Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Environmental Science > Biogeochemical cycles > Flashcards

Biogeochemical cycles Flashcards

1
Q

Carbon reservoir: atmosphere

A

CO2, CH4, CO

smallest store

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Carbon reservoir: hydrosphere

A

CO2 dissolves in water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Carbon reservoir: lithosphere

A

carbonate rocks
hydrocarbons

largest store

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Carbon reservoir: biosphere

A

DOM
carbohydrates
proteins
lipids

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How carbon moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: photosynthesis

A

atmosphere to biosphere
CO2 to glucose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How carbon moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: respiration

A

biosphere to atmosphere
glucose to CO2
produces energy from glucose by producing ATP

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How carbon moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: food chain transfer

A

biological molecules are transferred from one organism to another
energy decreases up each trophic level

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How carbon moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: fossilisation

A

biosphere to lithosphere
carbohydrates to hydrocarbons

layers of sediment build up around the DOM, it begins to compact and form rocks

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How carbon moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: combustion

A

biosphere/lithosphere to atmosphere
carbohydrates to CO2 and CO

fossil fuels are burned to release CO2 and CO

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How carbon moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: decomposition

A

biosphere to lithosphere/atmosphere

carbohydrates to hydrocarbons/CH4

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How carbon moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: volcanic activity

A

lithosphere to atmosphere
hydrocarbon to CO2

carbonated rocks are melted to magma, when magma reaches the surface CO2 is released

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How human activities impact the carbon cycle: deforestation

A

decreases photosynthesis, decomposition and food chain transfer

reduced amount of CO2 absorbed from atmosphere
land is used for agriculture and cattle ranching

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How human activities impact the carbon cycle: combustion of fossil fuels

A

increases CO2 in atmosphere

contributes to greenhouse effect
global temperature rise
anthropogenic climate change

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How human activities impact the carbon cycle: afforestation

A

increases photosynthesis, decomposition and food chain transfer

CO2 is absorbed from atmosphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

How human activities impact the carbon cycle: intensive farming

A

increases CO2 in atmosphere and biosphere and combustion

contributes to greenhouse effect
increased combustion for machinery
ploughing of soil releases CO2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

How human activities impact the carbon cycle: cattle farming

A

increases CH4 in atmosphere and CO2 in biosphere
decreases photosynthesis

contributes to greenhouse effect
anaerobic conditions release CH4

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How human activities impact the carbon cycle: ocean pollution

A

increased CO2 in atmosphere and hydrosphere
decreased photosynthesis

reduces number of phytoplankton and algae
ocean acidification
less CO2 removed from atmosphere and oceans

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Nitrogen reservoir: atmosphere

A

N2 = 78%
NOXs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Nitrogen reservoir: biosphere

A

DNA, proteins, amino acids, RNA

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Nitrogen reservoir: lithosphere

A

soil = ammonia, nitrates, nitrites

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Nitrogen reservoir: hydrosphere

A

dissolved nitrates
dissolved ammonia

22
Q

How nitrogen moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: ionisation

A

lightning provides energy for atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen to react

produces oxides of nitrogen

23
Q

How nitrogen moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: fixation

A

micro-organisms chemically reduce N2 to NH3

24
Q

How nitrogen moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: food chain transfer

A

nitrogen passes between organisms as amino acids and proteins in food

25
Q

How nitrogen moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: nitrification

A

involves oxidation of ammonium ions to nitrites then nitrates using nitrifying bacteria

26
Q

How nitrogen moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: denitrification

A

chemical reduction of nitrates in soil to nitrogen and nitrogen oxides

requires anaerobic conditions

27
Q

How nitrogen moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: leaching

A

nitrates = highly soluble
easily leached out of soil
act as nutrients for aquatic plants and algae

28
Q

How nitrogen moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: absorption by roots

A

absorb nitrogen as soluble ions (ammonium and nitrates)

29
Q

How nitrogen moves from one reservoir to another and in what form: ammonification

A

amino groups in proteins released as ammonium ions when DOM decomposes

30
Q

How human activities impact the nitrogen cycle: haber process

A

iron catalyst, high temp and pressure
uses lots of energy
N2 + 3H2 —> 2NH3

NH3 —> NO3-

31
Q

How human activities impact the nitrogen cycle: agricultural activities - use of fertilisers

A

eutrophication

32
Q

How human activities impact the nitrogen cycle: agricultural activities - drainage systems

A

makes soil more aerobic

increases nitrifying bacteria and decreases denitrifying bacteria

33
Q

How human activities impact the nitrogen cycle: agricultural activities - soil disturbance

A

ploughing releases NOXs into atmosphere

increases rate of decomposition

34
Q

How human activities impact the nitrogen cycle: agricultural activities - choice of crop

A

legumes increase levels of nitrites and nitrates in the soil

35
Q

How human activities impact the nitrogen cycle: pollution

A

NOXs released into atmosphere by combustion

increases quantity of nitrates added to the soil by rain

36
Q

Explain the process of eutrophication

A

farmers add fertiliser to soil

excess nutrients runoff from field to water

causes algal bloom

algae blocks sunlight and uses up O2

algae dies and is decomposed by bacteria

decomposition of algae = increased biological demand for O2

water becomes anoxic

fish and other aquatic life dies

37
Q

Phosphorus reservoir: plants and animals

A

proteins, DNA, RNA, phospholipid, ATP

38
Q

Phosphorus reservoir: sediments and rocks

A

present in phosphate rocks

39
Q

Phosphorus reservoir: water

A

phosphate ions go into solution

40
Q

Why is phosphorus often a limiting factor in plant growth?

A

no gaseous reservoir so slower to cycle

phosphate ions are less soluble than nitrate ions (low solubility)

41
Q

How phosphorus moves from reservoir to another and in what form: absorption by roots

A

phosphate ions in solution
solution taken up by plant roots
used in synthesis or organic molecules

42
Q

How phosphorus moves from reservoir to another and in what form: food chain transfer

A

moves through trophic levels when one organism eats another

43
Q

How phosphorus moves from reservoir to another and in what form: decomposition

A

microbes break down DOM
phosphates returned to soil

44
Q

How phosphorus moves from reservoir to another and in what form: sedimentation

A

phosphates in sediments end up in rocks
phosphate originates from DOM

45
Q

How phosphorus moves from reservoir to another and in what form: mountain building - uplift

A

plate tectonics move rocks from deep to surface

46
Q

How phosphorus moves from reservoir to another and in what form: weathering/erosion

A

rocks at surface are weathered and then eroded

47
Q

What human activity causes the most impact on the movement and storage of phosphorus? What problems can this cause?

A

production of fertiliser - eutrophication
mining for phosphorus - pollution

48
Q

Sustainable management of the carbon cycle

A

reduce combustion of fossil fuels
increase use of renewables
afforestation
carbon capture and storage
protect existing carbon stores

49
Q

Sustainable management of the nitrogen cycle

A

reduce reliance on artificial fertiliser
use fertiliser during dry spells
educate farmers around eutrophication
collect runoff and return to farmland
reduce use of combustion engines
catalytic convertors

50
Q

Sustainable management of the phosphorus cycle

A

use of natural fertilisers
leave DOM to decay on soil
breed crops to increase efficiency of phosphorus uptake

Environmental Science (27 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions