Exam III

Question 1

ecosystem ecology

Answer 1

link between biological and physiological

Question 2

ecosystem

Answer 2

organisms in a community and their physical environment, with each influencing the other through time

Question 3

carbon cycle

Answer 3

-intricately linked network of biological and physical processes that shuttle carbon among rocks, soil, oceans, air, and organisms
-the carbon cycle traces the transfer of energy through ecosystems

Question 4

inputs of the C cycle

Answer 4

1. Geologic: volcanoes, mid-ocean ridges
2. Biological: respiration
3. Human activities: deforestation, burning of fossil fuels

Question 5

outputs of the C cycle

Answer 5

1. Geological removal: chemical weathering, CO2 in rainwater reacts with exposed rocks
2. Biological removal: photosynthesis

Question 6

photosynthesis rxn

Answer 6

6CO2+ 6 H2O+ sunlight —> C6H12O6 +6O2

Question 7

aerobic respiration rxn

Answer 7

6 O2+ C6H12O6–> 6 CO2+ 6 H2O

Question 8

isotope

Answer 8

varying levels of atomic mass due to different numbers of neutrons

Question 9

A _____________________ consists of the organisms in a community and their physical environment, which each influencing the other through time.

Answer 9

ecosystem

Question 10

T/F: The Keeling curve indicates that summertime removal of CO2 from the atmosphere balances winter atmospheric CO2 increase.

Answer 10

false

Question 11

the chemical equation for respiration

Answer 11

C6H12O6+6O2—->6CO2 +6H2O

Question 12

Over the last 400,000 years, Antarctic temperature has oscillated between peaks of a few degrees warmer than today and temperatures as much as ______________ degrees Celsius colder than present.

Answer 12

6 to 8

Question 13

In the Long-Term Carbon Cycle, in essence carbon moves from the _______________ to the________________ where it can be stored for millions of years before returning to the surface environment through physical processes of volcanism and seafloor formation.

Answer 13

Atmosphere, sediments

Question 14

reservoirs

Answer 14

-places on earth where C is stored
-organisms, atmosphere, soil, oceans, sedimentary rock

Question 15

fluxes

Answer 15

rates at which carbon flows from one reservoir to another; biological and physical process

Question 16

biogeochemical processes

Answer 16

pathways in which biologically important elements move between Earth and Life (The Carbon Cycle)

Question 17

what percentage of human generated CO2 does NOT end up in the atmosphere?

Answer 17

50%
The rest ends up in oceans, vegetation or soil

Question 18

long-term carbon cycle

Answer 18

time frame of thousands-millions of years, driven by volcanic activity + climate change

Question 19

chemical weathering

Answer 19

-chemical reactions involving air, water, and exposed rocks, produces CaCO3
-plate tectonic activity drives C stored in CaCO3 into the Earth’s mantel to be expelled into CO2 through volcanic activity

Question 20

carbon originally fixed by photosynthesis is returned to the atmosphere by the respiration of ______

Answer 20

fungi and bacteria
decomposers

Question 21

approximately _____kg of grass and herb biomass will support approximately _____ kg of mice

Answer 21

1000, 100

Question 22

The formula for ammonia is:

Answer 22

NH3

Question 23

The molecule known as the “currency of life” is ________ and is produced in the _________

Answer 23

ATP, mitochondria

Question 24

nitrogen is found largely in the _____ while phosphorus is mostly present in _______.

Answer 24

Atmosphere, rocks

Question 25

an estimated _______ species of photosynthetic organisms lie at the base of the trophic pyramid while approximately ____ species help to transfer energy cycle carbon through food webs

Answer 25

500,000; 10 million

Question 26

2 billion years ago, the _____ included mostly photosynthetic bacteria

Answer 26

carbon cycle

Question 27

primary producers

Answer 27

-fix inorganic carbon into organic molecules that feed other organisms -autotrophs that photosynthesize; inorganic C from CO2 and turn it into organic C (C6H12O6) -take up P and N from the environment to synthesize amino acids, nucleic acids and membranes

Question 28

consumers

Answer 28

-heterotrophs which obtain carbon from the food they consume -consume primary producers as a source of C, P and N. The elements are passed back into the environment as metabolic waste

Question 29

primary consumers

Answer 29

consume primary producers herbivores, grazers, etc

Question 30

secondary consumers

Answer 30

predators or scavengers that consume primary consumers

Question 31

decomposers

Answer 31

fungi, bacteria; break down dead tissues

Question 32

respiration

Answer 32

Carbon is returned to the atmosphere as CO2

Question 33

food webs

Answer 33

the complexity of biological interactions within the Carbon Cycle

Question 34

trophic level

Answer 34

organisms' place in the food web

Question 35

trophic pyramid

Answer 35

-shows biomass supported at each level by biomass in lower levels -communities always require more energy to be available at lower trophic levels to support higher trophic levels

Question 36

Assimilation (N cycle)

Answer 36

process where Primary producers uptake N found in NO3- or NH3 from soil or water

Question 37

ammonification (N cycle)

Answer 37

process where decomposers return N to the environment

Question 38

denitrification (N cycle)

Answer 38

a form of anaerobic respiration in which N2 is introduced back into the atmosphere

Question 39

nitrogen fixation (N cycle)

Answer 39

bacteria reduce N2 to ammonia NH3 which can be used by plants and reintroduce N to the food web

Question 40

phosphorous cycle

Answer 40

-phosphorous found in rocks -enters food web as a PO4^3- released from rocks via chemical weathering -phosphorous-containing sediments uplifted by tectonic plate activity; forms mountains, available for release by chemical weathering

Question 41

biodiversity

Answer 41

also a function of ecology, and the evolution of biodiversity is tied to the biogeochemical cycles

Question 42

The human population had _______________ since 1970 and as of 2018 exceeds _______________.

Answer 42

doubled, 7.6 billion

Question 43

According to Fig. 48.2, the country which uses the most Kilowatt hours per person per day is:

Answer 43

Canada

Question 44

The Ecological Footprint of the United States is approximately _________________ hectares land per person.

Answer 44

7

Question 45

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert N2 to biologically available forms of nitrogen consisting of

Answer 45

Ammonia; NH3

Question 46

The increase in primary production by algae and cyanobacteria leading to 02 depletion in lakes and oceans is known as:

Answer 46

eutrophication

Question 47

An estimated _______________ of food grown in the United States is never eaten due to spoilage.

Answer 47

1/3

Question 48

Anthropocene epoch

Answer 48

era we live in, emphasized the dominant impact of humans on present day earth

Question 49

ecological footprint

Answer 49

how much land is required to provide energy, food, materials, services

Question 50

human development index

Answer 50

measures the standard of living

Question 51

greenhouse gas

Answer 51

-a gas that absorbs heat energy and emits it out in all directions -CO2 in atmosphere absorbs reflected IR (heat) and prevents it from going back out into space -CO2 acts like the glass in a greenhouse, allows sunlight to enter by prevents heat from leaving

Question 52

methane (greenhouse gas)

Answer 52

hydrocarbon, key component of natural gas

Question 53

intergovernmental panel on climate change

Answer 53

greenhouse gasses cause an increase in temperature; temp rise will increase as atmospheric CO2 increases; due to human activity

Question 54

climate

Answer 54

average weather over a long time interval

Question 55

ocean acidification

Answer 55

abundance of CO2 in ocean water causing pH to decrease

Question 56

fracking

Answer 56

a relatively new extraction technique which involves injecting fluid and sand into shale rock

Question 57

Eutrophication

Answer 57

increase in production of algae and cyanobacteria due to increased N levels

Question 58

invasive species

Answer 58

non-native species that become established in a new ecosystem

Question 59

atrazine

Answer 59

herbicide to kill weeds; causes developmental impairment in frogs, may affect human reproduction

Question 60

Humans make up what percentage of the entire photosynthetic output on land?

Answer 60

25%

Question 61

It is estimated that ______________ non-native species have been introduced into the United States.

Answer 61

48,000

Question 62

T/F: Some estimates state that Malaria has killed nearly half of all humans who have existed.

Answer 62

true