Renewable Resources on 07 February 2025

FBI

A mnemonic representing fungus, bacteria, and vertebrates, important in ecological food webs.

Detritus

Dead organic material that serves as a food source for decomposers.

Detritivore

An organism that feeds on detritus, breaking it down into simpler organic matter.

Nutrient Cycling

The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter.

Biogeochemical Cycles

Natural cycles that involve the movement of elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus through biological, geological, and chemical processes.

Carbon Cycle

The process by which carbon moves from the atmosphere into the earth and the oceans and back to the atmosphere.

Nitrogen Fixation

The conversion of nitrogen gas (N2) from the atmosphere into ammonia (NH3) by certain bacteria.

Eutrophication

Process by which excessive nutrients, particularly nitrogen and phosphorus, lead to increased algae growth in water bodies.

Hypoxia

A low oxygen condition in water bodies that can result from the decomposition of algae blooms.

Denitrifying Bacteria

Bacteria that convert nitrates back into nitrogen gas (N2), completing the nitrogen cycle.

GPP (Gross Primary Production)

The total amount of carbon fixed by photosynthesis in a given area and time.

Guano

Poop from seabirds or bats that is rich in phosphorus and was historically used as fertilizer.

Phosphorus Cycle

The movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, primarily through weathering of rocks.

Thermodynamics

The branch of physics that deals with heat and temperature and their relation to energy and work; relevant to the law of conservation of energy.

Riparian Buffer

Vegetated areas next to streams that help intercept runoff and filter nutrients before they enter the water.