Unit 1 APES

Carbon cycle

Movement of carbon between sources and sinks

carbon sinks definition

a carbon reservoir that stores more carbon that it releases

carbon sinks examples

Ocean, plants, soil

carbon reservoir definition

processes that add carbon to the atmosphere

carbon reservoir examples

fossil fuel combustion, deforestation

Photosynthesis in carbon cycle

removes CO2 from atmosphere and convert + store it as glucose. Carbon sink.

Cellular respiration in the carbon cycle

the breakdown of glucose and release of energy; releases carbon dioxide into the environment

Direct exchange

CO2 moves directly between atmosphere and the ocean by dissolving into and out of ocean water at the surface

sedimentation in the carbon cycle

when marine organisms die, their bodies sink to ocean floor where they're broken down into sediments that contain carbon

burial in the carbon cycle

sediments are compressed into sedimentary rock or fossil fuels by pressure

Nitrogen cycle

The movement of nitrogen between sources and sinks/reservoirs

The main nitrogen reservoir/sink

atmosphere

Why organisms need nitrogen

DNA, amino acids to make proteins

nitrogen fixation

Process of converting nitrogen gas into ammonia

NH3

ammonia

NO3

Nitrate

bacterial fixation

certain bacteria that live in the soil, or in symbiotic relationship with plant root nodules convert N2 into ammonia (NH3)

synthetic fixation

humans combust FFs to convert N2 gas into nitrate

assimilation

plants and animals taking nitrogen and incorporating it into their body

ammonification

decomposers and soil bacteria convert organic waste into ammonia

nitrification

conversion of ammonia into nitrate and then nitrite by soil bacteria

denitrification

conversion of nitrate into nitrous oxide which returns to atmosphere

Ammonia volatilization

excess fertilizer use can lead to NH3 gas entering the atmosphere

Phosphorus cycle

movement of phosphorus between sources and reservoirs/sinks

Major reservoir of phosphorus

rocks and sediment

Why organisms need phosphorus

DNA, ATP (energy), bone and tooth enamel

Major natural source of phosphorus

weathering of rocks

Synthetic source of phosphorus

mining of phosphate minerals and adding to products like synthetic fertilizers

mini loop in carbon cycle

photosynthesis and cellular respiration

mini loop in phosphorus cycle

assimilation and excretion/decomposition

mini loop in nitrogen cycle

assimilation and ammonification

What causes geological uplift?

Tectonic plate collision forcing up rock layers that form mountains.

What is the role of weathering in the phosphorus cycle?

Weathering releases phosphate from rock.

the water cycle

movement of water in different states between sources and sinks

largest water reservoir

ocean

largest freshwater reservoirs

polar ice caps and groundwater

two main sources of water

surface water and ground water

transpiration

Evaporation of water from the leaves of a plant

process of transpiration

leaf opens in stomata open, allowing water to evaporate from the plant and creating low pressure in the leaf which draws water up from roots.

evapotranspiration

the amount of water that enters the atmosphere from transpiration and evaporation combined.

runoff

water that flows over the ground surface rather than soaking into the ground

infiltration

Downward movement of water through soil.

Individual

one organism

Population

group of individuals of the same species

community

all living organisms in an area

ecosystem

all living and nonliving things in an area

Biome

A group of ecosystems with similar climate conditions that determine species that live there

Symbiosis

A close, long term relationship between two different species

competition

the struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat with limited resources.

Limits population size ( - , -)

Predation

An interaction in which one organism kills another for energy ( +, -)

Mutualism

A relationship between two species that benefits both organisms (+ , +)

Commensalism

a relationship between two organisms that benefits one organism and doesnt impact the other. (+, 0)

4 types of predation

True predation, Herbivores, Parasites, Parasitoids

herbivores

eat plants for energy

true predators

carnivores; kill and eat prey for energy

parasite

an organism that uses a host organism for energy

parasitoid

an organism that lay eggs inside a host organism

resource partitioning

When species divide a niche to avoid competition for resources; reduces competition

temporal partitioning

two species reduce competition by using a resource at different times

spacial partitioning

two species reduce competition by using different areas of a shared habitat

morphological partitioning

two species reduce competition by using different resources based on different evolved body features

climate

overall yearly temperature and precipitation

biomes are defined by

annual temperature and rainfall

Characteristics of aquatic biomes

salinity, depth, flow, temperature

Characteristics of rivers

high oxygen due to flow mixing water and air, nutrient rich due to sediments

Characteristics of lakes

standing bodies of fresh water

4 zones in freshwater biomes

Littoral, limnetic, profundal, benthic

wetlands

an area with soil submerged or saturated in water for at least part of the year, but shallow enough for emergent plants

emergent plants

roots are submerged in water, but rest of plant sticks out

limnetic zone

well-lit, open-water area of a lake or pond

littoral zone

a shallow zone in a freshwater habitat where light reaches the bottom and nurtures plants

profundal zone

a region of water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic zone in very deep lakes

benthic zone

the muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean

Estuaries

areas where rivers empty into the ocean, mixing freshwater and saltwater

coral reef

The most diverse marine biome on Earth, found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline.

intertidal zones

narrow band of coastline between low and high tides

desiccation

drying out

open ocean

Low productivity/area as only algae & phytoplankton can survive in most of ocean

importance of open ocean

algae and plankton absorb atmospheric CO2 and release O2

aphotic zone

abyssal zone, area of ocean too deep for sunlight

source zone of rivers

high elevation collects precipitation and snowmelt. Cold, fast-moving, high dissolved oxygen levels, low nutrients

transition zone of rivers

wider, slower, less dissolved oxygen levels, more sediment, warmer, nutrient-rich when compared to source zone.

floodplain zone of rivers

where water spills out, forming wetlands and temporary lakes. More sediment, less dissolved oxygen.

biosphere

combination of all ecosystems on earth

taiga

Biome in which the winters are cold but summers are mild enough to allow the ground to thaw

temperate rainforests

a coastal biome typified by moderate temperatures and high precipitation

temperate seasonal forests

A biome with warmer summers and colder winters than temperate rainforests and dominated by deciduous trees.

tropical rainforests characteristics.

Near the equator. Warm with lots of precipitation. Little seasonal temperature variation. Most diverse biome.

shrubland

Arid terrestrial biome characterized by shrubs and tending to occur along coasts that have dry summers and receive most of their rainfall in the winter.

temperate grassland

biome characterized by deep, nutrient-rich soil that supports many grass species

savanna

An area of grassland with scattered trees and bushes

desert

An extremely dry area with little water and few plants

tundra

An extremely cold, dry biome.

primary productivity

the rate that solar energy is converted into organic compounds via photosynthesis over a unit of time

respiration loss

plants use up some of the energy they generate via photosynthesis by doing cellular respiration

gross primary productivity

The total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture and convert to energy via photosynthesis

net primary productivity

the amount of energy (biomass) left over for consumers after plants have used some for respiration

ecological efficency

the proportion of incoming solar energy that is captured by plants and converted into biomass

higher primary productivity =

more diversity

NPP =

GPP-RL