AP Environmental Science Unit 1 (Module 3,4,5)

Scientists don’t categorize aquatic biomes based on what?

Aquatic organisms or species diversity.

What are the two categories of an aquatic biome?

Freshwater and marine biomes.

Freshwater biomes

categorized as streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds, or freshwater wetlands.

What are streams and rivers characterized as?

bodies of flowing water that can vary in size and habitat types, providing ecosystems for diverse organisms.

What is the difference between streams and rivers?

Streams are typically smaller and flow more rapidly than rivers, while rivers are larger and have a slower flow.

Littoral Zone

the shallow zone of soil and water in lakes and ponds near the shore where most algae and emergent plants such as cattails grow

Limnetic Zone

A zone of open water in lakes and ponds as deep as sunlight can penetrate

Inter title Zone

region of a shoreline that is between the high and low tide lines, characterized by varying levels of water exposure and distinct biological communities. often home to organisms adapted to fluctuating conditions.

Phytoplankton

Floating algae

Profundal Zone

A region water where sunlight does not reach, below the limnetic and profundal zones

Benthic Zone

The muddy bottom of a lake, pond, or ocean beneath the limnetic profundal zone

Oligotrophic

Describes a lake with a low level of phytoplankton due to low amounts of nutrients in the water

Mesotrophic

Describes a lake with a moderate level of nutrients/ fertility

Eutrophic

Describes a lake with a high level of fertility and nutrients

Freshwater Wetlands

An aquatic biome that is submerged or saturated by water for at least part if each year, but shallow enough to support emergent vegetation.

Estuary

An area along the coast where the fresh water of river mixes with salt water from the ocean

Salt Marsh

Found along the coast in temperate climates, a marsh continuously nonwoody emergent vegetation

What do both estuaries and salt marches provide?

important habitats for wildlife, help filter pollutants, and buffer shorelines against erosion.

Mangrove Swamps

A swamp that occurs along tropical and subtropical coasts and contain salt - tolerant trees with roots submerged in water

Coral Reef

represents Earth’s most diverse marine biome, & are found in warm, shallow waters beyond the shoreline in tropical regions

Coral Bleaching

A phenomenon in which algae inside corals die, causing the corals to turn white

Why do scientists believe the algae is dying?

due to rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, and pollution, which stress the coral and lead to the expulsion of algae

Open Ocean

deep-ocean water, located away from the shoreline where sunlight for photosynthesis

Photic Zone

The upper layer of ocean in the ocean that ocean that receives enough sunlight for photosynthesis

Aphotic Zone

The deeper layer of the ocean that lacks sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis, resulting in limited plant life.

Chemosynthesis

A process used by some bacteria to generate energy with methane and hydrogen sulfide

Biogeochemical Cycle

The movements of matter within and between ecosystems involving cycles of biological, geological, and chemical processes

Reservoirs

the components of the biogeochemical cycle that contain the matter, including air, water, soil, and organisms.

The Carbon Cycle

the movement of carbon around the biosphere among reservoir sources and sinks

What are the steps of the Carbon Cycle?

1. Photosynthesis

2. Respiration

3. Exchange

4. Sedimentation (Marine snow)

5. Burial

6. Extraction

What happens in the Carbon Cycle?

carbon is exchanged between the atmosphere, land, and ocean through processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition, affecting climate and ecosystems.

Aerobic Respiration

the process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water

What happens when organisms die in the carbon cycle?

Decomposition releases carbon back into the atmosphere and soil, returning it to the carbon cycle.

Carbon Cycle Sedimentation

the process by which carbon is trapped in sediments or rocks over long periods, contributing to the geological carbon cycle.

Carbon Cycle Extraction

fossil fuels by humans - coal, oil, and natural gas as energy sources

Carbon Cycle Combustion

fossil fuels by humans - carbon by fires release carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases in Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat near the surface

Humans use to fossil fuels does what?

increase carbon dioxide

Global Warming

long-term increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, which elevate greenhouse gas levels.

Limiting Nutrient

a nutrient required for the growth of an organism but available in a lower quantity than other nutrients

Nitrogen Cycle

the movement of nitrogen around the biosphere among reservoir sources and sinks. As nitrogen moves through an ecosystem, it experiences many chemical transformations

Nitrogen Cycle Steps

1. Nitrogen Fixation

2. Nitrification

3. Assimilation

4. Mineralization

5. Denitrification

Nitrogen Fixation

the process that converts nitrogen gas in the atmosphere (N2) into forms of nitrogen that plants and algae can use

Nitrification

The conversion of ammonia (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-) and then into nitrate (NO3-) conducted by specific bacteria

Nitrogen Cycle Assimilation

a process by which plants and algae incorporate nitrogen into their tissues. When herbivores feed on plants, some of the nitrogen is assimilated into their proteins and other biological molecules

Nitrogen Cycle Mineralization

the process by which fungal and bacteria decomposers break down the organic matter found in dead bodies and waste products and convert these organic compounds, such as inorganic ammonium (NH4+) also known as ammonification

Nitrogen Cycle Denitrification

the conversion of nitrate (NO3-) in a series of steps into gages nitrous oxide (N2O) and eventually, nitrogen gas (N2), which is emitted into the atmosphere

Anaerobic

An environment that lacks O2

Leaching

a process in which dissolved molecules are transported through the soil via groundwater

Phosphorus Cycle

The movement of phosphorus around the biosphere among reservoir sources and sinks

Phosphorus Cycle Steps

1. Assimilation

2. Mineralization

3. Sedimentation

4. Geologic & Uplift

5. Weathering

Phosphorus Cycle Assimilation & Mineralization

plants and animals on land and in water take up inorganic phosphate and assimilate the phosphorous into their tissues as organic phosphorus

Phosphorus Cycle Sedimentation, Geologic Uplift, and Weathering

The processes by which phosphorus is transformed from sediment into rock formations, uplifted to the surface, and released back into the soil and water systems through natural weathering.

Algal Bloom

a rapid increases in the algal population of waterway

Hypoxic

conditions occur in aquatic environments when oxygen levels are extremely low, often due to excessive nutrient pollution and algal blooms.

Dead Zone

when oxygen concentrations became so low that it kills fish and other aquatic animals, we refer to it as a dead zone in the water.

Hydrologic Cycle

the movement of water around the biosphere among reservoir sources and sinks

Transpiration

the release of water from leaves into the atmosphere during photosynthesis

Evapotranspiration

the combined amount of evaporation and transpiration

Runoff

water that moves across the land surface and into streams and rivers

How can you tell the difference between a freshwater zone and a salt water zone in a diagram?

freshwater zone has benthic zone and saltwater has a aphotic zone