Cycles of Matter and Water in the Biosphere

<p>Nitrates (NO3-) (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Fertilizer use leading to nutrient runoff (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A product of nitrogen fixation (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Converting nitrates into nitrogen gas (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They leach into waterways, causing pollution (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

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

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

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

<p>Reducing nitrates back to nitrogen gas (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They facilitate the conversion of nitrogen into its different forms. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Nitrates (NO3-) (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They increase the input of nitrogen into the ecosystem through fertilizers. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

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

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

<p>By increasing nitrogen runoff into water bodies (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They absorb and utilize nitrogen from the soil (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It contributes to the eutrophication of water bodies. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It washes into the oceans as runoff (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Biological nitrogen fixation (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The process where bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen gas (N2) into a usable form for plants.

The continuous movement of nitrogen through the environment, involving both living organisms and non-living components.

The continuous movement of phosphorus through the environment, involving land, ocean, sediments, and living organisms.

Organisms, like plants and algae, who use sunlight to make food.

Organisms that eat other organisms for energy.

Substances added to soil to promote plant growth by providing essential nutrients like phosphorus.

Nitrogen in various forms (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates) found in soil, available for plant uptake.

Phosphate compounds found in water, often used by aquatic plants and algae.

A place where carbon is stored in large amounts within the biosphere, such as the atmosphere, oceans, rocks, or living organisms.

Carbon in the atmosphere is primarily found as carbon dioxide gas (CO2).

Carbon is dissolved in the oceans as dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2).

Geological processes like volcanic eruptions release carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Earth's interior into the atmosphere.

Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) releases large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere dissolves in rainwater, making it slightly acidic.

Forests act as significant carbon reservoirs, storing large amounts of carbon in trees and other vegetation.

Deforestation releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere as trees are burned or decompose.

Phosphorus is primarily found in the Earth's crust, primarily in rocks and sediments. It is not found in the atmosphere in significant quantities.

Rocks and sediments slowly release phosphate into the environment as they break down. This process can happen due to weathering and erosion.

Plants absorb phosphate from the soil or water and incorporate it into organic compounds. These compounds are then consumed by animals, and phosphorus moves through the food web.

Some phosphate washes into rivers and streams, eventually reaching the ocean. Marine organisms process and incorporate the phosphate into their biological systems.

Primary productivity refers to the rate at which primary producers, like plants and algae, create organic material using sunlight.

A limiting nutrient is an essential nutrient whose supply limits the rate of primary productivity in an ecosystem.

Fertilizer is applied to soil to provide essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, that are often lacking in the soil, which can limit crop growth.

Micronutrients are essential elements needed by plants in small amounts for their growth and development. They are not directly related to phosphorus or fertilizer.