All Flashcards
What is a biogeochemical cycle?
Pathway of matter within Earth's system, involving living and non-living interactions.
What is a carbon sink?
Natural reservoir that stores carbon, regulating atmospheric CO2 levels.
Define photosynthesis.
Process where plants absorb CO2 and convert it into glucose and oxygen.
Define cellular respiration.
Process where organisms use glucose to produce energy, releasing CO2.
What is decomposition?
Breakdown of dead organisms, releasing carbon back into the soil and atmosphere.
What are fossil fuels?
Nonrenewable resources formed from ancient organic matter, storing carbon.
Define deforestation.
The clearing of forests, reducing CO2 absorption.
What is sedimentation?
CO2 combines with calcium ions to form calcium carbonate, sinking to the ocean floor.
What is carbon exchange?
The ocean absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere and releases some back.
What is the fast carbon cycle?
Carbon cycling associated with living organisms (photosynthesis, respiration).
What is the slow carbon cycle?
Carbon cycling associated with dead organisms and fossil fuels.
What are the environmental consequences of burning fossil fuels?
Increased atmospheric CO2, global warming, climate change.
What are the environmental consequences of deforestation?
Reduced CO2 absorption, increased atmospheric CO2, habitat loss.
How does increased atmospheric CO2 affect global climate?
Leads to the greenhouse effect, causing global warming.
What is the effect of agricultural practices on carbon emissions?
Can contribute to carbon emissions and soil degradation.
What are biogeochemical cycles?
Pathways through which matter moves within the Earth's system, involving interactions between living organisms and the non-living environment.
What is a carbon sink?
Natural reservoirs that store carbon, helping to regulate atmospheric CO2 levels (e.g., oceans, forests, soil).
Define photosynthesis.
Process by which plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it into glucose and oxygen.
What is cellular respiration?
Process by which plants and animals use glucose to produce energy (ATP), releasing CO2 back into the atmosphere.
Define decomposition.
The process where decomposers break down dead plant and animal tissues, releasing carbon back into the soil and atmosphere.
What are fossil fuels?
Nonrenewable resources formed from the remains of ancient organisms, containing stored carbon.
What is sedimentation?
Process where CO2 combines with calcium ions to form calcium carbonate, which sinks to the ocean floor, storing carbon.
Define deforestation.
The clearing of forests, reducing the number of plants available to absorb CO2.
What is global warming?
The increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to increased greenhouse gases, like CO2, in the atmosphere.
What is a closed system?
A system where matter is neither created nor destroyed, but cycles through different forms.