LE 15: Nutrient Cycling Flashcards

1
Q

What are the major nutrients that cycle?

A

water, phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How are nutrients found in terrestrial biomes?

A

Found in soils
- Weathering of rocks frees nutrients in the form of soil
- decomposition of matter allows for nutrients to be freed from layer of nutrient poor soil

cold environments, less precipitation = striated soil layers

hot environments, more precipitation = blended soil layers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What are cryptobiotic soil and what are they important?

A

Soil produced by organisms such as algae, cyanobacteria, and fungi
- release gelatinous material that binds soil particles in a dense mix = keeps nutrients together

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

How does erosion affect an ecosystem? Why should we not walk on the side of the cliff?

A

causes nutrient poor soil that cannot sustain an ecosystem
- kept by ground covering plants like grass

Plants hold the soil on the side of the cliff
- walking = erosion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How are nutrients found in aquatic biomes?

A

They cycle from the changes in temperatures/ upwellings
- temperate regions have the most cycling in spring and autumn (well stirred and consistent temperatures with more wind to draw up nutrient rich water)

Inputs:
- Allochothonous input: leaves and other matter falling in water
- Autochthonous inputs: produced inside ecosystem

Zones:
- Littoral: emergent plants
- Limnetic: algae
- Profundal: no sun

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Where do rivers get wider and slower downstream?

A

where nutrients are accumulated

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How do excess nutrients affect ecosystems?

A

excess nutrients = algal blooms and dead zones

dead zones process:
- excess nutrients = bottom up regulation
- algal growth = overshoot
- nutrients depleted = they die
- bacteria feed on algae and use oxygen
- water becomes oxygen poor
- from bacteria also from the algae decline that was making oxygen from photosynthesis
- equalizes itself out again (temporary disturbance)

Effects: algal blooms can be toxic and affect drinking water
- results in cloudy water that causes photosynthetic organisms from getting enough sunlight for photosynthesis
- agriculture contributes a lot of excess nutrients every summer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the water cycle driven by and how is it affected?

A

driven by heating and cooling of the sun: evaporation, humidity, precipitation, runs off into bodies of water, etc
- in plants = cycling of water and other nutrients too

deforestation disrupts the hydrologic cycle by resulting in more water running off
- trees absorb water = less run off and transpiration into air for cycling
- less trees = more dry = more erosion

Soil and ground holds water through aquifers (locations that holds run off water)
- ground breaks when we take more water than replenished

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How does phosphorus cycle and its importance?

A

tied to the water cycle
- found in rocks = water runs over rocks and collects phosphorus = bioavailable nutrients that have been broken down by weathering

can be found in benthic layer

significance:
- Plants use the run off water and consumers get bioavailable phosphorus by eating plants
- used in fertilizers and cleaning products

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How does nitrogen cycle?

A

not bioavailable in its natural form in air

Nitrogen fixation allows for plants to take it in
- eat the plants for Nitrogen
- nitrogen fixing bacteria

Decomposition allows for nitrogen to go back into the air
- decomposers (bacteria and fungi) drive decomposition

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How does carbon cycle and why is it important?

A

tied to energy cycling
- in food we eat

process:
- plants take CO2 to make sugars that are eaten by us
- decomposers break down food = compressing into usable carbon chains

Cellular respiration and decomposition = carbon cycling

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How does CO2 amounts affect heat?

A

more CO2 = less heat escape

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly