carbon cycling

Question 1

what is biogeochemical cycling?

Answer 1

metabolic processes result in production and degredation of biomass
microbes play crucial roles in moving elements between living organisms and the physical environment

Question 2

what are the main components of biomass?

Answer 2

carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, phosphorus, potassium sulfur, and trace amounts of Na, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Ni, Mb

Question 3

what is changed in elemental cycling?

Answer 3

oxidation state, physical shape, metabolic availability

Question 4

how do living organisms contribute to changes in oxidation state?

Answer 4

by conducting redox reactions (oxidation-reduction reactions)

Question 5

what is the oxidation state for methane? for formic acid?

Answer 5

CH4 -4

HCOOH +2

Question 6

what is the role of land in the carbon cycle?

Answer 6

major site of co2 fixation, soil humus, very slowly biodegraded

Question 7

what is the role of atmospheric co2 in the carbon cycle?

Answer 7

rapidly cycling

Question 8

what is the role of oceans and other waters in the carbon cycle?

Answer 8

site of co2 fixation, organic matter decomposition, less influence than land reservoir

Question 9

what is the role of sediments and rock in the carbon cycle?

Answer 9

largest reservoir (99.5%), extremely long turnover time