Chapter 21: Movement of Elements in Ecosystems Flashcards
(144 cards)
The movement of water through ecosystems and atmosphere is known as the _________________
Hydrologic cycle
What three processes drive the hydrologic cycle?
Evaporation
Transpiration
Precipitation
The movement of water is drive by the energy of ____________, which causes evaporation from soil and water bodies and evapotranspiration from plants
the Sun
What is evapotranspiration?
Evapotranspiration changes water from a liquid to a gas in the form of water vapor
There is a limit to the amount of water vapor the atmosphere can contain. As additional water continues to evaporate, the water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into _______________, which ultimately create __________________ in the form of rain, hail, sleet, or snow
Clouds
Precipitation
___________________ that falls on land either runs off along the surface or infiltrates the soil, where it may evaporation, be taken up by plants, or enter groundwater; excess water ultimately returns to the ocean
Precipitation
The _____________ cycle is closely tied to the movement of energy
Carbon
In the carbon cycle, producers take up _________ from the atmosphere and water. They transfer assimilated carbon to consumers, detritivores, scavengers, and decomposers, and these organisms return _____________ to the atmosphere and ocens through ___________________
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide
Respiration
What is a biogeochemical cycle?
The circulation of chemical elements from environment to organisms and back to the environment (inorganic to organic and back)
What are the two types of biogeochemical cycles?
- Gaesous
- Sedimentary
What is a gaseous biogeochemical cycle?
A cycle in which the resevoir is the atmosphere or ocean
What is a sedimentary biogeochemical cycle?
One in which the resevoir is usually the lithosphere (“rock”-sphere)
In ecological systems, energy __________ or passes through the system; matter, however, like nutrients, __________ through the system.
Flows
Cycles
Why is the nitrogen cycle important?
Because living organisms need nitrogen for building nucleic acids and proteins
Why is nitrogen inacessible to most animals?
Because it’s reserved in the atmosphere in a form that most living things are unable to break down - molecular nitrogen
What enzyme breaks down the triple bond between nitrogen atoms in the nitrogen molecule?
Nitrogenase
In the presence of _________, nitrogenase denatures
Oxygen
Which exceeds the other in terrestrial ecosystems? Precipitation or evaporation?
Precipitation
What’s the harm done to the hydrologic cycle when construction materials like roofing and pavement are used?
These materials are impervious to water infiltration, which reduces the amount of water available for the soil, which plants use or humans need for drinking water
These materials therefore increase the amount of surface runoff, which increases soil erosion
What’s the harm done to the hydrologic cycle as a result of logging?
The overall plant biomass is reduced, so less precipitation is taken up by plant roots and evapotranspirated
Thus surface runoff increases, which results to soil erosion and flooding
What harms are done to the hydrologic cycle when groundwater is pumped for irrigation or household use?
We reduce the amount of groundwater at a rate that exceeds its replenishment
How does global warming affect the hydrologic cycle?
As air and water temperatures rise, there will be an increase in the rate of water evaporation, which will cause water to move through the hydrologic cycle more quickly, potentially leading to increased rain and snow intensity
What are the three drivers of the hydrologic cycle?
Evaporation
Transpiration
Precipitation
What is the largest pool of water in the hydrologic cycle?
The oceans