Biology Part 2 THE CYCLES Flashcards
biochemical cycle
the movement of matter through the biotic and abiotic environment
Water cycle
evaporation or transpiration
condensation
precipitation
surface run off
ground water
The carbon cycle
The cycling of carbon through the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere
carbon is always recycles
Photosynthesis and cellular respiration and carbon
Photosynthesis: converts inorganic carbon into organic carbon
cellular respiration: converts organic carbon into inorganic carbon
carbon resevoirs
- carbon stored for long periods of time
ex:
oil
coal
natural gas
limestone
carbon sink
- carbon stored for short periods of time
ex:
carbon dio. dissolved in ocean
carbon dio. in the atmosphere
plant tissue
human impact on carbon cycle
- burn fossil fuels (adds carbon)
- deforestation (no more trees = no more carbon storage)
- earth gets hot from carbon dioxide build up
The nitrogen cycle
- nitrogen fixation
2 nitrification - assimilation
- ammonification
- denitrification
Nitrogen fixation
nitrogen gas (N2) is converted into usuable nitrogen by:
- nitrogen is deposited into soil through precipitation and bacteria (rhizobium) covert into NH3 (ammonia)
- atmosphere fixation (lightning)
- through man-made processes
Nitrification
ammonia (NH3) is converted into nitrate (NO3-)
by nitrifying bacteria
Assimilation
producers introduce nitrogen into the food web by:
- producers take in nitrogen compounds from soil
- it is used to formation of proteins
- nitrogen introduced to web when producer is consumed
Ammonification
nitrogen is released into soil by:
1. animal/plant dies and decomposes, the nitrogen in organic matter is released into soil
2. decomposer in soil converts organic matter back into ammonia (NH3)
Denitrification
- nitrate (NO3) is converted into gaseous nitrogen (N2) by denitrifying bacteria
- nitrogen back into atmosphere
Human impact on the nitrogen cycle
- increased use of fertilizer
- industrial burning of fossil fuels
What happens to ecosystems when there is TOO MUCH nitrogen?
- makes SOIL acidic
- create ACID RAIN
- EUTROPHICATION (build up of nutrients in lake and causes an increase in bacteria)
- ALGAE BLOOMS
- DECREASE BIODIVERSITY
What decreases and increases populations
increases: births and immigrations
decreases: deaths and emmigrations
Population growth equation
population growth = (births + immigrations) - (deaths + emmigrations)
LIMITING FACTORS
keeps populations from growing
Carrying Capacity
the max # of individuals that an environment can support
- determined by how many limiting factors there are
Population density
of organisms living in a given space
Density Dependent Factors
affects when REACHES A CERTAIN density
examples: competition, predation, disease, crowding, parasitism
Density Independent Factors
affects REGARDLESS of density
example: natural disasters, temperature, human activities, behaviours
Intra-specific Competition
two organisms from SAME species fight for food and resources
Inter-specific competition
two organisms from DIFF species fight for food and resources
Biodiversity
different kinds of life
Invasive Species
- non-native species introduced into an ecosystem that disrupts or causes harm to their new environment
Invasive species impact:
Ecological: causes extinction or decrease in native species, alter nutrient cyles or energy flow
Economic: lowers crop yield and larger cost to control population
Tourism: clogging water ways, decrease water quality
Health: cause disease, use pesticides to control invasive species
How to control non-native species
Chemical Control: pesticides
Mechanical Contol: physical barriers/removal, cut down, hunt, fish, trapped,
Biological Control: introduce new species to control invasive species
Symbiosis
when organisms are dependent on each other to survive
Parasistism
when organism feeds on another HOST organism
Mutualism
both organisms benefit
Predation
one organism feeds on another
Commensalism
one organism survives off another species w/o harming them
Competition
species/individuals compete for different resources
Biome
a large geographical region by climate with a specific set of biotic and abiotic features
canadas biomes
- tundra
-grassland - temperate deciduous forest
- boreal forest
- marine
- freshwater
temperate decidious
warmer than boreal, fertile soil
grassland
warmer than tundra, rich fertile soil, longer growing season than boreal
boreal forest
warmer than tundra, coniferous trees, quirrels, no permafrost, acidic
tundra
cold, permafrost, short growing season
tropical rain forest
high humidity, high precipitation, leeched soil, long growing season
marine
coral, seawater, lobster, whales, lots of salt, poor nutrient level
freshwater
aquatic plants, algae, fish , amphibians
