Nutrient Cycles Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is the first step of the Nitrogen Cycle?
Nitrogen fixation.
What do nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert nitrogen into?
Ammonia or nitrates.
What is the process called where ammonia is converted into nitrites and then nitrates?
Nitrification.
How do plants incorporate nitrogen from the soil?
By absorbing nitrates through their roots.
What occurs during ammonification?
Organic nitrogen is broken down into ammonia.
What is the role of denitrifying bacteria in the Nitrogen Cycle?
They convert nitrates back into atmospheric nitrogen.
Why is nitrogen essential for living organisms?
It is a key component of amino acids, proteins, DNA, and RNA.
What human activity contributes to excess nitrogen in soil?
Agriculture through the use of fertilizers.
What environmental issue can arise from livestock farming?
Air pollution and acid rain from ammonia release.
What happens to nitrogen absorption when deforestation occurs?
It reduces nitrogen absorption by plants.
What is the first step of the Phosphorus Cycle?
Weathering and erosion of rocks.
What do plants absorb during the Phosphorus Cycle?
Phosphate ions.
How do herbivores obtain phosphorus?
By consuming plants.
What happens to phosphorus when organisms die?
Decomposers break down their bodies, releasing phosphorus back into the soil or water.
What is a consequence of using phosphorus-rich fertilizers?
Nutrient pollution and algal blooms.
What is the impact of algal blooms on aquatic life?
They use up oxygen in the water, harming fish and other aquatic life.
What initiates the Land Carbon Cycle?
Plants absorbing carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.
What do herbivores do in the Land Carbon Cycle?
They eat plants, transferring carbon into their bodies.
What do decomposers release back into the atmosphere during the Land Carbon Cycle?
Carbon dioxide or methane.
How does deforestation impact the Land Carbon Cycle?
It reduces the number of trees available to absorb carbon dioxide.
What is the first step of the Ocean Carbon Cycle?
Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere dissolves into surface waters of the ocean.
What role do marine organisms like phytoplankton play in the Ocean Carbon Cycle?
They use dissolved carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
What happens to some organic matter in the Ocean Carbon Cycle when organisms die?
It sinks to deeper layers of the ocean, sequestering carbon.
How does nutrient pollution affect the Ocean Carbon Cycle?
It leads to harmful algal blooms that disrupt carbon sequestration.
