Element 1: Key Environmental Cycles Flashcards
1
Q
How does ISO 14001 define the Environment?
A
Surroundings in which an organisation operates, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans, and their interrelation.
2
Q
Briefly explain the Caron Cycle
A
- Carbon attaches to oxygen in the atmosphere and creates carbon dioxide
- Plants absorb carbon dioxide as part of the photosynthesis process.
- Carbon is then absorbed by the food chain.
- Plants and animals decay and the carbon is absorbed into the ground.
- Organic waste from animals also absorbed into the ground
- Carbon pits can be formed in the ground, form fossil fuels with coal, oil and heat over millions of years.
- Plants and animals respire putting carbon back into the atmosphere
- Carbon is absorbed by the oceans, more is absorbed by cold water - more is emitted by warm water.
- Fossil fuels are burnt by human processes putting carbon into the atmosphere
3
Q
Describe the greenhouse effect
A
- Some of the solar radiation from the sun is reflected, but some is absorbed by the earth.
- infrared radiation is emitted by the earths surface
- Some heat is reflected back into the atmosphere, but the amount depends of the amount fo carbon and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
- The more in the atmosphere , the less heat that can escape.
4
Q
Overview of the pollution risks of coal mining
A
- Used to remove solid fossil fuels - coal
- effect surface and groundwater flows should they collapse
- Pollute local waters depending on the coals make up, lead, arsenic, selenium etc.
- mountaintop mining results in removal of trees
- rocks and spoil typically dumped in valleys altering the ecosystem - stream diverting.
- Results in poor soil
5
Q
Overview of pollution risk with fuel extraction - oil and gas drilling
A
- Water and chemicals are used to force liquids or gaseous fuels to the surface
- waste water contains heavy metals, radioactive materials
- water difficult to dispose of
- Hydraulic fracking uses more water and chemicals to fracture the rock
- During oil drilling methane is produced
- methane is either vented (86%) more effective at trapping heat or flared which turns it into carbon dioxide
- risk of offshore drilling is similar to onshore but they’re on a bigger scale and isolated locations.
6
Q
Overview of the pollution risk from fuel extraction and transportation
A
- Coal transported by barges, trucks and rail which run on diesel, a major source of nitrogen dioxide
- Gas is transferred by pipelines which can result in methane leaks
- Oil is transferred across the oceans - leaks causes pollution
- Fossil fuel locations are often remote - construction of infrastructure, roads etc.
7
Q
List all of the risks of fuel extraction
A
- Habitat Destruction
- Increased air pollution
- increased noise pollution
- Changes to water tables and flow
- Habitat Destruction
- Pollution of habitats
- Contaminated that kill flora and fauna
- land subsidence
- Produces toxic waste/by-products
changes the topography of the area - Reduces aesthetic value
8
Q
Briefly describe the nitrogen cycle
A
- Atmospheric nitrogen is converted into nitrates by nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil or legume root (FIXATION)
- Plants absorb (assimiliate) these nitrates from the soil and use them to build proteins
- Plants eaten by animals - biomass used to them to build proteins
- Animals waste and dead organsms broken down by decomposers resulting in nitrogen returning to the soil as ammonia - ammonification
- Ammonia is converted by nitrifying bacteria of form nitrate - Nitirification
- Nitrates either assimilated by plans or broken down by denitrifying bacteria and returns nitrogen to the air.
9
Q
Describe the phosphorus Cycle
A
- begins in sedimentary rocks, where it is then removed via weathering. to soils and underground water
- Plants take p phosphorous, the passed up through the food systems by herbivores and carnivores
- Cycle is complete from animal waste or decomposing animals
- Not soluble so binds to soil and enters aquatic environment when soil run-off occurs.
10
Q
How does nitrogen and phosphorus cause eutrophication?
A
- Nitrogen in shorty supply in soil - fertilisers added
- Not all phosphorus is absorbed - washed out by rain into nearby water bodies
- Increase of nitratrates and phosphates in the water create mineral and nutrient enriched environment
- results in growth of algae
- Algae layer prevent sunlight reaching other plants - preventing photosynthesis and depleting oxygen levels - kills bottom-dwelling plants
- Bacterai in water breaks down dead organisms, consuming more oxygen - decreasing the biodiversity of the watercourse.
11
Q
Briefly explain the hydrological cycle
A
- Atmosphere, vapour condenses and falls to the earth
- Water absorbed by land surfaces and absorbed by plants and soil.
- water runs off to enter streams and rivers
- water enters seas and oceans directly
- Water is put back into the atmosphere by evaporation or through transpiration from plants.
12
Q
What human activity effect the water cycle?
A
- Taking water from natural source fro drinking, agriculture and industrial purposes
- Building of dams means downstream gets too little water - upstream leads to flooding
- dams cause disruptions to migrations of animals
- irrigation is usually more than plants would get naturally - pollutant waterways
- Deforestation has led to less evaporated water in the atmosphere - less rain. Drier land vulnerable to run-off and leaching makeing them prone to floods and droughts
- higher temperature from green house gases creates more opportunity for evaporation and greater melting of frozen waters.
13
Q
What is Ecology?
A
- Ecology is the study of how organisms interact with each other as well as the environment.
14
Q
What is an ecosystem?
A
- Interaction of living organisms and their physical environment
- External and internal influences
- External = topography climate, parent material
- Internal = resources, decomposition, root competition, shading, and types of species present.
15
Q
What is biodiversity?
A
- Includes all living things on earth is measure of the variety of species present in different ecosystems.
