Biochemical cycles Flashcards
Where can carbon be found?
Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere, Lithosphere
What are the main processes in the carbon cycle?
Photosynthesis, Respiration, Food webs, Fossilisation, Combustion
How can human factors affect the carbon cycle?
Changes in: Photosynthesis Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration Carbonic acid concentration in the sea Biomass movements
What changes in photosynthesis affect the carbon cycle?
Deforestation, Afforestation, Marine pollution
What changes in aerobic respiration affect the carbon cycle?
Release of carbon from organic matter
Ploughing - speeds up aerobic respiration
What changes in anaerobic respiration affect the carbon cycle?
Human activities e.g. padi fields, landfill sites
Anaerobic environments destroyed by drainage e.g. marshlands/waterlogged fields
What changes in the carbonic acid concentration in the sea affect the carbon cycle?
Human activities that increase CO2 concentration
What changes in biomass movements affect the carbon cycle?
Human activities which produce local change e.g.
Deforestation
Sewage discharge
Addition of compost/mulch to improve soil fertility
How can you conserve carbon stores?
Protecting peat bogs and forests
What is carbon sequestration?
large scale tree planting
What does CCS invlove?
Carbon capture and storage involves capturing carbon so it isn’t released into the atmosphere
What can be done with pre-combustion technology?
changing fuel or way it is combusted
What can be done with post-combustion technology?
removing it from exhaust gases
storing it
Where can nitrogen be found?
Atmosphere, Biosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere
What are the main processes in the nitrogen cycle?
Ionisation - Fixation - Food Chains - Nitrification - Denitrification - Leaching - Root absorption - Ammonification
What is the Haber process
industrial process or producing ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen
Where is nitrogen found in agriculture?
Fertilisers, Drainage, ploughing, Leguminous
4 factors that can be controlled to provide sustainable management of the nitrogen cycle
Control of combustion processes and NOx releases and management of soil processes and biological wastes
What are the main processes in the phosphorus cycle
Absorption by roots - Decomposition - Sedimentation - Moutain building and weathering
2 human impacts on the phosphorus cycle
mining of phosphate rocks and fertiliser use
5 ways sustainable management of the phosphorus cycle can be achieved
crop breeding programmes using biological wastes as fertilisers Maintaining future supplies of phosphate not removing biomass during harvesting Phosphate shortage is the limiting factor on crop productivity
