most found in oceans
Percentage of fresh water on Earth?
2.5%
How are these Cycles connected to the well-being of the ecosystems?
Keeps essential elements available to plants and other organisms
