Carbon Cycle/Photosynthesis/Bioaccumulation

biogeochemical cycle

process involving biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem in which elements, chemical compounds, and other forms of matter circuit

abiotic reservoir

where a chemical accumulates or is stockpiled outside of living organisms

biotic reservoir

A living organism that serves as a storage location for certain types of chemical

producers

Organisms that produce their own food

consumers

An organism that obtains energy and nutrients by feeding off other organisms or their remains.

decomposer

An organism that breaks down wastes and dead organisms

Eutrophication

A process by which nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen, become highly concentrated in a body of water, leading to increased growth of organisms such as algae or cyanobacteria.

Chloroplast

An organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs

Chlorophyll

A green pigment found in the chloroplasts of plants, algae, and some bacteria

Photosynthesis

process by which plants and some other organisms use light energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and high-energy carbohydrates such as sugars and starches

Photosynthesis equation

6CO2 + 6H2O to C6H12O6 + 6O2

light reactions

reactions of photosynthesis that use energy from light to produce ATP and NADPH

Calvin Cycle

reactions of photosynthesis in which energy from ATP and NADPH is used to build high-energy compounds such as sugars

photosystem

light-harvesting complexes of the chloroplast

Photosystem 1 (PS1)

A light capturing enzyme in the thylakoid membrane of a chloroplast; reduces NADP+ to NADPH.

Photosystem 2 (PS2)

A light capturing enzyme in the thylakoid membrane of a chloroplast; splits water into electrons, protons, and oxygen gas.

Fluorescence

the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation

Stroma

The fluid of the chloroplast surrounding the thylakoid membrane

Excited Electron

An electron that has absorbed light and moved to a higher orbital; it has more energy than when it is in its ground state

ATP Synthase

Large protein that uses energy from H+ ions to bind ADP and a phosphate group together to produce ATP

Light Reactions location

thylakoid

Calvin Cycle Steps

carbon fixation, reduction, release, regeneration

Thylakoid

Inside the chloroplast, used to convert light energy into chemical energy.

Electron Transport Chain in Photosynthesis

Electrons move through several transmembrane proteins that are responsible for pumping H+ ions creating the chemical gradient across the chloroplast membrane.

steps of light reactions

photosystem II --> Electron transport chain --> photosystem I

carbon cycle

the movement of carbon from the nonliving environment into living things and back

bioaccumulation

The high attraction to fats and oils of POPs allows them to both pass through cell membranes and build up in an individual organism

biomagnification

a process resulting from bioaccumulation in individual organisms which causes the tissue concentrations of a contaminant to increase in organisms higher up in an energy pyramid.

Redox Reactions in Photosynthesis

carbon dioxide is reduced to form sugar and water is oxidized to produce oxygen.

Amount of energy transferred from each trophic level

1/10th

primary production

given area and time period, the amount of solar energy converted to chemical energy in organic compounds

energy flow

As energy moves through an ecosystem, it changes form, but no new energy is created.

Matter cycle

matter cycles within an ecosystem, atoms are rearranged into various molecules, but no new matter is created