Biosphere + Cycles Hydrologic Cycle Label the diagram choosing from the following words or phrases: precipitation over the sea, oceans, flow of water from land to sea, precipitation over the land, evaporation and transpiration, evaporation from the sea, solar heat, surface water and groundwater, net movement of water vapor by wind, water vapor over the land, and water vapor over the sea. 1. Briefly describe the processes involved in the hydrologic cycle: evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration & percolation 2.Name the two driving forces behind the water cycle. 3.Distinguish the following terms: groundwater, aquifer, and water table.
Transcript
Biosphere + CyclesHydrologic Cycle
Label the diagram choosing from the following words or phrases: precipitation over the sea, oceans, flow of water from land to sea, precipitation over the land, evaporation and transpiration, evaporation from the sea, solar heat, surface water and groundwater, net movement of water vapor by wind, water vapor over the land, and water vapor over the sea.
1. Briefly describe the processes involved in the hydrologic cycle: evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff, infiltration & percolation
2.Name the two driving forces behind the water cycle.
3.Distinguish the following terms: groundwater, aquifer, and water table.
4.Describe three significant anthropogenic (man made) interventions in the hydrologic ‐cycle:
Carbon (and Oxygen) Cycle
Label the diagram choosing from the following words or phrases: cellular respiration, primary consumers, wood and fossil fuels, decomposition, burning, detritivores (soil microbes and others), higher – level consumers, photosynthesis, CO2 in atmosphere, detritus, and plants, algae, cyanobacteria.
1. What is a biogeochemical cycle?
2. In what way do plants contribute to the carbon cycle?
3. In what way do animals contribute to the carbon cycle?
4. In what way do decomposers contribute to the carbon cycle?
5. What are the two processes whereby carbon is returned to the atmosphere from living things? Describe each.
6.
7. Imagine that you are Carl, the carbon atom. Describe your journey from the atmosphere back to the atmosphere through the biotic (living) part of your cycle. Include what form of molecule you are incorporated into at each step! Do NOT simply redraw the carbon cycle.
8. In what 2 ways does the cutting and burning of forests affect the carbon cycle? (hint: think of the overall equation for photosynthesis)
9. If all life on earth ceased to exist, what changes in the cycle of carbon might you reasonably expect?
Nitrogen Cycle
Label the boxes and arrows by choosing from the following words:
Amino acids and proteins in plants and animals
Nitrogen fixing bacteria in root nodules of legumes
Nitrates (NO3 -) Nitrogen (N2) in atmosphere Ammonium (NH4 +) Detritus Nitrogen fixation Nitrification Assimilation by plants Ammonification Detritivores Nitrifying Bacteria Denitrifying bacteria Nitrogen fixing bacteria in soil
1. Complete the following chart by filling in the information that corresponds to each of the processes.
Process N- Compound before and after Bacteria used (yes or no)Nitrogen fixation
Ammonification
Nitrification
Denitrification
2. Why is nitrogen important to living things?
3. In what two ways can nitrogen be “fixed”?
4. Compare nitrogen fixation and denitrification.
5. Define the stages: nitrogen fixation, nitrification, ammonification, denitrification.
Phosphorus Cycle
Label the boxes and arrows on the diagram by choosing from the following words or phrases:
Phosphates in organic compounds Phosphates in rock Phosphates in solution Uplifting of rock Precipitated (solid) phosphates Detritivores in soil Phosphates in soil (organic) Detritus Runoff Plants Weathering of rock Animals Rock
1. Which organic compound is Phosphorus found in?2. Explain why phosphorus does not circulate in the troposphere to a great extent.3. Identify the largest sinks for phosphorus:4. Phosphorus is typically found in what ionic form?5. Explain why the addition of phosphate compounds to aquatic areas typically has
a dramatic effect on biological productivity.6. Comment on how human activities have influenced the phosphorus cycle
regarding each of the following:a. Mining phosphate rock:b. Animal wastes from Livestock Feedlots:
c. Commercial phosphate Fertilizers in Agricultural areas:d. Discharge of Municipal Sewage/Wastewater Treatment Facilities:
Global Warming and Greenhouse Effect
Label the diagram choosing from the following words or phrases: CO2 X 3 Adding CO2 to the air increases the greenhouse effect Greenhouse effect: CO2 lets sunlight through but retains the heat generated by
the sun Removal of CO2 from the air by photosynthesizing plants and algae decreases the
greenhouse effect Heat
Light
Global Warming and Ozone Depletion
1. To provide land for agriculture, the tropical rain forests of the Amazon are being destroyed by fire at an alarming rate. Describe any possible effects this clearing process may have.
2. Other than carbon dioxide, name three greenhouse gases and their sources.3. Name the specific gases found in the atmosphere. What other materials are found
there?
4. State where the ozone layer is located in the atmosphere and explain why it is important.
5. What is meant by an ozone hole?
Food Chains
Draw a food chain with 4 levels and label the produce and types of consumers. Label the producer as a “plant”. Label each organisms as a herbivore, carnivore.
Matter and Energy Relationships Worksheet
1. A typical grassland food chain can be represented as follows:
The arrows indicate the direction of energy transfer. Create a chart that identifies each organism in the chain. Use these headings in the chart to label each organism: trophic level; producer or consumer level; if consumer, herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore.
2. Restate the two laws of thermodynamics.a) ______________________________b) ______________________________
3. 2000 kJ of energy are found in a pile of buds and twigs.
a) If a herbivore then grazes on this food source, what amount of energy would be ingested if the herbivore is only 20% efficient in “harvesting” energy from this food source?
b) How much energy would be found in the tissue of the herbivore if 90% of the ingested energy is NOT stored?
c) What are two ways that the herbivore loses energy from ingested plant material?
4. The following information is from a tree ecosystem. One tree provides enough energy to support 20,000 aphids. These aphids then provide enough energy to support 3 birds. Sketch a pyramid of numbers. Why is the shape of this pyramid misleading? What is it supposed to show?
5. Using your knowledge of energy transfers and ecological pyramids, explain why a food chain is not usually longer than about 4 trophic levels.
6. A forest is clear-cut, and replanting of trees occurs. Explain how the formation of a monoculture is detrimental to a food web.
7. Assume that the plant material in a plant--->deer--->wolf food chain contains a toxic material. Use physiological terms to explain why the wolf’s tissue would contain a higher concentration of the toxin than the plant tissue.
Biologists in the year 2014 observe a food chain, which is part of an ecosystem of a distant planet. They find that it has many characteristics of food chains on earth. Here is what they discover:
On a particular area of land (1 square kilometer), a small, plant-like organism capable of photosynthesis, called a vortek, serves as a source of food for an animal called a snive.
The snive, in turn, is preyed upon by a kluke. In this area there are 100 vorteks, 50 snives, and 25 klukes. The food chain may be diagrammed as shown in the figure.
Experimental Design
By completing the activity described below, you will better understand interactions occurring in food chains.
Procedure & Analysis
1. In the space below step 4, list the members of this food chain by:a. placing them in order, with the members at the bottom of the food chain
near the bottom of the page; and b. spacing them 1 cm apart.
2. For each, beginning with the bottom one, draw a horizontal block around it to represent the numbers of each member inside the block following these guidelines:
a. height: Each block should be 2 cm tall, so that it touches the bottom of the block above it.
b. width: Make the width to scale according to the numbers of each organism in the food chain - 25 organisms in 1 cm. (The block around the vorteks, for example, will be 4 cm wide).
c. centering: Centre each block on top of the one below it3. Draw straight lines to connect the corners of the blocks. What shape is formed?
4. Each block represents a trophic level. Label the organisms producers, primary consumers or secondary consumers.
5. This food chain is similar to many on earth. What factors do you think cause certain food chains to have this shape?
6. Turn your drawing upside down. Describe a food chain on earth with might have a shape similar to this one.
7. How would the numbers of each member of the food chain -vorteks, snives, and klukes- change over the course of time in each situation below? Assume there are no other predators or food sources unless otherwise indicated.
a. the biologists visiting the planet consume all the vorteks for food:b. a deadly disease wipes out all the klukes:
c. animals called skunkolas travel to the area being studied from another region of the planet. The skunkolas prey upon the vorteks; the klukes, however, dislike the taste of the skunkolas and refuse to eat them:
d. the biologists remove all the snives for study:
e. more vorteks are planted:
f. a tertiary consumer called a joon is introduced:
8. It has been stated that it is more energy efficient to eat “lower on the food chain”. Look again at the shape of the food chain you drew and explain why the statement is true.
9. Complete the table below, indicating the direct effect (increase or decrease) on each member in the horizontal column of removing each member in the vertical column.
