Climates and Nutrient Cycles

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to nutrient cycles and climate change to aid in exam preparation.

Ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.

Photosynthetic organisms

Organisms that convert light energy into chemical energy via photosynthesis.

Food chain

A linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass as one organism eats another.

Weather

The atmospheric conditions at a specific place and time, including precipitation, temperature, and cloud cover.

Climate

The average weather conditions in a region over a long period.

Solar radiation

Energy from the sun that drives weather, climate, and nutrient cycles.

Biogeochemical cycles

Pathways of chemical cycling that involve both biotic and geological components.

Gaseous cycle

A biogeochemical cycle where a chemical element is drawn from and returns to the atmosphere, such as carbon or nitrogen.

Sedimentary cycle

A biogeochemical cycle where a chemical element is drawn from soil and returned through decomposition.

Water cycle

The continuous movement of water through evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and infiltration.

Transpiration

The process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere through their leaves.

Eutrophication

The process by which water bodies become enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive growth of algae.

Nitrogen fixation

The process of converting nitrogen gas (N2) into ammonium (NH4+) by bacteria, making nitrogen usable for plants.

Nitrification

The conversion of ammonium (NH4+) into nitrates (NO3-) in the soil by nitrifying bacteria.

Denitrification

The conversion of nitrates back to nitrogen gas (N2) by denitrifying bacteria.

Carbon cycle

The cycle by which carbon moves from the atmosphere into organisms and the earth and then back again.

Greenhouse effect

The warming of Earth caused by greenhouse gases trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Ocean acidification

The decrease in pH of ocean waters caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Coral bleaching

A phenomenon where corals lose their color due to stressors like increased sea temperatures.