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Questions and Answers

What is the largest terrestrial biome in the world?

Taiga

What is the mostly-solid bulk of Earth's interior?

Mantle

Which of these options are included in the definition of an ecosystem? (Select all that apply)

  • A balanced system (correct)
  • Interacting organisms
  • Biotic factors (correct)
  • A specific region (correct)
  • Abiotic factors (correct)

    • Which of the following is NOT a major type of biome found in Canada?

    <p>Savanna</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between a biome and an ecosystem?

    <p>A biome is a large geographical area, while an ecosystem is a specific region.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The taiga biome is characterized by deciduous forests.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two main types of aquatic biomes?

    <p>Freshwater and Marine</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A population is a group of individuals from different species living in the same area.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process by which nitrogen is converted into a usable form by bacteria, for example Rhizobium and blue-green algae?

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

    What is the process called where excess nutrients from fertilizers run off into lakes and oceans, leading to an overgrowth of algae?

    <p>Eutrophication</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The carbon cycle is primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a step in the carbon cycle?

    <p>Nitrification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary source of energy in the water cycle?

    <p>The Sun</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of a fossil fuel?

    <p>Coal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

    <p>Breaking down dead organic matter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is NOT a key point about decomposers and transformers?

    <p>They release oxygen as a byproduct of decomposition.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process that converts atmospheric nitrogen into a form usable by plants?

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

    Which type of nitrogen fixation is considered human-made?

    <p>Industrial nitrogen fixation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following processes is responsible for the conversion of ammonia to nitrate?

    <p>Nitrification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Denitrification removes nitrogen from the atmosphere and releases it into the soil.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The phosphorus cycle is primarily driven by the sun's energy.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Eutrophication is a process that can create 'dead zones' in aquatic ecosystems.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of pyrite in the sulfur cycle?

    <p>Pyrite is a mineral that contains sulfur, which is eventually released into the environment through weathering and geological processes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the main types of biogeochemical cycles?

    <p>Gaseous cycles and Sedimentary cycles</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Human activities have a negligible impact on biogeochemical cycles.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the three main fossil fuels?

    <p>Coal, oil, and natural gas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Phosphorus is often the limiting nutrient in aquatic ecosystems.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process called where bacteria convert nitrate back into gaseous nitrogen, often occurring in the absence of oxygen?

    <p>Denitrification</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process by which microbes decompose organic matter, releasing nitrogen back into the soil?

    <p>Mineralization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Leaching is a significant pathway of nitrogen loss, but it does not impact water quality.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The symbiotic relationship between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and legumes is mutually beneficial.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Carbon is a key element in all living organisms, playing a vital role in the structure and function of their cells.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Fossil fuel combustion contributes to the greenhouse effect and climate change.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the cycle that involves the continuous circulation of water in the Earth's atmosphere system?

    <p>The water cycle or Hydrologic cycle</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process by which plants release water vapor into the atmosphere?

    <p>Transpiration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process by which water vapor in the atmosphere cools and changes into liquid water, forming clouds?

    <p>Condensation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process that combines both transpiration and evaporation, representing the total water loss from an ecosystem?

    <p>Evapotranspiration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the organisms that feed on dead and decomposing organic matter by oral ingestion?

    <p>Detritivores</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the organisms that externally digest organic matter by secreting enzymes and absorbing nutrients?

    <p>Saprophytes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    All humans on Earth belong to the same species.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    A community is a group of different species living in the same area.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the ecological study of how biotic and abiotic factors affect the density, dispersion, and size of a population?

    <p>Population ecology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the narrow zone where life exists on Earth, encompassing all living organisms and their interactions?

    <p>Biosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process by which inorganic nitrogen compounds are used by plants to form organic nitrogen compounds like amino acids?

    <p>Assimilation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Crop rotation involves planting different crops in the same field in consecutive seasons.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Intercropping involves planting different crops in the same field simultaneously.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a group of individuals that belong to the same species and live in the same area, for example, the stray cats in New York City?

    <p>Population</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the process that involves the reverse of mineralization, where soil organisms take up nitrate and ammonium, making them unavailable to crops?

    <p>Immobilization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a pathway of nitrogen loss that is a significant concern for water quality, particularly the movement of nitrate in water?

    <p>Leaching</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The term 'biogeochemical' is derived from 'bio' for biosphere, 'geo' for geological components, and 'chemical' for the elements that move through the cycle.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The distribution pattern of individuals within a habitat can be random, clumped, or uniform.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The boreal forest is characterized by deciduous trees, cold temperatures, and precipitation in the form of snow.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Earth's Interior

    • Earth's mantle is the mostly solid interior, lying between the core and crust.
    • It's approximately 2,900 kilometers (1,802 miles) thick.
    • The mantle comprises 84% of Earth's total volume.

    Levels of Organization

    • The biosphere is divided into five different biomes: tundra, grasslands, forests, deserts, and aquatic biomes.
    • An ecosystem includes both biotic and abiotic factors.
    • A community consists of interacting organisms (same or different species) coexisting in a particular area and time.
    • A population encompasses all members of a particular species inhabiting a specific habitat.
    • Organisms are the living entities composing the biosphere.

    Biomes in BC

    • Canada has four major biomes: tundra, desert, grassland, and forests.
    • The Okanagan in BC has a semi-arid desert with low precipitation, hot summers (and cold nights), and dry winters.
    • The temperate rainforest stretches along the BC coast from northern California to southern Alaska.
    • Taiga (boreal forest). Boreal forest characterized by coniferous trees like spruces, larches, and pines.
    • The taiga is the world's largest terrestrial biome.
    • Alpine tundra is restricted to mountainous regions of BC and is characterized by cold temperatures (averaging between -4 and 0°C) and snow.

    What is an Ecosystem?

    • An ecosystem includes all biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors within a specific region.
    • These elements interact to form a balanced system.
    • A community consists only of living things (plants and animals) in a specific region and how they interact.
    • A biome spans a large geographic area defined by environmental conditions that determine which species can survive in each region.

    Population Ecology

    • Population ecology studies the structure and dynamics of populations.
    • These involve biotic and abiotic factors that influence density, dispersion, and size within a population.
    • A population is a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area.
    • Population size can vary from a few to thousands of members.

    Species, Populations, and Communities

    • Populations are groups of the same species living in the same area.
    • A community is a group of different species living in the same area.
    • A species consists of organisms capable of interbreeding.

    What is a Population?

    • A population encompasses all members of a particular species that live in a particular area.
    • A different population of a species will encompass all the members in a different set of defined locations.
    • A species includes all organisms that share similar characteristics and can mate to produce fertile offspring. A population is a subset of that species.
    • A community comprises all the different species inhabiting a specific area.

    Species and Population Levels

    • Species is a group of genetically linked individuals capable of interbreeding.
    • Population is a group of organisms belonging to the same species in a particular region.
    • Community is a group of populations of different species living in a particular area and interacting with each other.
    • Ecosystem consists of all communities within an area, encompassing both biotic and abiotic factors.
    • Biosphere is the narrow zone on Earth where life exists involving everything about life on our planet.

    Distribution of Species and Populations

    • Species are distributed using several parameters.
    • Size of populations (and number of total individuals): Number of individuals.
    • Density: Number of individuals per area.
    • Dispersion: Arrangement of individuals in relation to one another (e.g., random, clumped, uniform).
    • Occupancy: Habitat distribution, indicating the presence or absence of a species in each habitat.
    • Population distribution: Location of a population across space.
    • Geographic range: Span of a species' geographical limits, indicating its range.

    Changes in Population Size

    • Birth and immigration increase population size.
    • Death and emigration decrease population size.

    Estimating Population Size

    • Quadrats are used for immobile or slow-moving organisms. A quadrat is a wooden, plastic or metal square used to estimate numbers of immobile individuals.
    • Mark-recapture techniques are employed for smaller, mobile organisms, such as mammals. A sample of animals are captured, marked, and released to mix with the population.

    Species Distribution Patterns

    • Individuals in a population can be distributed randomly, in groups, or uniformly spaced.
    • Important considerations include random, clumped, uniform distribution patterns.

    Community Ecology

    • Interacting populations within a habitat form an ecological community.
    • The number of species within a community and their relative abundance is referred to as the diversity of the community.

    Biogeochemical Cycles

    • These cycles encompass the movement of nutrients and other elements between biotic and abiotic factors.
    • Components like light, CO2, water, and others are cycled and recycled through various natural processes.

    Types of Biogeochemical Cycles

    • Gaseous cycles include the Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Water cycle.
    • Sedimentary cycles include the Sulpur, Phosphorous, and Rock cycle.

    The Water Cycle

    • The water cycle (hydrologic cycle) involves the continuous circulation of water within the Earth-atmosphere system.
    • It's driven by solar energy, which warms ocean surfaces causing evaporation, and ice to sublime (solidification to gas).
    • Water exists in the atmosphere as water vapor.
    • Water exists in various forms (like precipitation) across the Earth's surface.
    • Water is also stored as freshwater in glaciers and ice caps and as groundwater in soil and various geological features.
    • Various locations on Earth store water in different states.

    Where is Earth's Water Located?

    • About 96.5% of the Earth's water is located in oceans.
    • About 1.7% is stored as polar ice, glaciers, and permanent snow.
    • .001% of the Earth's water is in water vapor.
    • The remaining water is in lakes, streams, rivers, and soil.

    What are Decomposers?

    • Decomposers are organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that break down organic matter into simpler substances, thus releasing nutrients into the environment.
    • Detritivores and saprophytes are two categories of decomposers.
    • Scavengers are also decomposers that eat other animal's feces.

    Key Points on Decomposers and Transformers

    • Decomposers and transformers help maintain the dynamic structure of ecosystems. They break down dead organisms into simpler compounds.
    • Transformers in ecosystems transform organic compounds into inorganic compounds for reuse by producers (plants).

    Nitrogen Cycle

    • Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) is converted into ammonia (NH3), a usable form for plants, through nitrogen fixation.
    • This process includes lightning (physical) and biological fixation through non-symbiotic and symbiotic activities.
    • The different forms of biological nitrogen fixation occur through particular microorganisms or bacteria and other microscopic life.

    Steps in Nitrogen Cycle

    • Atmospheric fixation is a natural phenomenon where lightning breaks nitrogen into nitrogen oxides, which are then used by plants.
    • Industrial nitrogen fixation is a human process that contributes to nitrogen fixation.
    • Biological nitrogen fixation involves bacteria (like Rhizobium) and blue-green algae transforming nitrogen into other compounds that plants can use.

    Nitrification

    • Nitrification is the process via which soil bacteria oxidize ammonia into nitrite and then into nitrate. Microorganisms like Nitrosomonas complete this reaction

    Nitrogen Cycle Steps: Assimilation, Ammonification, and Denitrification

    • Plants and animals absorb usable nitrogen compounds for biological processes.
    • Ammonification involves the release of nitrogen compounds into the soil when plants or animals die.
    • Denitrification returns nitrogen to the atmosphere as nitrogen gas.

    Key Points on the Nitrogen Cycle and Methods

    • The cycle involves microbial processes and atmospheric, industrial, and biological fixation.
    • Different methods of converting and applying nitrogen to agriculture are relevant to environmental protection initiatives.

    Carbon Cycle

    • The carbon cycle is essential for life on Earth.
    • Nature naturally balances the amount of carbon released from the environment with the amount of carbon absorbed.
    • Humans have upset this balance via burning fossil fuels, which releases more carbon into the atmosphere than usual, leading to climate change.

    Steps in Carbon Cycle

    • Carbon moves from the atmosphere to plants as carbon dioxide (CO2).
    • Plants, then, create their own food using photosynthesis and convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds.
    • Carbon travels from plants to animals through food chains.
    • Carbon returns to the atmosphere via respiration from animals and plants, and decomposition of organic matter.
    • Combustion of fossil fuels in various industrial activities also releases carbon into the atmosphere.
    • Oceans also incorporate and release carbon.

    Fossil Fuels

    • Fossil fuels are comprised of coal, oil, and natural gas.
    • Collectively, they provide approximately 81 percent of the energy needs in the United States.
    • They're used for heating and electricity generation in homes and businesses; and for running vehicles and factories.

    Phosphorous Cycle

    • The phosphorus cycle involves the movement of phosphorus through the biosphere.
    • Phosphorus is predominantly found in phosphate compounds and in rocks.
    • Geological uplifting processes move phosphorus to Earth's surface.
    • Phosphorus can also be carried into waterways through runoff from agriculture.

    Steps in Phosphorous Cycle

    • Phosphate compounds in the soil can be taken up by plants and then transferred to animals.
    • Phosphates are carried via surface runoff to rivers, lakes, and oceans, contributing to the phosphorus cycle.
    • The breakdown of plants and animals releases phosphates.

    Eutrophication

    • Eutrophication occurs when too much nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer enter water bodies, causing algal blooms.
    • These blooms deplete oxygen, creating "dead zones."
    • Fertilizers containing excesses of nitrogen and phosphorus lead to excess amounts in runoff water and waterways.
    • Algae production is enhanced which leads to the oxygen depletion in waterways, leading to fish suffocation.

    Sulfur Cycle

    • The sulfur cycle involves processes like volcanic eruptions, human emissions, and precipitation.
    • The cycle encompasses the exchange of sulfur among different environments (like terrestrial and marine ecosystems.)
    • The various forms and states of sulfur can exist in the environment.

    Other Study Notes

    • The text includes information about transpiration, evapotranspiration, and condensation, and other geological processes relevant to various cycles.
    • The document further includes activity questions for each cycle.

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