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Bio Terms 18.4
terms and definitions for chapter 18 section 4
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Biogeochemical Cycle | the circulation of substances through living organisms form or to the environment |
| Groundwater | the water that is beneath the Earth's surface |
| Transpiration | the process by which plants release water vapor into the air through stomata; also the release of water vapor into the air by other organisms |
| Carbon Cycle | the movement of carbon from the nonliving environment into living things and back |
| Nitrogen Cycle | the process in which all nitrogen circulates among the air, soil, water, plants, and animals in an ecosystem |
| Nitrogen Fixation | the process by which gaseous nitrogen is converted into nitrates, compounds that organisms can use to make amino acids and other nitrogen-containing organic molecules |
| Nitrogen-fixing Bacteria | a bacteria that converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia |
| Ammonification | the formation of ammonia compounds in the soil by the action of bacteria and decaying matter |
| Nitrification | the process by which nitrites and nitrates are produced by bacteria in the soil |
| Denitrification | the liberation of nitrogen from the nitrogen-containing bacteria in the soil |
| Phosphorus Cycle | the cyclic movement of phosphorus in different chemical forms from the environment to organisms then back into the environment |