Chapter 2B - Biogeochemical Cycles and the Flow of Energy in Ecosystems

Question 1

laws of thermodynamics

Answer 1

energy can change forms but can’t be created or destroyed

Question 2

laws of conservation of matter

Answer 2

energy can’t be destroyed

Question 3

ecosystems

Answer 3

a community plus biotic and abiotic factors of a biome

Question 4

populations

Answer 4

a group of one single organism

Question 5

communities

Answer 5

multiple populations

Question 6

reservoir

Answer 6

where certain types of matter reside for varying amounts of time

Question 7

flux

Answer 7

movement of certain types of matter among pools

Question 8

homeostasis

Answer 8

the body using feedback to control itself

Question 9

dynamic equilibrium

Answer 9

a situation in which a system that otherwise is prone to changing in fact is displaying no overall change

Question 10

hydrological cycle

Answer 10

movement of water through the environment

Question 11

precipitation

Answer 11

rain; snow; hail; sleet

Question 12

condensation

Answer 12

the gathering of water vapor that turns into water

Question 13

transpiration

Answer 13

transfer of water from plants to the atmosphere

Question 14

evaporation

Answer 14

water that is transformed to water vapor and sent into the atmosphere through heat

Question 15

infiltration

Answer 15

water on the ground surface enters the soil

Question 16

percolation

Answer 16

water filters through aerated soil

Question 17

runoff

Answer 17

water that runs from the soil into the water

Question 18

leaching

Answer 18

water passes through a mineral and picks up the nutrients from the mineral

Question 19

groundwater

Answer 19

water found underground beneath layers of soil

Question 20

aquifer

Answer 20

underground reservoirs of sponge-like regions of rock and soil that hold groundwater

Question 21

confined aquifer

Answer 21

layer above aquifer is impervious

Question 22

unconfined aquifer

Answer 22

layer above aquifer is pervious

Question 23

impacts of humans on the water cycle

Answer 23

impervious surfaces; urbanization; deforestation; water pollution; overuse of groundwater; dams

Question 24

carbon cycle

Answer 24

the flow of carbon through the environment

Question 25

photosynthesis

Answer 25

carbon dioxide and water plus light yields glucose and oxygen

Question 26

cellular respiration

Answer 26

glucose and oxygen yield carbon dioxide and water and energy

Question 27

fossil fuel extraction and combustion

Answer 27

pulls carbon out of the earth

Question 28

decomposition

Answer 28

adds carbon back into the soil as stuff deteriorates

Question 29

biomass

Answer 29

the energy in an ecosystem

Question 30

carbon reservoirs

Answer 30

oil; coal; limestone

Question 31

impacts of human activities on the carbon cycle

Answer 31

deforestation; fossil fuel combustion; enhanced greenhouse effect; increased global temperatures

Question 32

nitrogen cycle

Answer 32

movement of nitrogen throughout the environment

Question 33

nitrogen fixation

Answer 33

nitrogen goes to nitrate; step 1

Question 34

assimilation

Answer 34

nitrate goes to proteins and acids; step 2

Question 35

nitrification

Answer 35

ammonia goes to nitrates and nitrites; step 4

Question 36

ammonification

Answer 36

proteins and acids go to ammonia; step 3

Question 37

denitrification

Answer 37

nitrates and nitrites go to nitrogen; step 5

Question 38

legumes

Answer 38

plants that can fix atmospheric nitrogen

Question 39

impacts of human activities on the nitrogen cycle

Answer 39

use of fertilizers; burning of fossil fuels; eutrophication

Question 40

eutrophication

Answer 40

the increase of nitrogen and phosphorous causes dissolved oxygen levels to decrease leading to dead zones

Question 41

phosphorous cycle

Answer 41

movement of phosphorous throughout the environment

Question 42

importance of phosphorous in living systems

Answer 42

important to the utilization of carbohydrates and fats

Question 43

importance phosphorous in aquatic systems

Answer 43

insolubility in water; phosphorous is the primary limiting nutrient in freshwater and marine foodwebs

Question 44

impacts of human activities on the phosphorous cycle

Answer 44

use of fertilizers; use of detergents; eutrophication

Question 45

autotrophs

Answer 45

organisms that produce their own food

Question 46

heterotrophs

Answer 46

organisms that consume other organisms for food

Question 47

producers

Answer 47

plants; phytoplankton; algae; cyanobacteria

Question 48

consumers

Answer 48

primary; secondary; tertiary trophic levels

Question 49

detritivore

Answer 49

scavenge waste products or dead bodies

Question 50

decomposers

Answer 50

break down leaf litter and other nonliving material

Question 51

trophic levels

Answer 51

rank in the feeding heirarchy

Question 52

energy pyramid

Answer 52

graphic model of energy flow in a community

Question 53

biomass pyramid

Answer 53

A graphical representation to show the relative amounts of biomass at each trophic level

Question 54

food chain

Answer 54

the relation of how energy is transferred up the trophic levels

Question 55

food web

Answer 55

a visual map of feeding relationships and energy flow

Question 56

gross primary production

Answer 56

assimilation of energy by autotrophs

Question 57

net primary production

Answer 57

energy remaining after respiration; used to generate biomass

Question 58

secondary production

Answer 58

biomass generated by heterotrophs