...planet Earth’s most distinguishing characteristics. Over recent years, human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels have increased the amount of carbon dioxide gas emitted to the atmosphere and the amount that dissolves into the ocean. Now, so much carbon dioxide has been absorbed by the ocean that the chemistry of seawater is changing, causing the ocean to become more acidic. THE CARBON CYCLE Carbon dioxide is a critical part of Earth’s atmosphere; it traps heat and prevents the Earth from being covered in ice. Normally, the Earth’s carbon cycle maintains a natural balance of carbon in the atmosphere, land, and ocean through the “breathing of the planet”. However, since the beginning of the industrial era, emissions of carbon dioxide have climbed, and now are exceeding the capacity of the carbon cycle to maintain equilibrium between the atmosphere and ocean. Excess carbon dioxide traps more heat in the atmosphere, which changes the Earth’s climate. Not all of the excess carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere. Scientists estimate that one-third of all the carbon dioxide produced by human activities has been absorbed by the ocean. The ocean’s removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere has undoubtedly helped curb the extent of climate change—but this benefit has come at a cost. The absorption of carbon dioxide is fundamentally changing the chemistry of the ocean by triggering reactions that make seawater more acidic, a phenomenon called ocean acidification. In...
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...1. Ecosystems and How They Work - Sustainable Development In this assignment, you will investigate the biotic and abiotic structure and function of an ecosystem. Choose one of the following ecosystems: * Tropical rainforest * Grassland * Coral Reef * Estuary * Desert You will write a two to three page APA-style research paper about your choice of ecosystem including: * Where might this type of ecosystem be located? Give one specific example. * Describe the structure of the ecosystem: List both the abiotic components and biotic components * Describe the function of the ecosystem: How do the abiotic and biotic components interact in biogeochemical cycles? Describe both the carbon and nitrogen cycles * Describe disturbance and recovery: Describe one natural and one human caused disturbance to the ecosystem. Explain the damage to the ecosystem, including how the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the ecosystem changed. * Explain how ecosystems recover naturally ... (More) Ecosystem Definition noun, plural: ecosystems A system that includes all living organisms (biotic factors) in an area as well as its physical environment (abiotic factors) functioning together as a unit. Supplement An ecosystem is made up of plants, animals, microorganisms, soil, rocks, minerals, water sources and the local atmosphere interacting with one another. Word origin: coined in 1930 by Roy Clapham, to denote the physical and biological components...
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...Name: Vincent Zachary Subject: Environmental Science 120 Professor: Bob Chen Date: 10/4/2015 Midterm Part I 1.) Boston Harbor a) Please present evidence (data for a specific parameter) that water quality is better in Boston Harbor than it was 25 years ago. Explain why this data supports your claim that water quality is better now. Ans: According to one of the data collected by Andrea Rex for the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, one of the parameters which shows the biggest improvement in water quality is the amount of metals being discharged from the period of 1991 to 2007. This can be seen from the graph below. These metals are considered to be extremely toxic if high doses are being discharged to the water. Hence, considering that the average number of pounds of metals being discharged in 1991 was immensely reduced from approximately 650 pounds to less than 100 pounds in 2007, this reaffirms the fact that water quality is better now. b) What can you do to make the water quality (with respect to this parameter) even better? Extend the data given above 25 years into the future. How clean can Boston Harbor water become (with respect to your measurement)? What controls the trajectory of this parameter? Be specific. Ans: Heavy metals can enter the Boston Harbor from various sources such as industrial discharge, vehicles, improper disposal of waste and household chemicals. Therefore, I can contribute to the betterment of the water quality by conserving...
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...Energy Flow through an Ecosystem Energy Flow through an Ecosystem Explain how most living things depend on the sun as their ultimate energy source. “Without the sun, all life dies” (Konacq, 2014). Plants need to photosynthesize the food they need for growth. The food chain is also affected. Photosynthesis is needed to make nutritious food that animals depend on for survival (Konacq, 2014). Without sunshine, “all plants die” (Konacq, 2014). Because plants support the global food chain for all life, without plants, “all animals would die” (Konacq, 2014). The sun also aids in keeping the earth at a reasonable temperature and in the past, sunshine has helped make fossil fuels which we use today (Konacq, 2014). Describe the characteristics that make water so unique and essential for life on Earth. 1. Water molecules are polar. They have a slightly positive charge on one side and a slight negative charge on the other. Water carries materials to and from cells and it dissolves polar or ionic substances (Cunningham and Cunningham, 2013). 2. Water is the only liquid that is inorganic and occurs in nature. It occurs normally and at temperatures that are suitable for life (Cunningham and Cunningham, 2013). 3. Water molecules stick together cohesively. It adheres to surfaces and can be drawn into small channels (Cunningham and Cunningham, 2014). 4. Water expands when it crystalizes. If the temperatures happen to fall below freezing, the surface layers of bodies...
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...the possible effects of human interference on ecosystems. Identify links between altered nutrient cycling and the species composition/ structure of ecosystems. Ecosystem is a single working unit that consists of a group of interrelated organisms and their physical environment. It forms the basic functional unit of ecology (Boyle & Senior, 2008, p.602). Humans are part of the ecosystem where we play the role of consumers. Humans need a supply of mineral nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous which make up the carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids in our bodies. Minerals nutrients are recycled over and over again, passing between organisms in the ecosystem. The carbon, oxygen and nitrogen in our bodies could be part of the soil a year ago (Boyle & Senior, 2008, p6210). Instead of adapting to the environment like most other species do; we, humans change habitats and interfere with the ecosystem to suit ourselves as consumers. Altered nutrient cycles are one of the consequences of advancement of humans. Humans bring about environmental damages by influencing the carbon cycle in two ways. Firstly, forests removed for farming and housing have caused the depletion in plants and trees. Deforestation has reduced the numbers of trees and plants that absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. The uptake of carbon dioxide by plants and oceans is not fast enough. As a result, the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere increased by 25% between...
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...“Oxygen-Carbon Dioxide Cycle” The organisms in an ecosystem need each other. Plant are called producers for they manufacture their own food with the aid of sunlight, air and water. In the manufacture of their food, they produce a by-product which is oxygen and an end-product which is the starch or sugar that they use. This enables them to live by themselves, without eating other organisms. That is why they are referred to as producers. On other hand, other organisms in the ecosystem eat the plants in order to survive. Organisms that eat the plants are eaten also by other organisms. Insects, small animals, big animals and man are known as consumers. These consumers release carbon dioxide as their waste product. In the process, the oxygen given off by plants are taken in by the animals and man, while carbon dioxide given off by animals and man us taken in by the plants. This continuous cycle is known as the oxygen carbon dioxide cycle. “Population” Population is the number of a certain organism living in a community mostly, we use the term to denote the number of people living in the community. The presence of several subdivisions can be considered a factor in determining population. The number of houses in the subdivision can help estimate the population of a community. The lesser the houses, the smaller the population or vice versa. Another factor that determines the size of the population is the quality of soil in a certain locality. A community will...
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...Name Class Date 3.4 Cycles of Matter Lesson Objectives Describe how matter cycles among the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem. Describe how water cycles through the biosphere. Explain why nutrients are important in living systems. Describe how the availability of nutrients affects the productivity of ecosystems. Lesson Summary Recycling in the Biosphere Matter, unlike energy, is recycled within and between ecosystems. Elements pass from one organism to another and from one part of the biosphere to another through biogeochemical cycles, which are closed loops powered by the flow of energy. The Water Cycle Water moves between the ocean, the atmosphere, and land. Evaporation is the process in which water changes from a liquid to a gas. Transpiration is the process in which water evaporates from the leaves of plants. Nutrient Cycles The chemical substances that an organism needs to survive are called nutrients. Like water, nutrients pass through organisms and the environment. Carbon Cycle: Carbon is a key ingredient of all organic compounds. Processes involved in the carbon cycle include photosynthesis and human activities such as burning. Nitrogen Cycle: Nitrogen is needed by all organisms to build proteins. Processes involved in the nitrogen cycle include nitrogen fixation and denitrification. • In nitrogen fixation, certain bacteria convert nitrogen gas into ammonia. • In denitrification, other soil bacteria convert nitrogen...
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...(1993) as: The Four Laws of Ecology 1. Everything is connected to everything else. 2. Everything must go somewhere. 3. Nature knows best. 4. There is no such thing as a free lunch. • The scientific discipline that is concerned with the relationships between organisms and their past, present, and future environments. • These relationships include physiological responses of individuals, structure and dynamics of populations, interactions among species, organization of biological communities, and processing of energy and matter in ecosystems 2/13/2014 8 2/13/2014 10 Nature consists of a number of systems called “spheres”: • • • • • The atmosphere (air and what is in it) The hydrosphere (water in its liquid form) The lithosphere (land, rocks and below) The biosphere (all the living organisms) The anthroposphere (human system) Anthroposphere • The built environment (buildings, roads, and other infrastructure) • Agriculture (also called the Primary Sector) • The manufacturing industry (also called the Secondary Sector) • The service industry (also called the Tertiary Sector) • Energy production infrastructure (power plants). 2/13/2014 11 2/13/2014 13 1 2/13/2014 Components of Ecosystem A. Functional 1. Autotrophic 2. Heterotrophic B. Structural 1. Abiotic 2. Producent 3. Consument 4. Decomposer 2/13/2014 16 Includes also • Materials (raw materials, processed materials, products, solid waste) • Energy consumption (fossil...
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...sodium, neon, and boron. Elements are the basic chemical compositions that make up organisms and connect them together. Matter takes up space and has a mass all of its own. It will cycle between the living and non-living components of any ecosystem and will continue to be recycled over and over again. It is because of these biogeochemical cycles that the ecosystems stay balanced and organisms stay alive. These cycles contain food, water, air as well as their surroundings (Miller and Hackett, 2012). There are four main cycles: water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous. With all of these systems working together, matter is able to be recycled with the help of solar energy. The first cycle is the water or hydrologic cycle. This is the cycle that is most familiar because it is often taught in subjects such as biology and chemistry. The water cycle recycles the Earth’s fixed supply of water (Miller and Hackett, 2012). A good portion of the earth’s water is in the oceans. The sun causes the water to evaporate and as the vapor cools, it turns into droplets. When these droplets become big enough, they return to the earth and run along its surface until they reach a water source such as a river or stream. These sources will carry the runoff back to an ocean or lake. Water enters plants through their roots and the water cycle begins all over again. The next cycle is the carbon cycle. Carbon is the main ingredient of organic compounds as it is found in the...
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...Worksheet 8 A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. Biotic- world of living organisms, can regenerate,renew themselves. Abiotic- world of non-living element , cannot regenerate,renew themselves. The difference of heterotrophs and autotrophs is that the autotrophs can make their own food while heterotrophs consume their food. Heterotrophs can be herbivorous, omnivorous, or carnivorous. A niche is really every aspect of a species. Its place in the ecosystem, both trophic, geographic, in terms of habitat, its diet, its breeding habits, what eats it The ultimate source of energy in our ecosystem is the sun. When it comes to plants the chloroplasts capture sunlight and use it as an energy source to create ATPs which in turn is used to make organic molecules like sugar. The energy stored in molecules is passed from one trophic level to the next in stages in the food chain.The ultimate fate of energy in ecosystems is for it to be lost as heat, the rest of the energy and nutrients are passed from organism to organism through the food chain as one organism eats another. (sun-plant-cow-human...etc) Decomposers remove the last energy from the remains of organisms. Inorganic nutrients are cycled back into the ecosystem. They work there way through the food chain starting with the producers and ending with the predators. Trophic relationships can be represented as a food web or as a food chain. A complex of interrelated...
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...In this report I will discuss the environmental effects of the disposable water bottle life cycle. In order to understand the water bottle life cycle, it would benefit you if you knew a little about the environment. So I will explain the normal functioning of water, carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycle to start things off. Water plays many different roles on the Earth. Some is at the poles in ice caps, and some is in the snow and glaciers at the tops of high mountains. Some is in lakes and streams, and some is underground. Some is vapor in the atmosphere. But most of the water on Earth is in the oceans. Water is always on the move! The Sun’s energy causes water to evaporate from oceans and lakes into the atmosphere (Saundry). Plants and animals...
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... 1. An ecosystem is a community of organisms living in a particular environment and also the physical elements in that given environment, in which these organisms interact. Its diversity is profoundly substantial. An ecosystem can extend from the icy artic zones to the tropical forests. They occur in many different scales with smaller systems pierced inside larger systems. Depending on the scale, an ecosystem can be small or profoundly large. 2. Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. In plants, photosynthesis generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct. 3. A producer in an ecosystem, converts energy from the environment into carbon bonds. For instance, green plants use energy from the sun to create more complex molecules like carbon dioxide into glucose. Consumers on the other hand are organisms that obtain nutrients from other organisms. They attain their energy from the carbon bonds made by the producers. An example of a consumer is animal that gets its energy from plants. It is also called an herbivore. A few examples of herbivores include cows, moose, gazelles, rabbits and elephants. The trophic level of an organism is where the organism is situated in the food chain. A food chain is similar to a linear sequence where the organism at the bottom is eaten by the other species in the chain but the organism at the top is...
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...Geochemistry Pop Quiz 2 - 20/3/2013 Niall Smith - SF Earth Science 1) On what evidence is the statement “If current carbon dioxide emission trends continue, shells of marine organisms will start dissolving in some parts of the ocean sometime around mid-century” supported? Provide a short explanation and what you think are the two most relevant literature references illustrating your point. The scientific evidence which supports this statement originates from two distinct categorical sources - historical scientific evidence, and present day observations and corresponding scientific projections or estimates. The historical scientific evidence in question consists of observations of the fossil record around the time of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary mass extinction event (65MYA). There is an observed vacancy or gap of the presence of carbonate shells at the end of the Cretaceous period in the fossil record, that were hugely abundant during the Cretaceous. This coincides with a meteor hitting the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and causing the renown mass extinction. The geology of this peninsula in Mexico is dominantly cretaceous chalk, and on impact, heat and pressure from the collision released large amounts of gaseous sulfurous compounds (Caldeira, 2007). The mixture of gas, soot, ash and dust released in this enormous impact blocked the sun for possibly up to several months and profoundly interrupted insolation - the incoming solar radiation. This caused the extinction...
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...everything that happens with the planet directly affects something else. Finally, what is causing this global climate change? Actually, scientists have yet to come up with a concrete answer on this, but for the most part, they agree that people are causing the Earth’s climate to change. How might people be the cause of global climate change? Well, scientists have concluded that most of the observed warming is very likely due to the burning of coal, oil, and gas. About two hundred years ago, technology led to an increase in population which led to an increase in the use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas. This increased consumption of fossil fuel led to huge amounts of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. (Hardy, 2003). The burning of fossil fuels causes greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons, to build up in the atmosphere. (Barnett et al. 2005). As the build-up increases, the thickness of the greenhouse gases prevents the heat from escaping the atmosphere therefore...
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...harmful piece of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that's invisible and untouchable because its effects are happening underwater. At first scientist was sure that this would be a good thing because it leaves very little carbon dioxide in the air to warm the planet. About one quarter of the CO2 is released by burning coal , oil and gas doesn't stay present but instead dissolves in the ocean. Since the beginning of the industrial era,the ocean had taken in 525 billion tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. When carbon dioxide dissolves in seawater, the water...
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