Intro Global Environment Flashcards
4 Earth spheres
Atmosphere, Biosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
the air system - oxygen, nitrogen and gases in the air
- controls global climate/energy balance
- troposhere - lower layer
- stratoshpere - upper level (ozone layer)
Hydrosphere
water system - includes oceans, lakes, rivers, cryosphere
Lithosphere
land sphere - includes Earth’s crust and tectonic plates
- source of all materials
- pedosphere - outermost layer, soil
Biosphere
Biological activity - driver of carbon cycle, creates/maintains oxygen rich atmosphere
- Anthroposphere - part of environment made/modified by humans
Closed system
only energy, no matter is shared between cycle and environment
Open system
energy and matter is shared between cycle and environment
Earth is a (closed/open system)
Closed system - energy is shared, not matter
Earth systems are (closed/open systems)
Open systems - matter is shared between spheres
Cycles consist of
Fluxes - transportation of substance between reservoirs
Reservoirs - holding tanks for substances
Perturbation/Disturbances
Changes in sizes of reservoirs, volume of fluxes, removal/addition of reservoir/flux
Linear response
The magnitude of the response is proportionate to the disturbance
Non-linear
The magnitude of the response is not proportionate to the disturbance
Negative/Positive Feedback loop
Negative - the response to a disturbance leads to a decrease in the magnitude
Positive - the response to a disturbance leads to an increase in the magnitude
Spatial Scale
the scale of a disturbance
Large scale
- climate change
- ice ages
Small scale
- construction of a dam
