Biosphere- intro Flashcards Preview

GEO1213: Our Changing Planet > Biosphere- intro > Flashcards

Flashcards in Biosphere- intro Deck (26)
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1
Q

What is the higher boundary of the biosphere

A

There is no clear real boundary because bacteria can survive in dormant form as bioaersols even at heights above the stratosphere

2
Q

What are the main products of respiration

A

Co2 and H2O

3
Q

What does the caption exchange capacity of a soil mean

A

The capacity of negatively charged particles in the soil to attract positively charged ions eg nutrients

4
Q

Are carbon stocks higher or lower below ground

A

Higher

5
Q

What are the main controlling variables of fertility in soils

A

Soil texture, structure and porosity

6
Q

Which term best describes the evolution process that resulted in a darker colour of peppered moths following the industrial revolution

A

Natural selection

7
Q

Island formation episodes over a hotspot such as the Hawaiian islands will most likely lead to which type of speciation

A

Peripatric

8
Q

What does the expression “mountain passes are higher in the tropics” by Janzen (1967) refer to?

A

Species ranges in the tropics have a narrower tolerance, therefore mountain passes are hard for species to get over ie species dispersal is lower

9
Q

Quote to show the Gaia hypothesis

A

Lovelock and Margulis: “Gaia is just symbiosis as seen from space” — to understand the biosphere have to have some sort of perspective

10
Q

Can the stratosphere still be considered part of the biosphere and why?

A

Bioaerosols— cryptobiotic forms are dormant but still considered part of the biosphere as still alive

11
Q

What is the lower limit of the biosphere determined by?

A

Temperature (120 degrees Celsius methanopyrus sp.)

12
Q

What percentage of the entire volume of the earths biosphere consists of water with depths greater than 1,000m

A

79%

13
Q

What is the main factor determining how deep the ‘live’ ocean is?

A

Light penetration

14
Q

What is entropy

A

A measure of disorder in a system. The higher the entropy the greater the disorder

15
Q

What is Gibbs free energy?

A

Possibility of doing work

16
Q

What type of entropy and free energy do you need for life

A

Low entropy

High free energy

17
Q

Photosynthesis equation (basic)

A

Co2 + H2O —light energy— glucose and O2

18
Q

Complex and correct photosynthesis equation

A

6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy = C6H12O6 + 6O2.

19
Q

What are light reactions

A

Solar energy to chemical energy

Plants harvest solar energy

20
Q

What cycle are dark reactions part of

A

Calvin cycle

21
Q

What are dark reactions and what enzyme catalyses these reactions

A

Charged particles are made into longer chains of carbon.

Rubisco enzyme

22
Q

Chlorophyll absorbs mainly.. parts of the spectrum

A

Red and blue

23
Q

Why do atmospheric CO2 concentrations fluctuate across the year

A

Seasonal changes

24
Q

Heterotrophic respiration is the opposite to

A

Photosynthesis

Heterotrophic respiration includes the Krebs cycle and ETC

25
Q

What are autotrophs

A

Any organism that can photosynthesise

26
Q

What are heterotrophs

A

Animals, fungi, mainly bacteria
Take up oxygen from photosynthesis and release CO2
Use stored chemical energy to do work