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A Level Environmental Science > Biogeochemical cycles > Flashcards

Biogeochemical cycles Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 4 reservoirs in the carbon cycle?

A
  1. Atmosphere (CH4, CO2, CO)
  2. Hydrosphere (dissolved CO2)
  3. Lithosphere (carbonate rocks such as limestone, hydrocarbons)
  4. Biosphere (living organisms, DOM)
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2
Q

What is the smallest carbon reservoir?

A

Atmosphere

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3
Q

What is the largest carbon reservoir?

A

Lithosphere

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4
Q

Which carbon reservoir has the longest RT?

A

Lithosphere

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5
Q

What happens during photosynthesis in the carbon cycle?

A
  • Atmosphere to biosphere
  • CO2 to glucose/carbohydrates
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6
Q

What happens during respiration in the carbon cycle?

A
  • Biosphere to atmosphere
  • Glucose to CO2
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7
Q

What happens during food chain transfer in the carbon cycle?

A
  • Biosphere to biosphere
  • Glucose transferred up the food chain
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8
Q

What happens during fossilisation in the carbon cycle?

A
  • Biosphere to lithosphere
  • Carbohydrates to hydrocarbons
  • Animal and plant matter preserved
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9
Q

What happens during combustion in the carbon cycle?

A
  • Lithosphere to atmosphere
  • Hydrocarbons to CO2 or CO
  • Organic materials are burnt and combust either completely or incompletely
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10
Q

What happens during decomposition in the carbon cycle?

A
  • Biosphere to lithosphere/atmosphere
  • Carbohydrates to hydrocarbons (aerobic)
  • Carbohydrates to CH4 (anaerobic)
  • DOM decomposed by MOs
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11
Q

What happens during volcanic activity in the carbon cycle?

A
  • Lithosphere to atmosphere
  • Dissolved CO2 or carbonate rock to CO2
  • Molten rock contains CO2 which is released as magma reaches the surface
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12
Q

How does fossil fuel combustion impact the carbon cycle?

A
  • Increased atmospheric CO2
  • Greenhouse Effect and global temperature rise
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13
Q

How does deforestation impact the carbon cycle?

A
  • Increased atmospheric CO2
  • Less photosynthesis
  • Less CO2 absorbed from atmosphere
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14
Q

How does intensive farming impact the carbon cycle?

A
  • Increased CO2 in atmosphere and biosphere (livestock)
  • Increased machinery combustion and ploughing of soil
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15
Q

How does cattle ranching impact the carbon cycle?

A
  • Increased CH4 in the atmosphere
  • Anaerobic conditions
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16
Q

How does water pollution impact the carbon cycle?

A
  • Decreased photosynthesis
  • Increased CO2 in atmosphere and hydrosphere
  • Reduced phytoplankton population and increased ocean acidification
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17
Q

What are the 4 reservoirs in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  1. Atmosphere (N2, NOx)
  2. Hydrosphere (dissolved nitrates and ammonium ions)
  3. Lithosphere (soil)
  4. Biosphere (DNA, proteins, amino acids)
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18
Q

What happens during ionisation in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Atmosphere to lithosphere
  • Lightning produces NOx (N2 to NO2- or NO3-)
  • Provides energy for reaction
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19
Q

What happens during fixation in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Atmosphere to lithosphere
  • Aerobic process (N2 to NH3 or NH4+)
  • Nitrogen fixing bacteria cause chemical reduction
  • Symbiotic relationship with legume roots
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20
Q

What happens during food chain transfer in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Biosphere to biosphere
  • Nitrogen passes between organisms as amino acids and protein
21
Q

What happens during nitrification in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Lithosphere to lithosphere
  • Aerobic process (NH3 to NO2- or NO3-)
  • Nitrifying bacteria in the soil cause oxidation
22
Q

What happens during denitrification in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Lithosphere to atmosphere
  • Anaerobic process
  • Denitrifying bacteria in the soil
  • Chemical reduction of nitrates to N2 and NOx
23
Q

What happens during leaching in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Lithosphere to hydrosphere
  • Nitrates are highly soluble and easily leached from soil
24
Q

What happens during root absorption in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Lithosphere to biosphere
  • Nitrogen absorbed by plants as soluble ions
25
Q

What happens during ammonification in the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Biosphere to lithosphere
  • Ammonium ions released back to the soil as DOM decomposes
26
Q

Which 3 human activities impact the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Haber process
  • Agricultural activities
  • Pollution
27
Q

What is the Haber process?

A
  • Artificial nitrogen fixation to produce artificial fertilisers
  • Ammonia produced from N2 and H2
  • Iron catalyst used at high temperature and pressure
  • Interferes with natural processes
28
Q

How does fertiliser use impact the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Nitrate fertiliser use leads to leaching and eutrophication
  • Heavy rainfall or farming close to rivers
29
Q

How do drainage systems impact the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Drainage makes soil more aerobic which enourages nitrogen fixation and nitrification
  • Waterlogged soils encourage denitrification
30
Q

How does soil disturbance impact the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Ploughing increases decomposition as more O2 is available
  • More NOx released to the atmosphere
31
Q

How does crop choice impact the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Legumes can be grown
  • Increased number of nitrogen fixing bacteria
32
Q

How does pollution impact the nitrogen cycle?

A
  • Combustion engines release NOx
  • Rain increases quantity of nitrates in the soil
33
Q

What conditions does waterlogging create?

A

Anaerobic conditions in the soil

34
Q

Which nutrients do NPK fertilisers contain?

A
  • Nitrates
  • Phosphates
35
Q

What is the process of eutrophication?

A
  1. Excess nutrients from agriculture runoff into water and increases N and P concentration
  2. Stimulates growth of photosynthetic algae which form an algal bloom
  3. Sunlight cannot reach photosynthesisers in the water and dissolved O2 content decreases
  4. Algae uses up all the nutrients and dies before being decomposed by bacteria
  5. Aerobic bacteria uses all the O2 and creates anoxic conditions (forms a dead zone)
36
Q

What are the 3 reservoirs in the phosphorus cycle?

A
  1. Biosphere (ATP, DNA, cell membranes)
  2. Lithosphere (phosphate rocks)
  3. Hydrosphere (dissolved phosphate ions)
37
Q

What is unusual about the phosphorus reservoirs?

A

There is no atmospheric reservoir

38
Q

Why is phosphorus often a limiting factor in plant growth?

A
  • No atmospheric reservoir
  • Slower cycling than N or C
  • Phosphate ions are less soluble than other nutrients (do not readily go into solution)
39
Q

What happens during root absorption in the phosphorus cycle?

A
  • Lithosphere to biosphere
  • Phosphate ions in solution taken up by the roots
  • Phosphate ions used for the synthesis of organic molecules
40
Q

What happens during food chain transfer in the phosphorus cycle?

A
  • Biosphere to biosphere
  • Moves up the food chain
  • Synthesis of organic molecules
41
Q

What happens during decomposition in the phosphorus cycle?

A
  • Biosphere to lithosphere
  • Bacteria break down DOM and release phosphates back to the soil
42
Q

What is another word for sedimentation?

A

Lithification

43
Q

What happens during sedimentation in the phosphorus cycle?

A
  • Biosphere to lithosphere
  • Phosphates may lithify into sedimentary rocks
  • Remains of LOs settle and are compressed
44
Q

What happens during mountain building in the phosphorus cycle?

A
  • Lithosphere to lithosphere
  • Plate tectonics bring rocks from within the crust and expose them
  • Destructive boundaries may create fold mountains
45
Q

What happens during weathering in the phosphorus cycle?

A
  • Lithosphere to hydrosphere
  • Exposed phosphate rock from uplift experiences weathering/erosion
46
Q

Which 2 human activities have the largest impact on the phosphorus cycle?

A
  • NPK fertilisers in agriculture
  • Mining for phosphorus
47
Q

How can the carbon cycle be sustainably managed?

A
  • CCS
  • Debt for nature swaps
  • Renewable energy use
  • Afforestation
48
Q

How can the nitrogen cycle be sustainably managed?

A
  • Crop rotation and plant legumes
  • Use natural fertilisers
  • Catalytic converter in combustion engines
  • Encourage aerobic soil conditions
49
Q

How can the phosphorus cycle be sustainably managed?

A
  • Reduce reliance on NPK fertilisers
  • Leave crop waste and DOM on farmland
  • Crop breeding programmes to increase efficiency of phosphate uptake by roots

A Level Environmental Science (23 decks)

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