ecology- cycles Flashcards
surface water
run-off, moves downhill through stream systems and back to the ocean due to gravity and slope
ground water
enters ground through infiltration and remains there for several hundred years
moves through aquifers
emerges in springs
moves through the biosphere through transpiration
transpiration
water absorbed by the roots of plants then carried through the plant and lost as water vapour through stromates(small pores in the leaves)
five chemical elements required for life
carbon oxygen hydrogen nitrogen phosphorus
short term stores(carbon)
aquatic and terrestrial living organisms
in co2 in the atmosphere
top layers of the ocean
long term stores(carbon)
middle and lower ocean layers as dissolved co2
coal, oil and gas deposits in land and ocean sediments
sedimentation
layers of soil and decomposing organic matter slowly under great pressure becomes coal oil and gas
layers of shells are also deposited in sediments on the ocean floor forming carbonate rocks like limestone
carbon stores alternate name
carbon sinks
carbon types in organic or biological molecules
carbohydrates or sugars
proteins
lipids or fats
the nucleus acids(dna rna atp)
photosynthesis
occurs in plants, cyanobacteria and algae
carbon in atmosphere transformed into carbohydrates
cellular respiration
carbohydrates release energy in consumers
energy used for growth, repair and other cell processes
decomposition
breaks down large quantities of cellulose to glucose
most organisms cannot break down cellulose
ocean processes
co2 dissolves in cold northern waters and sinks
ocean currents flow to tropical water where the water rises and releases co2
this is called ocean mixing
volcanic eruption and fires release?
3 chemicals
co2 methane and carbon monoxide
nitrogen is important in
the structure of dna and proteins
chlorophyll
nitrogen fixation
conversion of n2 gas to compounds containing nitrate and ammonium
occurs in lightning in the atmosphere
nitrogen fixing bacteria in the soil
cyanobacteria in the water
nitrification
ammonium is converted into nitrates by nitrifying bacteria and nitrites which is then turned into nitrate
uptake
nitrate enters plant roots
makes plant proteins
denitrification
nitrogen returns to the atmosphere
by denitrifying bacteria
volcanic eruptions
excess dissolves in the water and enters surface water and runs off into lakes and oceans
human activities in the nitrogen cycle
burning fossil fuels and sewage treatments releases nitrogen monoxide and nitrogen dioxide
nitric acid- acid rain
excess nitrogen in water
occurs when nitrogen containing fertilizers are used in excess
leaches into surface water
promotes awuiatic growth called algae blooms that use dissolved o2 in the water and block sunlight killing many aquatic organisms
blooms also produce neurotoxins-red tide
phosphorus used for
atp that carries energy cell membrane strong bones dna and rna nucleus acids phoso lipids
where is phosphate stored
NOT IN ATMOSPHERE
trapped in rocks and sediments on the ocean floors
released by weathering
weathering types
chemical and physical
chemical is acid rain or lichens
physical is wind water and freezing
when does weathering occur
when there is geological uplift exposing the rock
how do humans add excess phosphorus
through mining and fertilizer
found in dishwashing and laundry detergents
can cause algal blooms
eutrophication
excess nutrients release from river mouths into the ocean to create dead zones
carbon cycle changes affect
climate and global warming
nitrogen increase affects
environment
certain species outcompete
decreased levels of phosphorus affect
can inhibit growth of algae which are important producers in many food chains
