Cycles in ecosystems Flashcards
What is the carbon cycle?
The carbon cycle is the process that describes carbon continually moving between plants, animals, microbes, minerals in the air, and the atmosphere.
What are the processes in the carbon cycle?
Carbon starts in the atmosphere.
It is transferred to plants through photosynthesis.
Some of this is then transferred to animals that eat the plants.
As this is going on, some of the carbon is then transferred to the atmosphere again through animal and plant respiration.
It is then transferred to the minerals in the earth through decomposition when the animal/plant dies.
Decomposition then gets compressed into fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels are burnt, emitting carbon back into the atmosphere.
What affects the rate of decay?
Temperature, humidity, water concentration, oxygen concentration.
How do you make compost?
Put lots of dead plants, animals and natural waste together. Paired with the correct environment for decay, this should decompose, making compost.
What is the importance of decay?
It cycles and recycles materials and it provides nutrience for plants.
How are materials recycled in a stable community?
Animals and plants die and decompose, and then go into the soil. The soil then feeds the plants, and nutrients are recycled round.
