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Intro to Earth Science > C-Biosphere as a System > Flashcards

C-Biosphere as a System Flashcards

1
Q

What is a biosphere?

A

The layer of the planet where life exists

The sum of all ecosystems

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2
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

The interaction between biological communities and their environments.
Composed of biological and physical components functioning together in balanced fashion.
Sensitive to changes from geological/biological processes

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3
Q

Where is the upper limit of the biosphere and what is in it?

A

Birds up to 10km above sea level

Microbes up to 41km above sea level

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4
Q

What are microbes in the upper limit?

A

Viable samples 41km above sea level (upper part of stratosphere)
The either live there or are carried there

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5
Q

What are autochthonous?

A

Microbes that live in the upper part of the stratosphere

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6
Q

What are allochthonous?

A

Microbes that are carried to the upper part of the stratosphere

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7
Q

What is the lower limit of the biosphere and what is in it?

A

The deep sub-surface biosphere

Microbes (bacteria, archaea, eukarya) that can survive on energy without sunlight

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8
Q

How far down can the lower limit go?

A

750 metres below sea floor

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9
Q

What are the layer of the upper limit from lowest level (layer closest to sea level) to highest?

A

Troposphere (Everest), Stratosphere (Ozone), Mesosphere (Meteor burns out), Thermosphere (Aurora)

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10
Q

What is geobiology?

A

The study of interactions between bioshpere and Earth’s physical environements

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11
Q

What does the biosphere influence and control?

A

Geological processes

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12
Q

What does the biosphere as a system do?

A

Interact with the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere to influence and control geological processes

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13
Q

What are the inputs and outputs in the biosphere?

A

Input: energy (sunlight), matter (carbon, nutrients, water)
Output: metabolism, growth replication

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14
Q

What is the word equation for photosynthesis?

A 
Carbon dioxide (CO2) + water (H20) + Energy from sun = Sugars + Oxygen (O2)
Water and energy used to convert CO2 to sugars which releases oxygen
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15
Q

What is the word equation for chemosynthesis?

A

Carbon dioxide (CO2) + Oxygen (O2) + Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) + Energy from hydrogen sulphide = Sugars + Sulphur (S) + Water

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16
Q

Information about carbon (matter input in biosphere)

A

Building block of life
Template for all organic molecules
Biosphere controls much of flux of carbon through Earth System

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17
Q

Information about nutrients (matter input in biosphere)

A

Chemical elements/compounds that organisms require to live and grow
P N K (Fe and Ca)
Usually sourced from environment not made by organism
Can be sourced via mineral dissolution

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18
Q

Information about water (matter input in biosphere)

A

Life!
Habitat in which life first emerged
Medium for biological activity
Important in climate

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19
Q

Information about energy (matter input in biosphere)

A

Various sources (light, breaking down chemicals in environment, feeding on other organisms etc.)

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20
Q

What are the principal nutrients that organisms require to live and grow?

A

P, N, K, (Fe and Ca)

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21
Q

What are photoautotroph’s energy and carbon sources?

Give examples of a photoautotrophs

A

Energy source: Sun
Carbon Source: CO2
Eg: Cyanobacteria, blue-green algae (plants)

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22
Q

What are photoheterotroph’s energy and carbon sources?

Give an example of a photoheterotrophs

A

Energy source: Sun
Carbon Source: Organic Compounds
Eg: Some purple bacteria

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23
Q

What are chemoautotroph’s energy and carbon sources?

Give examples of a chemoautotrophs

A

Energy source: Chemicals
Carbon source: CO2
Eg: H, S, Fe bacteria

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24
Q

What are chemoheterotroph’s energy and carbon sources?

Give examples of chemoheterotrops

A

Energy Source: Chemicals
Carbon source: Organic compounds
Eg: Most bacteria, fungi and animals (including humans)

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25
What is the difference between autotrophs and heterotrophs?
Autotrophs create their own food while heterotrophs consume their food
26
How do organisms live and grow?
Through metabolism
27
Name 2 metabolic processes
Photosynthesis and Respiration
28
What is metabolism?
All processes used to convert inputs into outputs
29
What is the word and chemical equation for photosynthesis?
Water (H2O) + Carbon Dioxide (CO2) + energy = Glucose (C6 H12 O6) + Oxygen (6O2)
30
What is the word and chemical equation for respiration?
Oxygen (6O2) + Glucose (C6 H12 O6) = Energy + Carbon Dioxide (CO2) + Water (H2O) Photosynthesis but backwards
31
When does anaerobic respiration occur?
In oxygen free environments
32
What is anaerobic respiration?
The process of producing cellular energy without oxygen eg. sulphate reduction
33
What gases are often produced as by-products of respiration?
hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and methane (CH4)
34
The biosphere plays a role in what kind of cycles as a result of metabolic processes?
Biochemical cycles eg. sulphur cycle
35
Comparison of Photosynthesis to Respiration: | Photosynthesis
Stores energy as carbohydrates Uses CO2 and H2O Increases mass Produces oxygen
36
Comparison of Photosynthesis to Respiration: | Respiration
Releases energy from carbohydrates Releases CO2 and H2O Decreases mass Consumes oxygen
37
What are microbes? | Give examples
Single celled organisms | Bacteria, archaea, some fungi, some algae protozoa
38
What is the size range for microbes?
1-2μm upwards but some can exceed 0.2m
39
What are the 2 denominations of microbes?
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
40
What is a prokaryote?
Unicellular organisms with no membrane bound organelles
41
What is a eukaryote?
Multicellular or unicellular with cells that have a nucleus and membrane bound organelles (eg. ribosomes)
42
Give examples of prokaryotes
Monera (bacteria) and Archaea
43
Give examples of eukaryotes
Protista (Protozoans, algae), Fungi (Spores), Plantae (Plant tissue cells), Animalia (Animal tissue cells)
44
What do not fossilise particularly well?
Advanced internal structures
45
How do you distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells in the fossil record?
``` Size Morphological Complexity (eukaryotes more complex) ```
46
What is excystment?
Cells are enclosed or can become enclosed by a cyst, thick membrane or shell
47
Why do cysts from?
To survive harsh environments (dormant stage, resistant and shut down metabolism)
48
Name 2 unicellular eukaryotes
Acritarch | Protozoa
49
What is the universal tree of life?
The hierarchy of ancestors and descendants of all life on Earth
50
What is a universal ancestor?
Single root (LUCA)
51
What are the three domains of life?
Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya
52
Information about Archaea
Morphologically resemble bacteria (eubacteria) Genetically very distinct Often but not always extremophiles
53
Information about Bacteria
Include cyanobacteria (important for oxygenic photosynthesis)
54
What are extremophiles?
Microbes that live on the edge
55
What is a halophile's tolerance and environment?
High salinity | Playa lakes, Marine evaporites
56
What is an acidophile's tolerance and environment?
High acidity | Mine drainage, Water near volcanoes
57
What is a thermophile's tolerance and environment?
High temperature | Hot Springs, Mid-ocean ridge vents
58
What is an anaerobe's tolerance and environment?
No oxygen | Pores of wet sediments, Groundwater, Microbial mats, Mid-ocean ridge vents
59
What are 2 mechanisms for creating conditions for mineral precipitation?
Indirect - influencing composition of water surrounding them | Direct - inside cells as a result of their metabolism
60
What do stromatolites form with?
Cyanobacteria and Oxygenic Photosynthesis
61
How do stromatolites form?
Microorganisms live on surface of stromatolite. Sediment deposited on microorganisms. Microorganisms react by growing upward through sediment and forming a new layer
62
What is an example of microoragnism-mineral interaction?
Mineral precipitation
63
What is an example of mineral precipitation?
Stromatolites
64
Give an example of modern stromatolites
Shark Bay, Australia
65
Give an example of ancient stromatolites
Siberia
66
What is the Principle of Uniformitarianism?
The present is the key to the past
67
What is critical to life?
Water
68
When was the Hadean Eon?
4.6-4 billion years ago (Ga) | No known rocks of this time
69
What happened during the Hadean? (6)
Earth accreted by sweeping up planetesimals Mars sized planet probably struck Earth 4.4-4.6Ga Melting of planet +ejected material formed moon Constrains age for terrestrial processes and origin of life Moon closer to earth - recedes few cm each year meteor + comet bombardment until 3.8Ga (sterilisation)
70
Radionucleides: a) availability, b) produced and c) resulted in
a) Abundant b) a lot of heat c) widespread volcanism
71
What happened to the earth structure during the Hadean?
The core, mantle and crust differentiated
72
When may oceans have begun to form in the Hadean?
4.4 Ga
73
What created an atmosphere? And what was there little to nothing of?
``` Volcanic Gases (atmosphere) Little to no oxygen ```
74
What are the oldest verified minerals on Earth?
Zircon minerals
75
Where were zircon minerals found?
Jacks Hill, Australia
76
What provided dates of 4.4Ga? And what does this suggest?
Zircon minerals | That continental-type crust had formed by this time
77
What do zircon minerals occur as?
Grains recycled into younger rocks
78
What do the sources of surface water include?
Outgassing from Earth's interior Bombardment by meteorites and icy comets Unknown which is more important
79
What confirms Archean oceans existed?
Sedimentary deposits
80
What was the early formation of the hydrosphere?
A problem | Faint Young Sun Paradox
81
What is solar luminosity?
Solar energy input to the climate system
82
What were the conditions on Early Earth? (Faint Young Sun Paradox) (3)
Luminosity about 25% lower than today Water should be frozen for much of Earth's history Yet geological evidence confirms water presence
83
What is the solution to Faint Young Sun Paradox?
High concentrations of greenhouse gases (maybe)
84
Describe the primary atmosphere (5)
``` Appeared soon after planet formed Accreted directly from protoplanetary nebula Rich in hydrogen and helium Did not last Blown away by solar winds ```
85
Describe the secondary atmosphere (4)
Erupting volcanoes emit water vapour, CO2 and other gases No free oxygen (it's combined with other elements) Chemical reactions yielded methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3) Exact composition depends on when acquired
86
What were early atmospheres important in developing?
The Earth's biosphere
87
What did the Earth's atmosphere contain at the end of the Archean?
4-2.5billion years ago (Ga) | About 1% of modern levels of oxygen
88
When would oxygen become more common?
Proterozoic
89
With reference to outgassing, compare early and late atmospheres.
Early: Methane (CH4), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Hydrogen (H2), Nitrogen (N2), Ammonia (NH3), Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) Late: Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Nitrogen (N2)
90
With reference to reducing atmosphere, compare early and late atmospheres.
Early: More Late: Less
91
What is the Earth's atmosphere like today?
``` Nitrogen 78.1% Oxygen 21% Argon 0.9% CO2 0.04% H2O ~1% ``` Ozone layer = 30km Space starts at 100km
92
How did we get to the conditions we have today?
By photochemical dissociation and phoosynthesis
93
What is photochemical dissociation/what role did it play in the evolution of the atmosphere?
Ultraviolet radiation disrupts water molecules that release hydrogen (H4) and free oxygen (O2) Some O2 is converted into Ozone (O3) Ozone blocks most ultraviolet radiation Process is self limiting
94
What role did photosynthesis play in the evolution of the atmosphere?
In presence of sunlight photosynthesising organisms use CO2 and H2O to make organic molecules Free oxygen released as waste product to atmosphere

Intro to Earth Science (13 decks)

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