biochem cycles of matter

photosynthesis

6CO2 + 6H2O + light --> C6H12O6 + 6O2 When autotrophs consume CO2 and water and produce carbohydrates (sugar) and release oxygen into the atmosphere in return

ecosystem

A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. A system formed by the interaction of a community of organisms with their physical environment

Global ocean conveyor belt

A system of water circulation that connects the oceans surface currents with its thermohaline (deep- ocean)currents. The global ocean conveyor moves thermal energy and dissolved oxygen around the globe It is a belt which shows the difference of density and salinity. Shows all the ocean currents and heat transfer. a network of surface and deep ocean currents that transfer heat around the globe/heat from the equator to the poles (keeps temperature mild)

global warming

An increase in the average temperature of the earth's atmosphere (especially a sustained increase that causes climatic changes) a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth's atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants which trap the heat from the sun into the atmosphere

cellular respiration

C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6O2 = 6H2O + 6CO2 + ATP (energy) main equation in carbon and oxygen cycle. Reverse of photosynthesis carbohydrates are sugars so oxygen is breaking down the sugars

Anthropogenic

Human-induced changes on the natural environment

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is found in atmosphere, bodies of water, ice and snow, and underground it's in every living thing as water (cells just tiny pockets of water) In living things, it creates homeostatis by regulating temp through high specific heat, capillary action allows water to climb through stems of plans or trunks of trees. it transpires materials burning fossil fuels warms earth, causing more evaporation of water we're using more fresh water than ever (bigger pop creates bigger demand

Phytoplankton

Microscopic, free-floating, autotrophic organisms that function as producers in aquatic ecosystems small marine organisms that go through photosynthesis population of algae and other small, photosynthetic organisms found near the surface of the ocean and forming part of plankton

atmospheric changes

Ozone (O3) in upper atmosphere absorbs UV radiation from sun to protect living organisms; industrial chemicals can react with it and destroy it (Chloroflourocarbons (CFS) used in spray bottles eat at the ozone layer) The greenhouse effect CO2 and H2O vapor in the Earth's atmosphere trap heat and insulate the planet Human activity can cause changes in the atmosphere burring fossil fuels increases CO2 in the atmosphere creating global warming global warming changes weather patterns, it meld ice caps so sea levels rise, and when things get warm, molecules expand so due to thermal expansion the ocean is expanding and sea side communities ar at risk methane is trapped in permafrost and if it melts methane will be released which is an even more powerful green house gas alteration of global rainfall patterns and farming practices species migration to cooler latitudes and higher altitudes increase in the rate of species loss (6th mass extinction presents threats to biodiversity)

nitrogen fixation

Process of converting nitrogen gas (N2) into ammonia (NH3) job done by bacteria

cellular respiration

Process that releases energy by breaking down glucose and other food molecules in the presence of oxygen A complex set of chemical reactions involving an energy transformation where potential chemical energy in the bonds of "food" molecules is released and partially captured in the bonds of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules. The process by which cells use oxygen to produce energy from food Cellular respiration is a set of metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cells of organisms to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and then release waste products

carbon sinks

Something that takes up more carbon dioxide than it produces e.g. Plants, oceans. a forest, ocean, or other natural environment viewed in terms of its ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Magnesium

Stored in igneous and sedimentary rock in the earth's crust in the ocean sediment and water itself and ocean deposits Plants use it as structure for chlorophyl and it's also a catalyst for photosynthesis for autotrophs animals just use it as a general necessary mineral We've extracted it from the ocean, but it hasn't had any major effects on its cycle or on our atmosphere

High specific heat

a high specific heat means the molecule requires a lot of energy to break up its bond to change temperature. in water, that means that a lot of heat won't change the temperature of a body of water too much, so it helps regulate the temperature of us and the earth

Nitrogen

abiotic reservoirs: Nitrogen makes up 78% of the atmosphere biotic reservoir: Nitogen-fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia then nitrate (Nitrogen fixing bacteria live in soil in the roots of certain plants) Bacteria in the soil take up the ammonia and oxidize it to nitrites and nitrates This process= nitrification Plants only use nitrogen in the form of nitrate (Shortages of nitrogen often limit plant growth because Plants use nitrates to form amino acids essential as the building blocks of protein) Bodies of dead organisms contain nitrogen in proteins and nucleic acids Decomposers break down dead organic material and wastes, releasing the nitrogen as ammonia (This process is called ammonification) Anaerobic bacteria break down nitrates and release nitrogen gas back to the atmosphere (This process is called denitrification) Animals obtain nitrogen by eating plants and digesting the proteins and nucleic acids

Water (hydrogen and oxygen, but mostly hydrogen)

abiotic resevoirs: water exists in bodies such as oceans and rivers, and in the atmosphere and in soil as ground water cycle: in evaporation, Heat causes water to evaporate from oceans, soil, and living things In transpirtation, 90% of evaporating water passes through plants; plants take in water through roots and release water from stomata as they take in CO2 In percipitation, Water leaves the atmosphere and returns to ground biotic resevoirs: water helps regulate the tempature of our bodies (allowing us to have homeostatis) because it has a high specific heat Water and CO2 are used by autotrophs to make carbohydrates

oxygen cycle

abiotic: the largest reservoir of Earth's oxygen is within the silicate and oxide minerals of the crust and mantle biotic: The main source of atmospheric free oxygen is photosynthesis, which produces sugars and free oxygen from carbon dioxide and water both biotic and abiotic: Marine organisms in the biosphere create calcium carbonate shell material (CaCO3) that is rich in oxygen. When the organism dies, its shell is deposited on the shallow sea floor and buried over time to create the limestone sedimentary rock of the lithosphere

biosphere

all living and non living things Consists of all life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists, including land, water, and the atmosphere.

biotic

all of the living things that can affect a given organism (ex: prey as food; features in the body like muscle)

abiotic

all the non-living things that affect an organism (ex: sunlight, rocks)

nitrification

animal waste is recycled by microorganisms and ammonia is converted to nitrate ions (NO3-) and it is then used by marine plants microorganisms phytoplankton to rebuild structures

carbon cycle

biotic resevoirs: in plants, carbon plays a key role in photosynthesis as carbon dioxide; autotrophs use water and photosynthesis to make carbohydrates and oxygen is released as a byproduct In both heterotrophs and autotrophs, plants use oxygen to break down carbohydrates and make in return CO2 and water In fungus, decomposers release CO2 when they break down organic matter abiotic resevoirs: burning fossil fuels puts CO2 in the atmosphere; it then gets absorbed by plants to use in photosynthesis (where they convert the CO2 into food) Small primary consumers then eat some of this food and thus consume CO2; then higher level consumers eat the primary consumers and then they too will have carbon in them When both the primary consumer and higher level consumer breath, their oxygen is breaking down carbohydrats (formed from the carbon in them) and then releasing it as CO2 back into the atmosphere through cellular respiration The CO2 can also be absorbed into the soil and sucked up by other plants and then released back into the atmosphere again through cellular respiration

trace element

elements required by an organism in only minute quantities an element indispensable for life but required in extremely minimum amounts

Iron

found in earth's core, crust, ion deposits, and volcanic rock found in phytoplankton helps with photosynthesis in phytoplankton helps in formation of pigments of hemoglobin and myoglobin which helps carry oxygen found in muscles and blood cells mining and acid drainage as anthropogenic effect

Oxygen

in atmosphere, water, crust, dissolves in aquatic water it's in all life — necessary for cell respiration, photosynthesis, red blood cells (carry oxygen) cutting trees can mean less oxygen, burning fossil fuels can hurt ozone layer

Carbon

in crust (sedimentary rocks), atmospheric CO2 in all life (we are carbon based life form so major structural component of all life it's also major component of photosynthesis and cellular respiration as CO2 burning fossil fuels, deforestation, climate changes, and farming practices

ocean acidification

increase in acidity (decrease in pH) of ocean water due to increased uptake of CO2 (which comes from burning fossil fuels) from atmosphere forming carbonic acid (H2CO3)

Phosphorus

is seen in sediment, soil, and water it's in cows, humans, and plants functions as the backbone of DNA, it's in ATP (makes up one of the components of this type of energy), and it's in cell membrane We have overused phosphorus fertilizer; algae thrives on phosphuris, so thy overgrow and algae blooms-An algal bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae— can be harmful also contaminates water

Photosynthesis

main equation in carbon and oxygen cycle. Reverse of cellular respiration 6CO2 + 6H2O + Sunlight = C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6O2

nitrogen

makes up 78% of the atmosphere it's in soil and water plants and animals and pro tis (pretty much any living thing with protein contain this) it makes up amino acid which is the building blocks of proteins it's also a component of nucleic acids, like DNA anthropogenic effects: excess fertilizer, burning fossil fuels, nitrous oxide emissions

calcium

mountains, crust, water reserves in algae, anything with bones (so anything with a skeleton structure), it's found in shells helps to form the structure of organisms ocean acidification decays shells (drop of pH (more acidic)) — and effects any organism with calcium carbonate

capacity

noun: the amount or volume something can hold ability

Primary productivity

rate at which organic matter is created by producers in an ecosystem

Sulfur

sulfur is found in volcanoes and their eruptions; it's found in gas H2S under the surface of ocean, in soil, acid rain, and in hydrothermal vents (underwater volcanoes) Living things with sulfur include onions, eggwhites from chickens, and anaerobic bacteria like purple sulfur bacteria As a function it makes up protein like in chicken's eggwhite or amino acid; it can also make up the structure of blood vessels; also bacteria respirate using hydrogen sulfide Acid rain can have effects on rock build up, burning of fossil fuels, but we have cut down on our sulfur emissions