key terms- water and carbon cycles

Evapotranspiration

Anything that is evaporating, either from plants or from a body of water

Cryosphere

All of the areas of the earth where water is present as snow or ice

Lithosphere

The outermost part of the earth, including the crust and upper parts of the mantle

Biosphere

All living organism found in earth eg plants, fungi, insects

Hydrosphere

All of the water on earth, which can be liquid, solid or gas, and saline or freshwater

Atmosphere

The layer of gas between the earths surface and space, held in place by gravity

Feedback

Occurs when one element of a system changes because of an outside influence. This will then upset the dynamic equilibrium. There are two types of feedback- positive and negative

Albedo

Earths ability to reflect solar radiation

Ice accumulation

The buildup of snow and ice which takes place within the cryosphere

Ice ablation

The change from solid ice to liquid or water vapour when temperatures rise above 0°c

Milankovitch cycles

Changes in the shape earth's orbit and tilt that cause glacial periods and interglacial periods.

Elements of Milankovitch cycles

Eccentricity, tilt, precession

Eccentricity

Change of the earth orbit to be more circular or more elliptical

Tilt

The change in tilt of the earths axis

Precession

Wobble in Earth's rotational axis

Precipitation

any form of water that falls to Earth's surface from the clouds

Interception

The direct intervention of plants leaves in changing the direction or temporarily stopping precipitation as it falls to the surface

Surface water

A body of water on the surface of the earth, including both saline and fresh wayer

Infiltration

The movement of water from the ground surface into the soil

Infiltration capacity

The rate at which water can pass into the soik

Soil water

The water beneath the surface but above the water table. It is water in the unsaturated part of the ground

Throughfall

Rainwater dripping from leaves and branches towards the ground

Stemflow

Water which flows to the ground via vegetation stems and trunks

Groundwater

The freshwater located in the subsurface pore space of rocks

Groundwater flow

The vertical and lateral movement of water through a drainage basins underlying rock due to gravity and pressure

Throughflow

The movement of water laterally through the soils via a matrix of pore spaces, fissures and pipes

Percolation

The transfer of water from the soil into the underlying bedrock

Streamflow

The flow of water in streams or channels

Overland flow

The movement of a sheet of water across the ground