Term
| what are the biogeochemical cycles? |
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Definition
| carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, phosphorus cycle, sulfur cycle, hydrologic cycle |
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Term
| define biogeochemical cycles |
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Definition
| process by which matter cycles from the living world to the nonliving physical environment and back again |
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Term
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Definition
| biological process that captures light energy and transforms it into chemical energy of organic molecules (glucose) manufactured from carbon dioxide and water |
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Term
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Definition
| global movement of carbon between organisms and the abiotic environment |
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Term
| what is photosynthesis' relation to the carbon cycle? |
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Definition
| during photosynthesis, plants remove carbon from the air and fix it into chemical compounds such as sugar. |
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Term
| what is cellular respiration's relation to the carbon cycle? |
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Definition
| cellular respiration returns C02 to the atmosphere |
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Term
| What is the relation of fossil fuels and sedimentary rocks to the carbon cycle? |
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Definition
| Sedimentary rocks and fossil fules hodl almost all of Earth's estimated 10^23 g of carbon. the carbon in them can return to the atmosphere by burning, or combustion |
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Term
| Why is Nitrogen crucial for all organisms? |
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Definition
| Nitrogen is an essential part of biological molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids (DNA) |
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Term
| What is the first step of the nitrogen cycle? |
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Definition
| nitrogen fixation (conversion of gaseous nitrogen to ammonia, fixed into a form that organisms can use) |
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Term
| What processes enable nitrogen fixation? |
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Definition
| Combustion, lightning, industrial processes... bacteria |
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Term
| What is the second step of the nitrogen cycle? |
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Definition
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Term
| What occurs during Nitrification? |
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Definition
| ammonia or ammonium is converted to nitrite or nitrate, and the soil bacteria are furnished with energy |
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Term
| What is the third step of the Nitrogen cycle? |
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Definition
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Term
| What occurs during assimilation? |
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Definition
| plant roots absorb nitrate, ammonia, or ammonium and incorporate the nitrogen from them into plant porteins and nucleic acids. animals consume plant tissues, they convert the nitrogen into animal proteins |
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Term
| What is the fourth step in the nitrogen cycle? |
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Definition
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Term
| What occurs during ammonification? |
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Definition
| organisms produce nitrogen waste products such as urine...this combined with nitrogen in dead organisms are decomposed by bacteria to produce ammonia, which re-enters the cycle |
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Term
| What is the fifth step in the Nitrogen cycle? |
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Definition
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Term
| What occurs during dentrification? |
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Definition
| nitrate is reduced to gaseous nitrogen by bacteria, which is released into the atmosphere. these bacteria live where there is no oxygen, deep in the water table |
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Term
| What is the phosphorous cycle? |
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Definition
| The global circulation of phosphorus from the environment to living organisms and back to the environment |
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Term
| What occurs during the phosphorous cycle? |
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Definition
| phosphorous cycles from the land to sediments in the ocean and back to the land |
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Term
| What are the steps of occurence of the phosphorus cycle? |
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Definition
| phosphorus erodes from rock as inorganic phosphates and plants absorb it from the soil. animals obtain phosphorus from their diets, and decomposers release inorganic phosphate into the environment |
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Term
| What is the sulfur cycle? |
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Definition
| the global circulation of sulfur from the environment to living organisms and back to the environment |
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Term
| Where is most sulfur located? |
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Definition
| underground in sedimentary rocks and minerals (second largest supply=ocean) |
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Term
| What is the relationship between the Sulfur cycle and the atmosphere? |
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Definition
| sulfur gases enter the atmosphere from natural sources in the ocean and land (sea spray, forest fires and dust storms), sulfur is a minor part of the atmosphere because it doesn't stay long, but the overall movement back and forth is substantial |
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Term
| What is phosphorus used for biologically |
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Definition
| nucleic acid and ATP (energy transfer reactions in cells) |
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Term
| What is nitrogen used for biologically |
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Definition
| protein and nucleic acids (DNA) |
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Term
| What is carbon used for biologically |
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Definition
| composes proteins, carbs, and other molecules |
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Term
| What is sulfur used for biologically? |
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Definition
| Tiny amount present in living organisms, but essential component of proteins |
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Term
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Definition
| Dimethyl sulfide, a compound released by algae that is released into the atmosphere and condenses water into clouds and may affect weather and climate |
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Term
| What is the hydrolic cycle? |
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Definition
| The global circulation of water from the environment to living organisms and back to the environment |
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Term
| What results from the hydrolic cycle? |
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Definition
| a balance between water in the ocean, the land, and in the atmosphere. |
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Term
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Definition
| the loss of water vapor from land plants, adds water to the atmosphere |
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Term
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Definition
| where fresh water meets the ocean |
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Term
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Definition
| the movement of water from land to rivers, lakes, wetlands, and ultimately the ocean |
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Term
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Definition
| the area of land drained by runoff |
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Term
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Definition
| fresh water stored in underground caverns and porous layres of rock |
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Term
| ecology vs. environmental science vs. environmentalism |
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Definition
| ecology= study of systems including relationships among organisms, as well as organisms and their environment... environmental science=how humanity interacts with other organisms and the nonliving physical environment;;; environmentalism=helping to solve environmental problems |
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Term
| why is environmental studies a crisis discipline? |
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Definition
| a crisis discipline is when we must act before knowing all the facts; solutions to environmental problems are often adopted without complete information |
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Term
| basic vs. applied science |
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Definition
| basic science: gaining knowledge, develop better understanding... applied science: solve problems |
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Term
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Definition
| the ability to do work (carried out when an object is moved against an opposing force) |
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Term
| what is the first law of thermodynamics? |
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Definition
| energy cannot be created or destroyed but it can be transformed |
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Term
| what is the second law of thermodynamics |
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Definition
| usable energy decreases over time, disorder increases |
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Term
| What is the difference between how plants vs. animals aquire energy? |
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Definition
| Animals are heterotrophs (consumers of food), plants are autotrophs (producers of food) |
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Term
| Describe the autotrophic nature of plants |
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Definition
| plants produce organic matter from inorganic molecules |
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Term
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Definition
| carbon based (sugars, proteins) |
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