Topic 2: Cycles and Patterns of Life Flashcards
30 year climate
is the 30 year average of a weather variable for a given time of year
normal
ammonification
the conversion of organic forms of nitrogen to ammonium, generally mediated by bacteria
autotroph
an organism that can synthesize organic molecules using inorganic molecules and energy from either sunlight (photosynthetic autotrophs) or from inorganic molecules, such as hydrogen sulphide
biochemical cycle
the internal redistribution of nutrients within an organism.
Time scale is very short, and occurs locally.
biopedturbation
the mixing or disturbance of soil by living organisms, as opposed to disturbances of other media such as sediment or leaf litter
biogeochemical
biotic + abiotic
exchange of chemicals within an ecosystem (closed system)
cycle biome
a natural process in which elements are continuously cycled in various forms between different compartments of the environment
carbon cycle
the series of processes by which carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment, involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissues by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels.
climate diagram
a standardized form of representing average patterns of variation in temperature and precipitation that identifies several ecologically important climatic factors, such as relatively moist periods and periods of drought.
decomposition
the breakdown of organic matter accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide and other inorganic compounds; it is the key process in nutrient cycling
denitrification
the conversion of nitrate to gaseous nitrogen, generally mediated by bacteria
geochemical cycle
biotic and abiotic
- exchange between ecosystems (open cycle)
gross primary productivtiy
the total amount of energy fixed by all the autotrophs in an ecosystem
heterotroph
an organism that uses organic molecules both as a source of carbon and as a source of energy
immobilization
the conversion of inorganic ions into organic compounds
mineralization
the breakdown of organic matter from organic to inorganic form during decomposition
net ecosystem productivity
represents the total amount of organic carbon in an ecosystem available for storage, export as organic carbon, or nonbiological oxidation to carbon dioxide through fire or ultraviolet oxidation
nitrification
the conversion of ammonia to nitrate, generally mediated by bacteria
nitrogen cycle
the series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition.
nutrient cycling
the use, transformation, movement, and reuse of nutrients in an ecosystem
nutrients
a chemical substance required for the development, maintenance, and reproduction or organisms
primary production
the fixation of energy by autotrophs in an ecosystem
primary productivity
a measure of plant growth rate, per unit area, per unit time. this is in contrast to standing biomass
productivity
respiration
a process in living organisms involving the production of energy, typically with the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide from the oxidation of complex organic substances
soil horizons
a distinct layer of soil, approximately parallel with the land surface, whose properties develop from the combined actions of living organisms and percolating water
taiga/boreal forest
northern forests that occupy the area south of the arctic tundra. though dominated by coniferous trees, they also contain aspen and birch
temperate forest
deciduous or coniferous forests are generally found between 40 degrees and 50 degrees of latitude, where annual precipitation averages anywhere from about 650 mm to over 3,000 mm; this biome receives more winter precipitation than temperate grasslands.
temperate grassland
grasslands growing in middle latitudes that receive between 300 and 1000 mm of annual precipitation, with maximum precipitation usually falling during the summer months
tundra
a northern biome dominated by mosses, lichens and dwarf willows, receiving low to moderate precipitation and having a very short growing season.
