apes unit one - cycles quiz

water cycle

The continuous process by which water moves from Earth's surface to the atmosphere and back

evapotranspiration

The evaporation of water from soil plus the transpiration of water from plants.

evaporation

water changes from liquid (reservoirs) to gas (atmosphere)

condensation

The change of water from a gas (atmosphere) to a liquid (clouds)

Precipitation

Any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches Earth's surface.

Infiltration

the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil

Percolation

The downward movement of water through soil and rock due to gravity.

Sources

sites of release

Sinks

reservoirs/sites of capture

the hydrologic cycle is driven by the

sun

the hydrologic cycle plays a key role in moving

nutrients/elements dissolved (Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus)

Water Reservoirs

oceans, glaciers, freshwater lakes, rivers, groundwater, living organisms

the earth is a __________ system when it comes to matter

closed (water never leaves the planet)

human impact on water cycle

*withdrawing large amts of water from sources
*clearing vegetation for land (less transpiration)
*modifying quality (adding pollutants/nutrients)
*artificial reservoirs (dams)
*air pollution from fossil fuels
*harvesting trees (less transpiration, more runoff and percolation)
*paving surfaces (less percolation, more runoff and evaporation)
*diverting water for drinking, irrigation, industry

Carbon Cycle

Describes the movement of carbon between air, water and land; Involves processes that move carbon in its various forms between sources (sites of release) and sinks (site of capture - reservoirs) above and below the surface of the Earth

Processes that drive carbon cycle

photosynthesis, respiration, exchange, sedimentation, burial, extraction, and combustion.

Photosynthesis/Respiration

FAST processes, carbon held for a short amt of time
driven by BIOLOGICAL processes
primary reservoir = atmosphere (brief amt of time)

Sedimentation/Burial

SLOW processes
carbon held in rocks, soils, and petroleum hydrocarbons
largest reservoir = deep ocean sediments (fossil fuel/limestone)

Long term carbon reservoirs return to cycling by...

Fossil Fuel extraction and combustion (extraction doesn´t make the difference, combustion does) (QUICK)
Uplift and Weathering of limestone (SLOW)

Carbon gets INTO the atmosphere through

Cellular Respiration
Burning fossil fuels
Combustion of wood
Diffusion from ocean
Decomposition of organic matter
Oxidation
Erosion of rocks
Volcanic Eruptions

carbon leaves atmosphere through

Diffusion into water
Photosynthesis by plants, blue-green algae, and phytoplankton

gross primary productivity

The total amount of solar energy that producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time

net primary productivity

The energy captured by producers in an ecosystem minus the energy producers respire

biological processes in the carbon cycle

cellular respiration , photosynthesis, decomposition

calcium carbonate

made by ocean organisms from dissolved CO2 and calcium ions to build their shells and skeletons.

how is calcium carbonate involved in the carbon cycle?

It removes CO2 from ocean, and as these organisms die, their skeletons and shell will fall to the bottom of the ocean where over time they will become rocks or fossil fuels.

carbon sinks

*a forest, ocean, or other natural environment viewed in terms of its ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.
*Carbon sinks help keep high levels of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere and causing global warming.
*The world's forests absorb 2.6bn tonnes of carbon dioxide yearly. However, despite their vital importance, an area the size of a football field is destroyed every second.

how are humans affecting the carbon cycle

*Major current concern is the combustion of CO2 leading to warming of planet - the excess CO2 in the atmosphere acts to increase the retention of heat energy in the biosphere; it moves fossilized carbon into the atmosphere at a much faster rate than carbon leaves the atmosphere
*Tree harvesting - destruction of forests by cutting and burning increases CO2 in atmosphere; trees store a large amount of carbon in their wood, both above and below ground
*Deforestation of large areas of forest has resulted in their conversion to pastures, grasslands and croplands.

consequences of humans impact on carbon cycle

Climate change Precipitation pattern changes Ocean acidification Habitat destruction/ deforestation Increasing soil erosion/ loss of agricultural land Acid deposition/air pollution/smog

nitrogen

Describes the continuous movement of nitrogen on, above and below the surface of the Earth using processes that move nitrogen in its various forms between sources (sites of release) and sinks (sites of capture -reservoirs). Nitrogen is held in its reservoirs for relatively short periods of time

nitrogen is used for

formation of amino acids

limiting nutrient

single nutrient that either is scarce or cycles very slowly, limiting the growth of organisms in an ecosystem

nitrogen fixation - abiotic

*Fixes nitrogen in the atmosphere by lightning or during combustion processes such as fires and the burning of fossil fuels
*These processes convert N2 into nitrate (NO3-) which is carried to Earth's surface in precipitation, where it is then usable by plants
*Humans have developed techniques for fixing nitrogen into ammonia and nitrates that are used in fertilizers

nitrogen fixation - biotic

nitrogen in the atmosphere is in a form (N2), that most plants and algae cannot use so it needs to be converted into a form that they can use -
*Cyanobacteria and certain other bacteria that live within the roots of legumes, convert N2 gas directly into ammonia (NH3), which is rapidly converted to ammonium (NH4), a form that is readily used by plants and algae
*Nitrogen-fixing organisms use the fixed nitrogen to synthesize their own tissues, then excrete any excess
*The excess ammonium is absorbed by the plants and algae and they in turn supply bacteria/algae with sugars that it produces via photosynthesis

nitrification

*Conversion of ammonium (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-) and then (NO3-)
*Conversions are conducted by specialized species of bacteria
*Nitrite is not used by most plants and algae, nitrate is readily used

assimilation

process in which plants or algae that have taken up nitrogen in the form of ammonia, ammonium, nitrite, or nitrate, incorporate it into their tissues

mineralization

process in which fungal and bacterial decomposers break down the organic matter found in dead bodies and waste products and convert these organic compounds back into inorganic compounds such as ammonium (NH4+)
*Because this process produces ammonium, the process of mineralization is sometimes called ammonification
*The ammonium produced in this process can either be taken up by plants and algae or be converted into (NO2-) and nitrate (NO3-) through the process of nitrification.

Denitrification

conversion of nitrate (NO3-) into nitrous oxide (N2O) and eventually, nitrogen gas (N2) and then emitted into the atmosphere. It is conducted by specialized bacteria that live under anaerobic conditions - oxygen-poor soil and stagnant water

nitrogen leaves the atmosphere through...

Oxidized by lightning to form nitrates.
Nitrogen fixation for form ammonia/ ammonium

the living organisms that influence the nirtogen cycle the most are

bacteria! every process in the nitrogen cycle is SLOW bc of this

human impact on nitrogen cycle

*Adding large amounts of NOX to the atmosphere when we burn any fuel
*Add N2O to atmosphere when we burn fuel
*Release large amounts of nitrogen from soil to atmosphere by slash and burn
*Add excess nitrates from agricultural runoff into lakes, rivers, oceans
*Remove nitrogen from topsoil we harvest nitrogen rich crops
Add large amounts of nitrates as inorganic fertilizers.

consequences of human impact on nitrogen cycle

Acid deposition
Climate change
Photochemical smog
Deforestation/ increasing soil erosion
Loss of soil nutrients
Increase in hypoxic zones in water
Possible loss of biodiversity

phosphorus cycle

Describes movement of phosphorus around the biosphere among sources (sites of release) and sinks (sites of capture -reservoirs).
primarily operates between land and water
major reservoir - rocks and sediments composed of phosphorus-containing minerals.

Phosphorus

Major component of DNA and RNA as well as ATP - in plants, phosphorus is a limiting nutrient second only to nitrogen in its importance for successful agricultural yields. NO gas phase which limits the movement.

processes that drive the phosphorus cycle

Processes that drive the cycle: assimilation, mineralization, sedimentation, geologic uplift and weathering.

Biotic Processes in the phosphorus cycle

Assimilation: Plants and animals on land and in the water take up inorganic phosphate & assimilate it into their tissues as organic phosphorus.
Mineralization: Waste products & eventual dead bodies of organisms are decomposed by fungi and bacteria causing mineralization of organic phosphorus back into inorganic phosphorus.

Abiotic processes in the phosphorus cycle

Sedimentation - due to poor solubility , much of phosphorus precipitates out of solution as sediment in the ocean
Geologic Uplift - over time, geologic forces can lift ocean sediment layers up as mountains
Weathering - breaking down or dissolving of rocks and minerals on the surface of the Earth which results in phosphorus being brought to terrestrial and aquatic habitats

human impact on phosphorus

Use of fertilizers increases leaching of phosphorus into waterways causing a rapid increase in algal population - algal bloom (some produce harmful toxins)
As algae die, their decomposition consumes large amount of oxygen creating a dead zone - area where aquatic animals can no longer survive.

why is there no phosphorus in the atmosphere

Soil conditions do not allow bacteria to convert chemical forms of phosphorus to gaseous forms of phosphorus.

consequences of human impacts on the phosphorus cycle

Acid mine drainage/ tailings/ habitat destruction
Loss of nutrient reduces overall plant growth
Increase in hypoxic zones