WCC: Key Terms Flashcards
Burial and compaction
the process by which sediments are compacted and cemented turning them into sedimentary rocks.
Carbon budget
the net change between inputs from a carbon source and outputs from a carbon sink. If inputs are greater than outputs there is surplus carbon, if vice verse there is a carbon deficit.
Carbon capture and storage
the technological capturing of carbon emitted from power stations.
Carbon farming
Using farming techniques e.g not ploughing to sequester carbon in the soil.
Carbon sequestration
The long-term storage of carbon in plants, soils, rock formations and oceans.
Carbon sink
a store of carbon that absorbs more carbon than it releases
Carbon source
A store of carbon that’s releases more carbon than it absorbs
Combustion
When organic material is burned in the presence of oxygen and is converted into energy, carbon dioxide and water.
Decomposition
When organisms die and are consumed by decomposes such as bacteria, fungi, and earthworms
Deforestation
When trees are removed either by burning or felling, for building, ranching, mining or growing of commercial crops like oil palm and soya.
Desertification
Turning marginal land into a desert by destroying its biological potential.
Gauging station
A point at which gauges (e.g a rain gauge) gather data
Halosere
Vegetation succession that originated in a saline area (e.g salt marsh)
Hill slope system
A hillslope viewed as a system i.e with inputs (rain), outputs (runoff), transfers and stores.
Hydrocarbons
A compound of hydrogen and carbon
Irrigation
Artificially watering crops i.e not just relying on rain
Lithosere
A vegetation succession that originated on a bare rocky surface
Photosynthesis
The process whereby plants use the light energy from the sun to produce carbohydrates in the form of glucose
Psammosere
Vegetation succession that originated in a coastal sand dune area
Respiration
A chemical process that happens in all cells, where glucose in converted into energy and carbon dioxide is returned to the atmosphere
Seral stage
A stage within a sere
Sere
The whole sequence of succession e.g bare sans to woodland
Vegetation succession
The process by which vegetation colonises an area. soil develops, more moisture is retained and carbon storage increases.
Diffusion
the net movement of particles from a area of high concentration to low concentration
Soil respiration
Soil organisms respire and release carbon dioxide just as other living organisms do
Aquifer
Vast underground reservoirs formed by water stored on rocks underneath the ground surface
Atmosphere
The gaseous envelope of air that surrounds the earth
Closed system
A system that doesn’t exchange any matter with its surroundings
Components
An individual element or part of a system
Condensation
The change in state of matter from water vapour to liquid water that occurs with cooling
Cryosphere
The ice and snow on the earth’s surface e.g glaciers; sea, lake, and river ice; snow; permafrost
Deforestation
When trees are removed wither by burning or felling, for building, ranching, mining, or the growing of commercial crops like oil palm and soya
Discharge
The volume of water in a river passing a given point at a given time (cumecs or m^3/sec) AREA X VELOCITY
Drainage basin
The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries
Dynamic equilibrium
A state of balance within a constantly changing system
Evaporation
The process by which liquid water is converted into a gaseous state.
Evapotranspiration
The process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation or transpiration
Flood (storm) hydrograph
A graph showing river discharge after a storm/period of rainfall
Flows
The links or relationships between the components
Groundwater flow
Water flowing through rocks towards the river
Hydrosphere
The waters of the earth
Impermeable
water is unable to pass through
infiltration
the process by which water enters the soil
input
an input into the system from the outside
interception
the capture of precipitation by the plant canopy and its subsequent return to the atmosphere through evaporation or sublimation.
lithosphere
the solid, inorganic portion of the earth (composed of rocks, minerals and elements)
negative feedback
a cyclical sequence of events that dampens down or neutralises the effects of a system, promoting stability and dynamic equilibrium.
open system
a system that transfers both matter and energy across its boundary to the surrounding environment.
output
an output from the system to the outside
overland flow
the movement of water over the surface of the ground to rivers
percolation
water draining through rock towards the water table
permeable
water is able to pass through
positive feedback
a cyclical sequence of events that amplifies or increases change, driving a system in one direction and promoting environmental instability
precipitation
any form of water falling from the sky
recharge
the process where water moves from the surface to the ground or soil
river regime
the variability in a rivers discharge throughout the course of a year in response to precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration, and drainage basin characteristics.
runoff
the topographic flow of water from precipitation to steam channels located at lower elevations. the water leaving a drainage basin
soil moisture (water) budget
the amount of water going in and out of a system (/the soil)
store
an individual element or part of a system
sublimation
when a solid turns into a gas without first becoming a liquid
Throughflow
water flowing through the soil towards rivers
transfers
the links or relationships between the components
urbanisation
an increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas compared to rural areas
water abstraction
the process of taking water from any source
water balance
the flow of water in and out of a system
water table
the depth at which rock becomes completely saturated with water
watershed
an imaginary line that separates one drainage basin from another
weathering
physical, chemical or biological breakdown of rocks and minerals into smaller sized particles
water cycle
The cycle of processes by which water circulates between the earth’s oceans, atmosphere, and land.
carbon cycle
Storage and cyclic movement of organic and inorganic forms of carbon between the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
transpiration
Transpiration is the process of water loss from plants through stomata.
surface water
Water on the surface of the Earth, such as in lakes, rivers, streams, ponds, and springs.
soil water
The water found occupying the pore spaces between soil particles.
ground water
Water that occupies the pore spaces found in some types of bedrock.
channel storage
The volume of water at a given time in the channel or over the flood plain of the streams in a drainage basin or river reach.
Stemflow
The process that directs precipitation down plant branches and stems. The redirection of water by this process causes the ground area around the plant’s stem to receive additional moisture.
infiltration
The absorption and downward movement of water into the soil layer.
channel flow
How and how much water flows through a channel.
greenhouse gas
A gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation.
sea ice
Formed when water in the oceans is cooled below freezing.
Ice sheets
A mass of glacial ice extending more than 50,000km^2.
Ice caps
Thick layers of ice on land that are smaller than 50,000km^2.
alpine glaciers
Thick masses of ice found in deep valleys or in upland hollows.
permafrost
Permanently frozen ground that remains at or below 0 degrees C for at least 2 consecutive years.
lake
A collect of fresh water found in hollows on land surface. Usually greater than two hectares in area.
wetlands
Areas of marsh, fen or peatland where there is a dominance of vegetation.
biological water
Water stored in all biomass.
