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Earth Systems
NYS Biology Regents (NYSSLS)
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Carbon Cycling | The movement of carbon among Earth's spheres (hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere). Carbon cycling connects all Earth systems as carbon moves between air, water, rocks, and living organisms. |
| Hydrosphere | All the water on Earth including oceans, lakes, rivers, and groundwater. The hydrosphere stores vast amounts of dissolved carbon dioxide and supports aquatic life. |
| Atmosphere | The layer of gases surrounding Earth. The atmosphere contains carbon dioxide that plants use for photosynthesis and that affects global climate. |
| Geosphere | The solid parts of Earth including rocks, minerals, and soil. The geosphere stores carbon in limestone, fossil fuels, and organic matter in soils. |
| Biosphere | The part of Earth where life exists, including all living organisms. The biosphere actively cycles carbon through photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition processes. |
| Biogeochemical Cycles | The movement of chemical elements through living and non-living systems. Biogeochemical cycles ensure that essential elements like carbon and nitrogen are continuously recycled through ecosystems. |
| Quantitative Model | A mathematical representation that uses numbers to describe relationships. Scientists use quantitative models to predict how carbon cycling will respond to climate change. |
| Ocean Carbon Cycling | The movement of carbon through marine systems. Ocean carbon cycling involves the absorption of atmospheric CO2 and its incorporation into marine food webs. |
| Atmospheric Carbon | Carbon dioxide and other carbon compounds in the air. Atmospheric carbon levels have increased significantly due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. |
| Soil Carbon | Carbon stored in earth materials and organic matter. Soil carbon represents a major reservoir that can either absorb or release CO2 depending on land management practices. |
| Biosphere Carbon | Carbon contained in living organisms and organic materials. Biosphere carbon is constantly cycling as organisms grow, die, and decompose. |
| Foundation for Living Organisms | The basic materials and processes that support life. Carbon cycling provides the foundation for living organisms by making this essential element available to all life forms. |
| Gradual Atmospheric Changes | Slow alterations in air composition over time. Gradual atmospheric changes over Earth's history have been driven by the evolution and activities of living organisms. |
| Plants and Other Organisms | Living things that affect atmospheric composition. Plants and other organisms have dramatically altered Earth's atmosphere by producing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide. |
| Captured Carbon Dioxide | The process by which organisms remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Photosynthetic organisms capture carbon dioxide from the air and convert it into organic compounds. |
| Released Oxygen | The production of O2 by photosynthetic organisms. The oxygen released by ancient photosynthetic organisms made it possible for complex life forms to evolve. |
| Human Activity | Actions by people that affect environmental systems. Human activity has accelerated carbon cycling by burning fossil fuels and changing land use patterns. |
| Carbon Dioxide Concentrations | The amount of CO2 present in the atmosphere. Rising carbon dioxide concentrations are causing global climate change and ocean acidification. |
| Affect Climate | How changes in atmospheric composition influence weather patterns. Increased greenhouse gases affect climate by trapping more heat in Earth's atmosphere. |
| Closed Systems | Systems where matter and energy cannot enter or leave. Earth functions as a closed system for matter, meaning materials must be recycled rather than replaced. |
| Conservation of Energy and Matter | The principle that the total amount of energy and matter remains constant in closed systems. Conservation of energy and matter means that carbon atoms are continuously recycled through Earth's systems. |
| Coevolution | The process where Earth's systems and life change together over time. Coevolution shows how life has shaped Earth's surface while geological processes have influenced the evolution of life. |
| Dynamic Causes | Active factors that produce changes in Earth systems. Dynamic causes like volcanic activity and biological processes create continuous change in Earth's systems. |
| Effects and Feedbacks | Results and responses between different Earth systems. Effects and feedbacks create complex interactions where changes in one system trigger responses in others. |
| Geoscience Factors | Earth system processes that influence the evolution of life. Geoscience factors like plate tectonics and climate change have driven major evolutionary transitions. |
| Control the Evolution of Life | How Earth processes determine how life develops. Geological processes control the evolution of life by creating new habitats and environmental challenges. |
| Continuously Alters Earth's Surface | How life constantly changes the planet's surface. Living organisms continuously alter Earth's surface through processes like soil formation and rock weathering. |
| Outgassing | The release of gases from Earth's interior. Outgassing from volcanoes and deep crustal processes has contributed to the formation of Earth's atmosphere and oceans. |
| Water from Earth's Interior | Moisture released from inside the planet. Water from Earth's interior, released through volcanic activity, helped form the early oceans. |
| Development of Earth's Early Oceans | The formation of the first large bodies of water. The development of Earth's early oceans created the environment where the first life forms could evolve. |
| Evolution of Microorganisms | The development of the first microscopic life forms. The evolution of microorganisms in early oceans began the biological transformation of Earth's atmosphere. |
| Stromatolites | Layered rock structures created by ancient microorganisms. Stromatolites provide fossil evidence of some of Earth's earliest life forms and their environmental impact. |
| Photosynthetic Life | Organisms that use sunlight to make food and produce oxygen. The evolution of photosynthetic life fundamentally changed Earth's atmosphere by adding oxygen. |
| Altered the Atmosphere | How life changed the composition of Earth's air. Early photosynthetic organisms altered the atmosphere by removing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. |
| Production of Oxygen | The creation of O2 by photosynthetic organisms. The production of oxygen by cyanobacteria created conditions that allowed more complex life to evolve. |
| Increased Weathering Rates | How oxygen caused rocks to break down faster. Oxygen in the atmosphere increased weathering rates by making chemical reactions with rocks more vigorous. |
| Evolution of Animal Life | The development of organisms that need oxygen. The evolution of animal life became possible only after oxygen levels in the atmosphere reached sufficient concentrations. |
| Microbial Life on Land | Microscopic organisms living on Earth's surface. Microbial life on land began the process of soil formation by breaking down rock material. |
| Formation of Soil | The creation of earth materials that support plant growth. The formation of soil through biological processes made it possible for complex land plants to evolve. |
| Evolution of Land Plants | The development of organisms that live on Earth's surface. The evolution of land plants accelerated soil formation and further modified atmospheric composition. |
| Evolution of Corals | The development of marine organisms that build reefs. The evolution of corals created new marine ecosystems and influenced coastal geology. |
| Created Reefs | The formation of underwater structures by coral organisms. Coral reefs created new habitats and changed patterns of water flow and sediment deposition. |
| Altered Patterns of Erosion | How reefs changed the way coastlines wore away. Coral reefs altered patterns of erosion by protecting coastlines from wave action. |
| Altered Patterns of Deposition | How reefs changed where sediments were deposited. Reefs altered patterns of deposition by trapping sediments and creating new geological formations. |
| Provided Habitats | Created living spaces for other organisms. Coral reefs provided habitats that supported the evolution of diverse marine communities. |
| Evolution of New Life Forms | The development of additional species in reef environments. Coral reefs drove the evolution of new life forms adapted to the unique conditions of reef ecosystems. |
| Delicate Feedbacks | Sensitive interactions between Earth systems. Delicate feedbacks between the biosphere and other Earth systems can cause rapid environmental changes. |
| Continual Co-evolution | The ongoing process of mutual change between Earth systems and life. Continual co-evolution means that Earth's surface and life forms continue to influence each other today. |
| Earth's Surface | The outer layer of the planet where most changes occur. Earth's surface serves as the interface where geological processes and biological activities interact. |
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