APES cycles

The basic building block of life and the fundamental element found in carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids.

carbon

fats, oils, waxes; consists of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen

lipids

carbon, oxygen, hydrogen

carbohydrates

consists of sulfur, phosphate, nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen

proteins

carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus

nucleic acids

this cycle depends heavily on photosynthesis and respiration

carbon cycle

is removed through photosynthesis by which is incorporated into plant structures and compounds

carbon

the major carbon "sinks" include

plant matter, terrestrial biosphere, oceans, sedimentary deposits

this is the largest reservoir of carbon in the carbon cycle

limestone

6 ways carbon is real eased back into the atmosphere

cellular respiration, decay of organic material, burning fossil fuels, weatherization of rocks, volcanic eruptions, release of carbon dioxide by warmer ocean waters

A crucial component of proteins, vitamins, and nucleic acids

nitrogen

in its' gaseous form, it cannot be absorbed and used by animals or plant

nitrogen

Atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrogen oxides by lightning and deposited in the soil by rain where it is assimilated by plants and either eaten by animals (and returned as feces) or decomposed back to elemental nitrogen by bacteria

the nitrogen cycle

the converse of atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia or nitrate ions

nitrogen fixation

what is the produce of abiotic (high energy) fixation?

nitrate

high energy fixation by lightning or cosmic radiation

abiotic fixation

molecular nitrogen is split into two free nitrogen atoms, the nitrogen atoms combine with hydrogen to yield ammonia

biological fixation

N₂+O→NO and NO₂

abiotic fixation

N₂→N+N→NH₃

biological fixation

NH₃→NO₂⁻ OR NO₃⁻

nitrification

the process in which ammonia is oxidized to nitrite and nitrate, the forms most usable by plants.

nitrification

Ammonia is converted to nitrate (NO3-) and nitrite ions (NO2-) through which process?

nitrification

the form of nitrogen most commonly assimilated by plans through their root hairs

nitrate

role of nitrogen for plants

synthesize amino acids, oils, and nucleic acids

How do animals acquire nitrogen?

eating plants

N→NH₃

ammonification

When a plant or animal dies, or and animal excretes, the initial form of nitrogen is found in amino acids and nucleic acids. Bacteria, or in some cases, fungi, convert this organic nitrogen within the remains back into ammonia.

ammonification

The process in which nitrates are reduced to gaseous nitrogen

denitrification

farmers are vulnerable to nitrogen loss due to

denitrification

NO₃⁻→NO₂

denitrification

this has contributed to a sevenfold increase in nitrogen oxides

burning fossil fuels

human impacts on increased nitrogen

cultivation of legumes, use of fertilizers, biomass burning, cattle/feedlots, industrial processes

essential for the production of nucleotides, production of ATP, fats in cell membranes, bones, teeth, and shells

phosphorus cycle

not found in the atmosphere, but rather sedimentary rock

phosphorus

the lack of this can result in delayed crop maturity, reduced flower development, low seed quality, decreased crop yield

phosphorus

this enables plants to extract nutrients from the soil

ATP

phosphorus is usually found in these two forms

phosphate ion PO₄³⁻ or hydrogen phosphate ion HPO₄²⁻

slowly released from terrestrial rocks by weathering and acid rain,dissolved into the soil, then taken up by plants

phosphorus

this is a key element in fertilizer

phosphorus

human impact on phosphorus

mining large quantities of rocks, clear cutting, runoff from feedlots

most of this is found in underground rocks and deep oceanic deposits

sulfur

the natural release of this occurs from the weathering of rock and gases released from sealer vents and volcanic eruptions

sulfur

H₂S→SO₃→H₂SO₄

sulfur cycle

sulfur is usually released in two forms by volcanic eruptions

hydrogen sulfide H₂S and sulfur dioxide SO₂

after volcanic eruptions, this sulfur dioxide is converted to ___ and eventually to tiny droplets of _____. This mixed with rain to fall back to earth known as ______.

sulfur trioxide, sulfuric acid, acid rain

human impact on the sulfur cycle

refining and burning fossil fuels, smelting

caused by movement/transfer of heat energy, influences physical properties

weather

total of all weather occurring over a period of years in a given place

climate

can be transferred wherever there is a temperature difference between two objects

energy

flow of electromagnetic energy ex: the sun

radiation

primary way energy is transferred from hotter to colder regions in earths atmosphere and is the primary determinant of weather patterns

convection

biggest greenhouse gas contributor

water vapor

second largest greenhouse gas contributor

carbon dioxide

third largest greenhouse gas contributor

methane

fourth largest greenhouse gas contributor

ozone

contributes to less than 2% of all greenhouse gases but considered to be a High Global Warming Potential gas

fluorinated gases

emitted through the production/transport of coal; livestock/other agricultural practices; and y the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills

methane

emitted during agricultural/industrial activities (manufacturing plastics), combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste

nitrous oxide

greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes referred to as High Global Warming Potential gases because they are poten

fluorinated gases

ways to analyze past climate

radioactive dating rock, ice core sampling, preserved pollen samples, tree rings

accelerate changes in the tropospheric temperature

positive feedback loops (systems)

decrease changes in trophospheric temperature

negative feedback loops (systems)

As humans disrupt freshwater ecosystems with sewage, manure, and man made fertilizers there is an excessive growth of algae

eutrophication

as oxygen levels decrease in aquatic environments

fish die, dead matter accumulates, lake disappears

as aquatic plants die due to eutrophication two things happen

dead matter collects at bottom of lake, detrivores use up oxygen trying to break down dead material

reducing greenhouse gas emissions and shift to non-carbon energy options

mitigation

recognizing global warming as inevitable and devise strategies to reduce its harmful effects

adaptation

improve energy efficiency, rely on carbon free renewable energy resources, find ways to keep anthropogenic CO₂ out of the atmosphere

mitigation

process of capturing and storing carbon dioxide emissions

carbon sequestration

ways to execute carbon sequestration

plant trees, soil sequestration, no-till cultivation, pumping it underground

PSAs, tax, subsidies/tax incentives

policy instruments