Nutrient Cycle in marine ecosystems

Question 1

Nutrient Cylce

Answer 1

the movement and exchange of elements that are essential to life

Question 2

Nutrient

Answer 2

a chemical that provides what is needed for organisms to grow

Question 3

Decomposers

Answer 3

bacteria and fungi that break down dead organic matter and release the nutrients back into the environment

Question 4

Reservoir

Answer 4

part of abiotic phase of the nutrient cycle where nutrients can remain for long periods of time

Question 5

Run-off

Answer 5

the flow of water from lang caused by precipitation

Question 6

Upwelling

Answer 6

the movement of cold, nutrient-rich water from deep in the ocean to the surface

Question 7

Assimilation

Answer 7

the conversion of a nutrient into a usable form that can be incorporated into the tissues of an organisms

Question 8

Residence time

Answer 8

the average time that a particle spends in a particular system

Question 9

Infiltration

Answer 9

part of water cycle where water soaks into the soil from the ground level and moves underground

Question 10

Leaching

Answer 10

a process during which water soluble nutrients are removed from the soil and dissolve in water that is flowing to sea (run off)

Question 11

Marine snow

Answer 11

particles of organic material that fall from surface waters to the deeper ocean

Question 12

Dissociation

Answer 12

a reversible chemical change where the molecules of a single compound separate into two or more other substances

Question 13

Diazotroph

Answer 13

an organism that is able to grow without external sources of fixed nitrogen because it is able to fix nitrogen gas into substances like ammonia

Question 14

Saprophytic

Answer 14

decomposers that feed on dead organic matter (death eater)