topic 9 - ecosystems (the carbon cycle) Flashcards
1
Q
biomass
A
the total mass in living organisms, usually shown as the mass after drying
2
Q
carbon cycle
A
a sequence of processes by which carbon moves from the atmosphere through living and dead organisms, into sediments and into the atmosphere again
3
Q
decay
A
a process in which complex substances in dead plant animal biomass are broken down by decomposers into simpler substances
4
Q
faeces
A
undigested food that forms a waste material
5
Q
fossil fuel
A
a fuel formed from the dead remains of organisms over millions of years
