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Lec 8-11
Global Earth Systems & Change
80
Geology
Undergraduate 4
10/25/2012

Additional Geology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Prokaryotes
Definition
No membrane-bound NUCLEUS
Term
Eukaryotes
Definition
Discrete organelles, membrane bound nucleus (Aerobic respiration)
Term
Monera
Definition
Kingdom: Prokaryotic, single celled. PRODUCERS and CONSUMERS Ex.(Archaebacteria)
Term
Protista
Definition
Kingdom: Single Celled, photosynthetic producers Ex(Algae, protozoans)
Term
Fungi
Definition
Kingdom:Multicellular decomposers
Term
Plantae
Definition
Kingdom:multicellular producers(photosynthetic)
Term
Animalia
Definition
Kingdom:multicellular consumers
Term
Producer types
Definition
Chemosynthetic, photosynthetic
Term
What is the earliest evidence of life on earth?
Definition
Carbon: small 13C/12C ratio indicates biological process (12C is organic carbon)
Term
Stromatolites
Definition
thin layers of photosynthetic cyanobacteria mixed with mud
Term
Edicarian Fauna
Definition
FIRST MULTICELLED ANIMALS:jellylike creatures. represent first jump in evolution from single-cell eukaryotes
Term
Anerobic metabolism
Definition

metabolism:used by all organisms until atmosphere oxygenated INEFFICIENT, LACKS ENERGY NEEDED FOR COMPLEX ORGANELLES

 

Converts CARBOHYDRATES to ALCOHOL

Term
why did lack of oxygen prevent evolution of complex organisms?
Definition
Anaerobic metabolism was inefficient Need for large SURFACE to VOLUME ratio kept cells small CANT FORM MULTICELLED ORGANISMS
Term
Pre-biotic atmosphere
Definition
Atmosphere rich in CO2
Term
source of pre-biotic atmosphere
Definition
Atmosphere caused by IMPACT DEGASSING, VOLCANIC DEGASSING
Term
Composition of modern atmosphere
Definition
Atmosphere full of greenhouse gases increasing due to human activity
Term
How did the atmosphere become oxygenated?
Definition
Caused by the evolution of cyanobacteria:
Prokaryotes using PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Term
Effect of Photosynthesis on atmosphere
Definition
This process decreased CO2 and CH4(methane) in the atmosphere by oxygenating the atmosphere
Term
How was the rise of atmospheric oxygen recorded?
Definition
Banded Iron Formations (BIF): as the iron in this rock oxidized, BIF's were deposited.
Term
Banded Iron Formations (BIFs)
Definition
sedimentary marine rocks rich in iron oxide
Term
Faint Young Sun Paradox
Definition
The paradox of how the sun(25% weaker 3.8 billion years ago) could have allowed liquid water on Earth
Term
Solution to the faint young sun paradox
Definition
Higher greenhouse gas effects (heat retention) made up for the lack of heat from the sun.
Term
Evolution methods
Definition
Mutation

Natural Selection

Isolation

Migration
Term
How do new species originate?
Definition
When genetically different organisms don't interbreed with rest of population, evolution happens.
Term
Mutation
Definition
New genetic traits appear in population (Error in DNA replication, most unfavorable evolution)
Term
Natural Selection
Definition
Traits favorable to survival more likely to be passed to successive generations
Term
Isolation
Definition
Subset of population physically separated, no longer interbreeds
Term
Migration
Definition
exchange of genetic characteristics between FORMERLY SEPARATE POPULATIONS
Term
Fossil records
Definition
These provide snapshots of evolution at discrete points in time (spotty and incomplete)
Term
Fossil Preservations
Definition
Fossils are formed through RAPID BURIAL and ANOXIC CONDITIONS
Term
Types of evolutionary fauna
Definition
Cambrian Fauna
Paleozoic Fauna
Modern Fauna
Term
What are the cambrian fauna?
Definition
Fauna Type
Initially rapid diversification

Endured several extinction events

Most important group:Trilobites
Term
Paleozoic Fauna
Definition

Fauna Type

  • Maximum diversity in DEVONIAN era
  • Most died out during permian mass extinction

 

Term
Modern Fauna
Definition

Fauna Type:

  • Increasing in diversity through present day
  • Punctuated by triassic and cretaceous extinctions
  • Dominated by MOLLUSKS
Term
Characteristics of first life on land
Definition

Structural Support

 

Ability to conserve water

 

Ability to EXCHANGE GASES DIRECTLY with no atmosphere

Term
First Land Animals
Definition
ARTHROPODS:(spiders, insects, trilobites)
Term
Advantages/disadvantages of first land animals
Definition
Advantage: tough outer covering provided support

Disadvantage:Primitive respiratory, no circulatory system
Term
Fish
Definition
First vertebrates
Term
Lobed-finned fish
Definition
First land vertebrates
Term
Gymnosperms
Definition
First plants with seeds
Term
Reptile evolution
Definition
Evolved during PERMIAN era when vast deserts dominated Pangea, descendants of amphibians
Term
Mammal evolution
Definition
better suited to land than reptiles, traits included:

Endothermic
Insulating Hair
Birth to live young
Term
Angiosperms
Definition
First appeard in early cretaceous, used insects for pollination
Term
Bird evolution
Definition
Descendants from flying reptiles, feathered dinosaurs
Term
Flood basalts
Definition
Rapid eruption of large volumes of magma from hotspot

EVIDENCE:Correlation with extinction and eruptions
Term
Environmental causes of FLOOD BASALTS
Definition
These eruptions release VOLCANIC GASES, causes ACID RAIN
Term
Extraterrestrial Impacts
Definition
Dust fallout from these can cause "nuclear winters"

EVIDENCE:
Impact structure
Iridium
Tektites
Term
Permian Extinction
Definition
Largest mass extinction

Occurred Around the SIBERIAN FLOOD BASALT
Term
Causes of Permian extinction
Definition
Extinction from a FLOOD BASALT caused ACIDIFIED OCEAN
Term
Cretaceous Impact Extinction
Definition
Extinction: Evidence for event was BOUNDARY CLAY from impact that caused a layer of clay on earths surface
Term
Permian Extinction
Definition
Largest mass extinction
Term
Evidence of cretaceous impact
Definition
Boundary clay

Shocked quartz grains
Term
Cretaceous/Paleogene extinction
Definition
Caused by:
DECCAN FLOOD BASALT
ASTEROID IMPACT
Term
Solar radiation
Definition
Shortwave mostly visible radiation (Incoming from Sun)
Term
Terrestrial radiation
Definition
longwave radiation, mostly infrared (outgoing to space)
Term
How does blackbody radiation explain solar/terrestrial radiation
Definition
blackbody radiation is the only radiation emitted to space. the rest of terrestrial radiation is trapped in the atmospheric window
Term
How does atmosphere interact with solar radiation
Definition
Some solar radiation is only REFLECTED(albedo), some is SCATTERED, some ABSORBED by surface
Term
How does atmosphere interact with Terrestrial Radiation?
Definition
Only small portion of radiation actually makes it to space,the rest gets trapped in atmospheric window
Term
Albedo
Definition
Fraction of solar radiation reflected without being absorbed or heating
Term
Greenhouse Effect
Definition
Absorption of longwave radiation by atmospheric trace gases
Term
Characteristics of GREENHOUSE GAS
Definition
Gas in atmosphere:
absorbs incoming/outgoing radiation at a SPECIFIC WAVELENGTH

Increases earths surface 155 degrees
Term
Ice Cores recording change in atmosphere
Definition
Preserves atmosphere at time of freezing, shows change of 280ppm to 380 ppm of CO2 over time
Term
Internal Radiative Forcing
Definition
Forcing:
Changes internal to climate system
Responds to climate processes

Ex(Amount & type of gases in atmosphere)
Term
External Forcings
Definition
Forcing: occurs outside climate system
NOT AFFECTED BY CLIMATE

Ex(changes in earth's orbit)
Term
Sunspot Cycle
Definition
Cause of radiative forcing:

Reduces amount of radiation SENT to earth from sun
Term
Orbital Cycles
Definition
Cause of radiative forcing:

Affects angle at which earth is facing sun, amount of radiation RECEIVED BY EARTH

Spatial and seasonal distribution
Term
Snow reflection radiative forcing
Definition
cause of radiative forcing:

increases amount of radiation REFLECTED
Term
Atmospheric particles
Definition
Cause of radiative forcing:

Cause cooling, scattering of sunlight radiation-increasing albedo
Term
sources of atmospheric particles
Definition
Natural sources-sea spray, dust, volcanic eruptions

Anthropogenic-fossil fuel use, industry, biomass burning
Term
Marine Sediments
Definition
Useful for studying climate change BECAUSE:

they are Widely Distributed
Cover long time periods
Term
Types of info provided by marine sediments
Definition
Provides recorded OXYGEN ISOTOPE RATIOS in different ice sheets
Term
Tree Rings
Definition
Useful for studying climate change BECAUSE:

Changes in ring width shows TEMPERATURE or PRECIPITATION changes

Can CALIBRATE RADIOCARBON TIMESCALE
Term
Dendrochronology
Definition
Study of growth in tree rings
Term
d18_O ratio of heavy to light isotopes relative to STANDARD
Definition
d18_O = ((sample) – (standard))/ (standard)
Term
Delta Positive
Definition
Found in oceans, MORE 18_O, LESS 16_O

"HEAVIER"
Term
Delta Negative
Definition
Found in ice sheets LESS 18_O, MORE 16_O "LIGHTER"
Term
Why do marine isotope ratios record changes in ice sheets?
Definition

 

The isotopic composition of seawater changes as ice sheets grow and decay.  The calcium carbonate shells  in marine sediments records these changes, hence marine carbonate sediments provide a record of global ice volume on land.

 

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Term
More + Delta causes What?
Definition

Results in:

  • Larger ice sheets
  • heavy isotopes in ocean
  • light isotopes TRAPPED in ice sheets
Term
More - Delta Causes What?
Definition

Results in:

  • Smaller ice sheets
  • Light isotopes
  • Ice sheets MELT
Term
Why do isotope ratios in ice cores record temp in ice changes?
Definition

 

Cooler Temp= more fractionation and more negative d

 

Warmer Temp= less fractionation and less negative d

 

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