Energy Flow and Matter Cycling Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary source of energy that initiates the flow of energy through ecosystems?

Heat energy from the Earth's core

Chemical energy from decomposing matter

Light energy from the Sun (correct)

Energy stored in fossil fuels

Which process contributes carbon to the atmosphere from living organisms?

Defecation

Decomposition

Photosynthesis

Cellular respiration (correct)

What is a carbon sink?

Materials that contain high levels of carbon dioxide

An area where carbon accumulates over time (correct)

Any process that releases carbon into the atmosphere

Regions where photosynthesis is at its lowest

In the carbon cycle, what role do oceans play?

Absorb CO2 from the atmosphere Signup and view all the answers

How is stored carbon released back into the atmosphere through human activities?

Via burning fossil fuels and deforestation Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the carbon cycle's carbon sources?

They release more carbon into the atmosphere than they absorb Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of deforestation in the carbon cycle?

It serves as a carbon source Signup and view all the answers

Which component of the carbon cycle involves the transformation of carbon over a long geological period?

Formation of fossil fuels Signup and view all the answers

What impact do fossil fuels have on the carbon cycle?

They are a primary source of carbon dioxide emissions. Signup and view all the answers

Which agricultural practice depletes nutrients from the soil by continuously growing the same crop?

Growing monocultures Signup and view all the answers

What process occurs when carbon dioxide is absorbed by the oceans?

Creation of carbonic acid Signup and view all the answers

Which is a measure to reduce the effects of human activities on the carbon cycle?

Carbon capture through reforestation Signup and view all the answers

What is the principal characteristic that defines a biome?

Distinct plant and animal life Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is critical in determining the types of organisms found in a biome?

Precipitation Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the main consequences of increased dissolved CO2 in oceans?

Interference with calcium carbonate formation Signup and view all the answers

What type of biome typically receives abundant rainfall and supports a diverse range of life?

Tropical rainforest biome Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following practices enhances soil fertility by adding nutrients?

Cover cropping Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the temperature of a biome?

The range of temperatures experienced throughout the year Signup and view all the answers

What type of technology is designed to reduce carbon emissions?

Low-carbon technologies Signup and view all the answers

Which abiotic factor has the greatest influence on photosynthesis in a biome?

Insolation Signup and view all the answers

What happens to soil due to heavy tillage?

Soil is more easily eroded Signup and view all the answers

Which biome is characterized by extreme temperature fluctuations and limited vegetation?

Hot desert Signup and view all the answers

What type of trees are primarily found in temperate rainforests?

Both evergreen and deciduous trees Signup and view all the answers

Which biome has the highest annual precipitation?

Tropical rainforests Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of hot deserts?

Very high temperatures during the day and low at night Signup and view all the answers

Which component describes the role of insolation in climate?

Insolation increases as one moves toward the equator. Signup and view all the answers

What defines primary succession?

Occurs on surfaces previously unoccupied by ecological communities Signup and view all the answers

Which type of community is the first to develop during ecological succession?

Pioneer community Signup and view all the answers

In the Hadley cell, what happens to hot air as it moves away from the equator?

It descends and creates dry high-pressure zones. Signup and view all the answers

What is a major characteristic of the Arctic tundra?

Presence of permafrost Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor that sets the productivity of hot deserts?

Very low precipitation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is true about secondary succession?

It follows natural disturbances such as fire or flooding. Signup and view all the answers

How does solar insolation affect temperature?

Regions with higher insolation generally have higher temperatures. Signup and view all the answers

Which term refers to the distinct stages of plant and animal communities during succession?

Seres Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the primary roles of biogeochemical cycles?

To ensure the availability of chemical elements to living organisms Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Energy flows through ecosystems, starting with solar energy.
Much energy is released as heat during cellular respiration.

Matter Cycling

Matter cycles through ecosystems in biogeochemical cycles, including carbon, nitrogen, and water cycles.
Examples of matter in these cycles include nutrients, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water.

Carbon Cycle Outline

Carbon cycles between: atmosphere, plants, animals, soil, oceans, fossil fuels, and human activities.
Key processes include photosynthesis, feeding, defecation, cellular respiration, death, and decomposition.

Carbon Cycle Steps & Stores

Atmosphere: Carbon exists as carbon dioxide (CO2).
Plants: Absorb CO2 during photosynthesis.
Animals: Consume plants, transferring carbon into their bodies, releasing CO2 through respiration.
Soil: Dead organisms decompose, storing carbon as organic matter.
Oceans: Absorb CO2, storing it as dissolved carbon or in marine organisms.
Fossil Fuels: Buried carbon over millions of years becomes coal, oil, and gas.
Human Activities: Burning fossil fuels and deforestation release stored carbon as CO2.

Carbon Cycle Diagram Representation

Storages are boxes; flows are arrows.

Carbon Stores (Reservoirs)

Reservoirs hold carbon for varying times.
Carbon remains in equilibrium with the environment.
Input equals output (equilibrium).

Organic vs. Inorganic Carbon Stores

Organic: Found in living organisms or derived from them (organisms, crude oil, natural gas).
Inorganic: Non-living forms (oceans, atmosphere, soil).

Carbon Sinks & Sources

Sinks: Carbon accumulates over time (Input > Output).
Sources: Carbon is released into the cycle (Input < Output).

Examples of Carbon Sinks

Fossil fuel deposits.
Permafrost.
Carbonate rocks.

Examples of Carbon Sources

Volcanic eruptions.
Cars & industrial processes.
Forest fires.

Forests as Carbon Stores/Sources/Sinks

Store: Standing forest.
Source: Deforestation.
Sink: Young regrowing forest (absorbs more than it releases).

Carbon Sequestration

Capturing atmospheric CO2 and storing it in solid or liquid form.
Examples include trees absorbing CO2 into biomass, and fossilization of organic matter.

Fossil Fuel Impacts

Extraction and burning are major CO2 emission sources, disrupting atmospheric balance and warming the planet.

Agricultural Practices Affecting Carbon Cycle

Sources: Heavy tillage, monocultures, draining wetlands, long-term cropping deplete soil carbon.
Sinks: Reduced tillage, crop rotation, cover cropping improve soil carbon.

Ocean Acidification

Increased dissolved CO2 from human activity (fossil fuels, agriculture) leads to ocean acidification.
CO2 reacts with water to form carbonic acid, releasing hydrogen ions.
Carbonate ion concentration decreases, weakening shells of marine life.

Alleviating Carbon Cycle Impacts

Develop low-carbon technologies.
Reduce fossil fuel burning, soil disruption, and deforestation.
Implement carbon capture techniques (e.g., reforestation, artificial sequestration).

Weather vs. Climate

Weather: Short-term atmospheric conditions (temperature, precipitation, wind).
Climate: Long-term average weather patterns.

Biomes Definition

Large geographical areas with distinct plant and animal life adapted to local climate & environment.

Biome Abiotic Factors

Precipitation.
Temperature.
Insolation (solar radiation).

Biome Examples (and their characteristics)

Temperate Rainforests: Evergreen and deciduous trees, high biodiversity, varying temp & precipitation.
Tropical Rainforests: Lush vegetation, high temp, high precipitation, high biodiversity.
Hot Deserts: Sparse vegetation, high temp (hot days, cold nights), low precipitation, low biodiversity.
Arctic Tundra: Low temp, low precipitation, permafrost, low diversity.
Tropical Grasslands: Grasses and some trees, varying temp & precipitation, moderate biodiversity.
Freshwater Biomes: Diverse plant and animal life, varying conditions.
Marine Biomes: High biodiversity, varying conditions (esp. temperature with depth).

Climate Graphs

Bar graphs show precipitation; line graphs display temperature.

Earth's Rotation and Revolution

Rotation creates day and night.
Revolution (Earth orbiting the Sun) creates the seasons.

Solar Insolation & Earth's Curvature

Earth's curvature impacts solar energy distribution, impacting temperatures differently at different latitudes.

Tricellular Model of Atmospheric Circulation

Describes global air circulation patterns (Hadley, Ferrel, Polar cells).

Zonation

Changes in community along an environmental gradient (elevation, latitude, tidal level).

Succession

Ecological changes in a community over time.

Primary Succession

Occurs on newly exposed surfaces (no prior community).

Secondary Succession

Occurs in areas with existing soil after a disturbance.

Productivity

Rate energy/biomass production in an ecosystem.

Seral Communities, Seres, and Seral Stages

Intermediate communities in succession.
Collection of communities in a successional stage.
The various communities during a succession stage.

Pioneer, Intermediate, and Climax Communities

Pioneer: First organisms (hardy species, short life cycle).
Intermediate: Small plants/shrubs, increasing soil development.
Climax: Stable communities, diverse, balanced.

Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbances

Natural (fire, flood); Anthropogenic (deforestation, farming).

Biogeochemical Cycles

Essential for maintaining Earth's system and continuous element availability to organisms.

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Description

Dive into the intricacies of energy flow and matter cycling in ecosystems. This quiz covers the processes of the carbon cycle, including photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition, highlighting the vital interactions between different components of ecosystems.