Biogeochemical Cycles and Ecosystems Quiz
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Questions and Answers

What role do chlorophyll-bearing organisms play in the carbon-oxygen cycle?

  • They release carbon dioxide during respiration.
  • They consume oxygen for energy.
  • They break down organic compounds into nutrients.
  • They take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen through photosynthesis. (correct)

How do terrestrial organisms primarily obtain oxygen?

  • From mineral deposits in soil.
  • From dissolved oxygen in water.
  • From carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  • Directly from the atmosphere. (correct)

What is one of the main effects of excessive carbon in the atmosphere?

  • Aquatic life depletion.
  • Global warming. (correct)
  • Soil erosion.
  • Increased photosynthesis rates.

Which process begins with organisms taking in oxygen from their surroundings?

<p>Respiration (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why are the carbon and oxygen cycles important for ecosystems?

<p>They maintain the balance of nutrients and support life. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

During which process is glucose broken down to release energy?

<p>Respiration (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a by-product of photosynthesis?

<p>Oxygen (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of energy used by organisms during respiration?

<p>Glucose (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two basic types of biogeochemical cycles?

<p>Gaseous and Sedimentary Nutrient Cycle (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is classified as a macronutrient?

<p>Nitrogen (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of nutrients in the gaseous nutrient cycle?

<p>Atmosphere and Ocean (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which macronutrient is not included in the list provided?

<p>Sodium (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which two cycles are directly coupled to each other?

<p>Carbon and Oxygen Cycles (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following elements is a primary source of the sedimentary nutrient cycle?

<p>Mineral Salts (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How much oxygen is estimated to be released by photosynthesis each year?

<p>100,000 megatons (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main role of biogeochemical cycles in ecosystems?

<p>To ensure continuous exchange of essential elements (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary process by which precipitation contributes to freshwater sources?

<p>Coalescing of water droplets (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is runoff primarily associated with?

<p>Movement of water across the Earth's surface (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which process follows infiltration in the water cycle?

<p>Percolation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about subsurface outflow is true?

<p>It can eventually return to surface water bodies. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the phosphorus cycle from other biogeochemical cycles?

<p>It lacks a significant gaseous phase. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Phosphate rocks serve what key role in the phosphorus cycle?

<p>They are the primary ore for phosphate. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does precipitation impact ecosystems?

<p>It replenishes freshwater sources. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main role of the water cycle?

<p>To support life by distributing freshwater. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do plants play in the carbon-oxygen cycle?

<p>Plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary byproduct emitted during combustion?

<p>Carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚) (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does deforestation affect the carbon-oxygen cycle?

<p>It reduces the available biomass for carbon sequestration. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which process involves the breakdown of dead organisms by decomposers?

<p>Decomposition (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is carbon sequestration?

<p>The capturing and storing of COâ‚‚ to prevent climate change. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a significant impact of burning fossil fuels?

<p>Increased carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the end result of decomposition in the carbon-oxygen cycle?

<p>Release of carbon into the atmosphere as COâ‚‚. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which form can water produced from combustion exist?

<p>As both precipitation and vapor. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason nitrogen gas is not accessible to plants and animals?

<p>It is chemically inactive in its gaseous form. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which process converts nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into a usable form for plants?

<p>Nitrogen fixation (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step of nitrification known as?

<p>Ammonia oxidation (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do plants incorporate nitrogen into their systems?

<p>By absorbing nitrates and ammonia through their roots (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is ammonia converted into during the second step of nitrification?

<p>Nitrite (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of organisms primarily carry out nitrification?

<p>Prokaryotes (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What key compound is formed as a result of nitrogen fixation?

<p>Ammonia (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following gases constitutes the largest percentage of the Earth's atmosphere?

<p>Nitrogen (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What process breaks down rocks and releases phosphorus into the soil and water?

<p>Weathering (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do plants incorporate phosphorus into their biological systems?

<p>Through uptake of inorganic phosphate from soil (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to organic phosphorus when a plant or animal dies?

<p>It decays and returns to the soil (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to the release of phosphorus from organic sources during decomposition?

<p>Sedimentation (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What effect do fertilizers have on the phosphorus cycle?

<p>They can lead to phosphorus entering soil and water through runoff (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is phosphorus considered a limiting nutrient in many ecosystems?

<p>Its availability is often restricted for biological uptake (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following plays a role in the phosphorus cycle by transferring phosphates to water systems?

<p>Fertilizer runoff (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of human activity has disrupted the natural balance of phosphorus cycles?

<p>Overuse of synthetic fertilizers (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Biogeochemical Cycles

The movement of chemical substances through the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, ensuring essential elements are continuously exchanged.

Macronutrients

Essential nutrients required in large amounts by organisms, including Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfur, and Phosphorus.

Micronutrients

Essential nutrients required in small amounts by organisms, including Iron, Manganese, Copper, Zinc, Boron, Sodium, and others.

Gaseous Nutrient Cycle

Nutrient cycles where the main source of nutrients is the atmosphere and ocean.

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Sedimentary Nutrient Cycle

Nutrient cycles where the main sources are soil, rocks, and minerals.

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Carbon Cycle

A coupled cycle with the oxygen cycle; photosynthesis fixes carbon dioxide and releases oxygen, while respiration releases carbon dioxide and consumes oxygen.

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Photosynthesis

Process where plants convert carbon dioxide and water into energy, releasing oxygen.

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Respiration

Process where living organisms use oxygen and release carbon dioxide.

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Carbon-Oxygen Cycle

The continuous exchange of carbon and oxygen between the Earth's atmosphere, living organisms, oceans, and crust.

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Why is the Carbon-Oxygen Cycle important?

It regulates Earth's climate, supports life, and maintains ecosystem health. It balances CO2 levels, enriches soil fertility, and helps address climate change.

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What happens when there's excessive carbon?

Global warming, rising temperatures, ecosystem disruption, and negative impacts on human health.

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How does respiration impact the oxygen cycle?

During respiration, oxygen is consumed to break down glucose, contributing to the cycling of oxygen in the environment.

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What happens to CO2 during respiration?

CO2 is produced as a by-product of glucose breakdown and released back into the atmosphere or water.

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How does the carbon cycle balance CO2?

Photosynthesis removes CO2 from the atmosphere, while respiration releases CO2 back into the atmosphere, creating a continuous cycle.

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Oxygen Replenishment

Plants replenish the oxygen consumed during respiration through photosynthesis, releasing oxygen as a byproduct, ensuring atmospheric oxygen levels stay balanced for vital processes.

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Decomposition

Decomposers like bacteria and fungi break down dead organisms, releasing carbon into the soil and atmosphere as COâ‚‚ and other organic compounds.

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Fossil Fuel Formation

Over millions of years, plant and animal remains accumulate and transform through physical processes into fossil fuels like coal and petroleum.

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Combustion

Burning organic materials releases energy, converting carbon into carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚) and water (Hâ‚‚O). COâ‚‚ goes into the atmosphere, while water vapor can fall as rain or stay in the air.

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Human Impact on Combustion

Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) and deforestation release large amounts of COâ‚‚ into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change.

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Carbon Sequestration

Capturing and storing carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚) from the atmosphere or other sources to prevent climate change. Trees and plants naturally sequester carbon.

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How Plants Sequester Carbon

During photosynthesis, trees absorb atmospheric COâ‚‚ and convert it into organic matter, storing carbon in their biomass (trunks, branches, leaves) and the soil through root systems.

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Importance of Carbon Sequestration

Storing carbon prevents its release into the atmosphere, mitigating climate change. Natural sequestration like forests plays a crucial role.

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Precipitation

Water droplets in clouds grow large, overcome air resistance, and fall to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail. It replenishes freshwater sources and is essential for ecosystems.

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Runoff

Water flowing across the Earth's surface, usually from precipitation. It collects in rivers, lakes, and oceans, eroding land and shaping landscapes.

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Subsurface Outflow

Water moves beneath the Earth's surface through soil and rock layers. It travels through soil and rock layers in a process called percolation and eventually flows back to rivers, lakes, or oceans, or is stored in aquifers.

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Infiltration

Water from precipitation, snowmelt, or irrigation enters the soil and moves downward into the ground.

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Phosphorus Cycle

The movement of phosphorus through the Earth's crust, water bodies, and living organisms.

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Phosphate Rocks

Sedimentary deposits with high phosphorus concentrations. They are a primary source of phosphate, essential for fertilizer production.

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Why is phosphorus important?

Phosphorus is a critical and non-renewable element for fertilizer production, upon which global fertility depends.

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How does phosphorus move?

Unlike carbon or nitrogen, phosphorus does not have a gaseous phase at Earth's surface, meaning it doesn't enter the atmosphere in significant amounts.

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Nitrogen Fixation

The process of converting nitrogen gas (N2) from the atmosphere into a form that plants can use, like ammonia (NH3). This is essential for life because nitrogen is a key component of proteins, DNA, and other biologically important compounds.

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Why is nitrogen fixation important?

Nitrogen fixation is crucial because it makes nitrogen accessible to plants and, ultimately, animals. Without it, the nitrogen cycle wouldn't work and life as we know it wouldn't exist.

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Nitrification

The process that converts ammonia (NH3) to nitrite (NO2-) and then to nitrate (NO3-), making nitrogen more readily available for plant uptake.

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Steps of Nitrification

Nitrification happens in two steps: 1) ammonia-oxidizing bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite, and 2) nitrite-oxidizing bacteria convert nitrite to nitrate.

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Assimilation

The process by which plants absorb nitrate (NO3-) and ammonia (NH3) through their roots and incorporate them into plant proteins and nucleic acids. Animals then get their nitrogen by eating plants.

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How do plants and animals get nitrogen?

They get it from the nitrogen cycle! Plants absorb nitrates and ammonia produced by nitrogen fixation and nitrification, and animals obtain nitrogen by eating plants.

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What is weathering in the phosphorus cycle?

Weathering is the process where rocks are broken down by forces like rain and erosion, releasing phosphorus into the soil and water. This is the primary way phosphorus enters the cycle from the earth's crust.

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How do plants get phosphorus?

Plants absorb inorganic phosphate directly from the soil. This phosphate is essential for their growth and development.

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How do animals get phosphorus?

Animals obtain phosphorus by consuming plants or other animals that have already incorporated it into their organic molecules. For example, a cow eats grass that contains phosphorus, and we eat the cow.

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What is sedimentation in the phosphorus cycle?

Sedimentation happens when organic phosphorus released from animal waste or decaying organisms settles to the bottom of water bodies. This phosphorus might be unavailable for plants to use, potentially becoming buried in the sediment.

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What is fertilizer runoff?

Fertilizer runoff occurs when excess phosphorus from fertilizers used in agriculture, lawns, and other areas washes into rivers, lakes, and oceans, causing potential problems like excessive algae growth.

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Why is the phosphorus cycle important?

The phosphorus cycle is vital for life on Earth because phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants and animals. It's involved in functions like DNA formation and energy transfer.

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What is the nitrogen cycle?

The nitrogen cycle is a continuous process where nitrogen is converted into different forms as it moves through the atmosphere, soil, and living organisms. It's essential for making DNA and proteins.

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Why is the nitrogen cycle important?

The nitrogen cycle is crucial for life on Earth because nitrogen is a key component of DNA, proteins, and other essential molecules. It's also critical for plant growth.

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Study Notes

Biogeochemical Cycles

  • Biogeochemical cycles are also known as nutrient cycles
  • They describe the movement of chemicals between the biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere
  • Cycles ensure that essential elements are continually exchanged between organisms and the environment, maintaining balance in ecosystems
  • Macronutrients are required in relatively large amounts (e.g., carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, and phosphorus)
  • Micronutrients are required in small quantities (e.g., iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, sodium)

Types of Biogeochemical Cycles

  • Gaseous Nutrient Cycles: The main sources of nutrients are the atmosphere and oceans.
    • Important gases for life are nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
    • These gases occur in stable proportions (e.g., nitrogen – 78%, oxygen – 21%, carbon dioxide – 0.03%)
    • Examples include the nitrogen cycle, oxygen cycle, and carbon cycle
  • Sedimentary Nutrient Cycles: The main sources are soil, rocks, and minerals.
    • Mineral elements initially come from inorganic sources
    • Mineral salts come directly from the Earth's crust through weathering
    • Examples include the sulfur cycle and the phosphorus cycle

Carbon-Oxygen Cycle

  • The carbon cycle is fully coupled with the oxygen cycle
  • Photosynthesis fixes carbon dioxide and releases oxygen to the atmosphere (100,000 megatons per year)
  • Respiration by animals and living organisms consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide
  • These are two linked cycles

Carbon-Oxygen Cycles: Processes

  • Photosynthesis: Green plants and other organisms transform light energy into chemical energy, converting water, carbon dioxide and minerals into oxygen and energy-rich organic compounds
  • Respiration: Organisms take in oxygen and break down glucose to produce energy, releasing carbon dioxide
  • Decomposition: Decomposers like bacteria and fungi break down dead organisms, releasing carbon into the soil and atmosphere. This carbon can be incorporated in fossil fuels over millions of years
  • Combustion: Burning of organic materials releases carbon dioxide and water
  • Human Impact: Burning of fossil fuels and deforestation release excessive carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, impacting climate change patterns

Water Cycle: Processes

  • Evaporation: Solar energy heats water bodies and turns liquid water to water vapor, which rises into the atmosphere
  • Transpiration: Plants absorb water through their roots and release water vapor into the atmosphere
  • Condensation: Warm water vapor rises into the atmosphere and cools down, condensing to liquid water or ice forming clouds
  • Precipitation: Water droplets in clouds get large enough to overcome air resistance and fall back to the Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail
  • Runoff: Precipitation that doesn't infiltrate the ground flows over the Earth's surface, collecting in rivers, lakes, and eventually reaching the ocean
  • Infiltration: Precipitation can also enter the soil and move downward, becoming groundwater
  • Subsurface Outflow: Groundwater flows back to rivers, lakes, or oceans

Phosphorus Cycle: Processes

  • Phosphate Rock Formation: Phosphorus is stored in phosphate rock formations and is a primary source for fertilizer production. This is a nonrenewable resource
  • Weathering: Rain and erosion break down rocks, releasing phosphorus into the soil and water
  • Plants: Plants absorb inorganic phosphate from the soil and incorporate it into organic molecules like DNA

Nitrogen Cycle: Processes

  • Nitrogen Fixation: Bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen gas into ammonia
  • Ammonification: Decomposers break down organic nitrogen compounds to form ammonia
  • Nitrification: Bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite and then to nitrate; this is crucial for plant uptake
  • Assimilation: Plants absorb nitrate for protein and nucleic acid synthesis
  • Denitrification: Bacteria convert nitrate back into atmospheric nitrogen gas

Sulfur Cycle: Processes

  • Weathering of Rocks: Releases sulfur into the soil
  • Volcanic Activity: Releases sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere
  • Sulfur Assimilation: Plants absorb sulfur in the form of sulfate
  • Decomposition: Bacteria decompose dead organisms, returning sulfur to the soil
  • Acid Rain: Sulfur dioxide combines with water vapor forming sulfuric acid leading to acid rain
  • Oceanic Sulfur: Marine organisms incorporate sulfate in biological processes, dimethyl sulfide (DMS) contributes to cloud formation, sulfates in ocean sediments return to the lithosphere over time

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Description

Test your knowledge on the role of chlorophyll-bearing organisms and the importance of the carbon-oxygen cycle in ecosystems. This quiz covers processes such as photosynthesis and respiration, as well as essential nutrients and cycles. Engage with questions that explore biogeochemical interactions and their impact on the environment.

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