Test #2 (Chapters 7,8,9,10, and 12) Flashcards
Embedded Water
water used to produce goods
Reservoir
part of earth where water spends time
Hydroshere
contains all the places that hold water: surface, ground, and atmospheric
Residence Time
time molecule spends in a particular reservoir (water=9 days)
Aquifers
Subsurface areas of rock where water accumulates or passes through
Surface Water
rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands
Lentic Ecosystems
have still water defined by distance from shore and the penetration of sunlight
Lotic Ecosystems
rivers and streams ranging from turbulent rapids to still pools
Wetlands
Where the ground is seasonally saturated
Estuaries
where fresh and saltwater meet, high in light and nutrients
Water Mining
Withdrawal of “fossil water” (nonrenewable)
Point Sources
Identifiable Sources (pipe, ditch, well) that discharge contaminants
NonPoint Sources
Discharge pollutants in a less identifiable way
Water Security
ensuring reliable access to safe, affordable water
Cryoshere
all places on earth where water is frozen
Permafrost
perpetually frozen water in soil/rock that can extend thousands of feet underground
Surface Currents
Affect the top 100-400 meters of water
Gryes
5 global currents (large circular patterns)
Coriolis Effect
A force caused by the Earth’s rotation that creates winds
Thermohaline Conveyor
surface and deep water circulation that distributes heat around the planet
Atmosphere
envelope of gasses 62 miles above earth’s surface
Troposphere
5-10 mile thick layer where weather occurs
Stratosphere
Extends from the top of the troposphere to 30 miles above Earth
Mesosphere
has the coldest temperatures
Thermosphere
top layer is warm due to solar and cosmic radiation
Weather
Short term variations
Climate
30 year average of weather conditions
Relative Humidity
Compares air to maximum water the air can hold at a given temperature
Barometric Pressure
Pressure exerted by the Earth’s atmosphere at a given point
Hadley Cells
looping weather patterns 30 degrees off the Earth’s equator
Ferrel Cells
circulation patterns that occur between 30 and 60 degrees
Primary Pollutant
Substance that is harmful to the atmosphere in its directly emitted form
Rock Cycle
geological process by which the Earth recycles and renews its surface
Erosion
Natural Forces pick up and move weathered rock particles
Sediment
material that erodes and is transported
Metamorphic Rock
subject to extreme temperatures and goes through physical and chemical changes through the process of metamorphism
Minerals
Natural solids from Earth’s crust that provide key minerals
Topography
shape of land
Water Shed
area of land that drains to a particular point along a river
Delta
sediment at the mouth of a river
Hillslopes
Water flows into a drainage basin due to hills
Glacier
mass of ice that flows over land masses and lasts all year
Imperious
water cannot pass through
Soil
mixture of weathered rock and mineral particles
Infiltration
larger particles allow water to move down into the soil
Soil Horizons
living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) factors in the soil creating layers
Soil Profile
typically less than three feet, makes up all different types of soil
Tilth
overall structure and conditions which facilitate plant growth
Leaching
process where water moving through the soil dissolves elements and carries them away
Tilling
preparing the soil for planting by breaking it up
Systems
collection of components interacting with each other to produce outcomes that they could not produce on their own
Open System
affected by outside influences
Closed System
self contained, neither receiving nor sending inputs
Models
simplified representations of the world
Stock
supply of something we want to observe and measure
Flows
mechanisms and rates
Photosynthesis
series of chemical reactions that uses water and CO2 to store energy in molecules
Reinforcing Feedback
loop that responds to the direction of change by enhancing the same direction of change
Balancing Feedback
negative feedback loop that counteracts with the direction of the loop
Biogeochemicals cycles
paths that show how matter flows through the environment
Macronutrients
elements that organisms use in large amounts
Sink
place where matter accumulates and is held for a long time
Eutrophication
process where phosphorus can alter marine and freshwater ecosystems
Nitrogen Fixation
process where plants use nitrogen compounds that are dissolved in water and taken up by their roots from the soil
Diazotrophs
bacteria that has an enzyme that uses free nitrogen from the air with hydrogen to make ammonia which is a mutualistic relationship
Ammonification
process with fungi/bacteria where they break down nitrogen compounds in waste products, dead plants, and dead animal matter and release ammonia
Nitrification
microorganisms convert ammonia to nitrogen compounds
Methanogens
methane producers that thrive in oxygen poor or anoxic environments
Ocean acidification
increased dissolution of CO2 in ocean water (Carbonic acid H2CO3)
Agriculture
process of cultivating plants for animals and consumption
Fallow
unplanted fields
Synthetic Fertilizers
industrially produced chemicals with primary nutrients for plant growth
Synthetic Pestisides
chemicals applied to combat insects and weeds and are widely used
Genetically Modified Organisms
genetic material from one species is spliced into the DNA of another
Leaching
water moves minerals away and deeper beyond the reach of roots
Desertification
when drought, erosion, and soil infertility cause land to lose 10% or more of its productivity
Subsidence
when land settles as water filled spaces collapse under the weight of overlying rock and soil collapses, reduces aquifers ability to store water
Agrobiodiversity
variety of genetic material in organisms used for food
Genetic Erosion
process where genetic diversity is lost
Monoculture
agriculture process of growing a single crop, plant, or livestock
CAFO’s
raise animals in confinement feeding them grains shipped from other farms
Ruminants
animals with a plant based digestive system that turn plant cellulose into protein. They can’t process grain
Organic Dust
From animal feed, breeding, and pesticide that can cause allergic reactions
Salinization
the process in which soil that is low in salt becomes high in salt
