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Biogeochemical Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| element cycling | the breakdown of organic matter into its constituent elements for re-use in the ecosystem |
| chemical elements | any substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical processes |
| molecule | a group of atoms together |
| compound | a thing that is composed of two or more separate elements |
| biomolecules | a molecule that is produced by a living organism |
| reservoirs | a large natural or artificial lake used as a source of water supply |
| biosphere | the regions of the surface, atmosphere, and hydrosphere of the earth |
| hydrosphere | all the waters on the earth's surface and including water over the earth's surface such as clouds |
| atmosphere | the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet |
| law of conservation of matter | the same amount of matter exists before and after the change- none is created or destroyed |
| geological carbon cycle | natures way of reusing carbon atoms |
| biological carbon cycle | the process in which carbon atoms continually travel from the atmosphere to the earth and then back into the atmosphere |
| mycorrhiza | a fungus which grows in association with the roots of a plant in a symbiotic or mildly pathogenic relationship |
| mycelia | the mass of branched, tubular filaments (hyphae) of fungi |
| nitrogen fixation | the chemical processes by which atmospheric nitrogen assimilated into organic compounds |
| nitrification | the process of conservation of ammonia or reduced nitrogen into the easily absorbable from of nitrogen that is nitrates and nitrites |
| anaerobic | relating to, involving, or requiring an absence of free oxygen |
| denitrification | the loss or removal of nitrogen or nitrogen compounds |
| water cycle | the continuous movement of water within the earth and atmosphere |
| evaporation | the process of turning from a liquid into vapor |
| transpiration | the exhalation of water vapor through the stomata |
| condensation | water which collects as droplets on a cold surface when humid air is in contact with it |
| precipitation | the action or process of precipitating a substance from a solution |
| aquifers | a body of permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater |
| runoff | the draining away of water from the surface of an area |
| eutrophication | occurs when the environment becomes enriched with nutrients, increasing the amount of plant and algae growth to estuaries and coastal waters |
| greenhouse gases | gases in earth's atmosphere that trap heat |
Created by:
carlihurtt
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