Nutrient Cyle

Question 1

Ecology definition

Answer 1

the study about the relationship between living things and their environment

Question 2

Types of environment

Answer 2

• abiotic = non living factors
• biotic = living factors

Question 3

Abiotic Factors

Answer 3

soil = air, minerals, water and ph level
climate = rainfall, humidity, temperature
tophographical = steep, altitude

Question 4

Producers

Answer 4

• autotrophs
• is able to synthesize complex organic substances from simple inorganic substances by using
• light energy from the sun
• or from inorganic energy sources

Question 5

Consumers

Answer 5

• heterotrophs
• unable to synthesize complex organic substances from simple inorganic substances
• feed on complex organic substances made by plants

Question 6

Decomposers

Answer 6

• break down organic matter into simple inorganic substances, making nutrients available from plants
• recycle nutrients

Question 7

Nutrient cycle definition

Answer 7

closed loops of nutrients moved and exchanged from one organism to another.

Question 8

Nitrogen cycle

Answer 8

• the circulation of nitrogen between plants, animals, atmosphere, soil and bacteria
• nitrogen is an important component of proteins and nucleic acid and is essential to life

Question 9

Definition of Eutrpohication

Answer 9

• is the process whereby water receives excess nutrients like phospates and nitrates, which causes the excessive growth of algae and water plants

Question 10

Process in detail

Answer 10

excessive use of nitrogen containing fertilisers in agriculture has lead to nitrates being washed out of the soil by rain into water bodies
- nitrates in the fertilisers are useful nutrients for the growth of algae and water plants
- The enrichment of nutrients leads to the profuse growth and multipication of algae on the river surface . this is due to eutrophications
- submerged algae and water plants die due to the lack of sunlight for phtosynthesis blocked by the algae.
- the dead algae are and water plants are decomposed by bacteria
- Bacteris grow and multiply rapidly, using up oxygen in the water in the process of respiration to release energy for decomposition
- fishes and other organism die due to the lack of oxygen

Question 11

Bio accumulation

Answer 11

• some industries dump inorganic waste products which may contain poisonous metals into water bodies
• insecticides are carried by rainwater into the water bodies and accumulate in high concentration
• poisonous metals and insecticedes accumulate and remain in the organisms tissue for many years and are not excreted

Question 12

Biomagnification

Answer 12

• Poisonous metals and insetcicedes are passed down the the food chain due to feeding, increasing in concentration.

Question 13

Definition of carbon sinks

Answer 13

a carbon sinks absorbs and stores carbon compounds for an indefinite period. it stores more carbon then it releases

Question 14

Removing carbon dioxide

Answer 14

• photoautotrauphs are constantly removing carbon dioxide from the atmopshere for photosynthesis.
• certain bacteria also known as chemoautotrophs
  use co2 to synthesize organic compunds they need

Question 15

Oceans

Answer 15

• carbon is removed from the atmosphere by dissolving in the ocean
• they remain as it is or get convereted into carbonated and bicarbonates
• the c02 is used by marine plants for photosynthesis
• carbonates is coverted into calcium carbonate by certain organisms to make their shells, when the organisms die, their shells deposit on the sea floor and turn into sedimentary rocks

Question 16

Passing organisms

Answer 16

• reaches animals through the food chain by feeding
• microorganisms and some animal feeds on waste material and the remains of dead animals and plants

Question 17

Returning carbon

Answer 17

• c02 is constantly returned to the atmosphere through respiration
• when plants and animal die, they go through decomposition by decomposers and release c02
• fossil remains are burried under the ground and are converted into fossil fuels due to high pressure and physical and chemical chages after mayn years
• combustion of wood and fossil fuels also releases co2 into the atmoshpere

Question 18

gloabal warming definitois

Answer 18

carbon is released into the atmosphere more rapidly than it is removed

Question 19

effects of global warming

Answer 19

• glaciers melt faster, raising the sea levels causing flooding in citie slocated along the edge of oceans
• unpredicatble and more extreme weathre patterns
• changes to plant blooming time
• higher rate of extinction of animal and plant species