EcologyLesson 1 of 1 in the course Ecosystems and the Biosphere

Biogeochemical Cycles of Water, Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson introduces how matter moves through ecosystems and explores the water cycle, a key process connecting organisms, land, oceans, and the atmosphere.

Energy enters most ecosystems as sunlight, captured by photosynthetic organisms. Chemoautotrophs instead obtain energy from inorganic chemical reactions. Energy moves through trophic levels and ultimately leaves the ecosystem as heat. It flows directionally rather than being recycled.

All flashcards

How does energy flow differ from matter cycling?
Energy moves directionally through ecosystems and eventually leaves as heat. Matter is conserved and repeatedly recycled among organisms and nonliving reservoirs.
What is a biogeochemical cycle?
The movement and recycling of inorganic matter between living organisms and the nonliving environment through biological, geological, and chemical processes.
What is the hydrosphere?
All places where water is stored or moves, including surface waters, groundwater, ice, and atmospheric water vapor.
What is evapotranspiration?
The return of water to the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration.
Why are aquifers important, and what is one concern about them?
Aquifers store groundwater used for drinking and irrigation; some are pumped faster than they are replenished.

Quiz questions

  1. What does nitrogen fixation do in the nitrogen cycle?Answer: Converts atmospheric nitrogen gas into forms that can enter biological systems.
  2. Which sequence describes nitrification?Answer: Ammonium is converted to nitrite, then nitrite is converted to nitrate.
  3. What happens to carbon when coal, oil, or natural gas is burned?Answer: Carbon stored underground is transferred to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
  4. How does the phosphorus cycle differ from the carbon and nitrogen cycles?Answer: It has no major atmospheric gas phase.
  5. How can sulfur dioxide contribute to acid rain?Answer: It dissolves in rainwater and forms weak sulfurous acid.

Based on Concepts of Biology by Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James Wise (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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