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Enviro. 1-4

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Question
Answer
Environment   a sum of all the conditions surrounding us that influence life  
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Environmental Science   the field that looks at interactions among humans and nature  
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Biotic   the living part of the Earth (animals, plants, microorganisms)  
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Abiotic   the non-living part of the Earth (soil, air, water, sunlight)  
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Ecosystem   the living and non-living components of a particular place on Earth  
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Environmental Indicators   describe the current state of the environment  
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5 Environmental Indicators   Biological diversity; Food production; Average global surface temperature and carbon dioxide concentration; Human population; and Resource depletion.  
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Biodiversity   the variety of life formed in an environment. Includes: Genetic diversity, Species diversity, Ecosystem diversity  
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Genetic Diversity   A measure of the genetic variation found among individuals in a population. Populations with high genetic diversity are better able to respond to environmental changes than populations with lower genetic diversity  
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Species Diversity   The number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat  
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Ecosystem Diversity   The number of species in a region or in a particular type of habitat  
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Food Production   Our ability to grow food to nourish the entire human population  
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Anthropogenic   When the environmental indicator is caused by human activities.  
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Human Population   Over one million additional people are added to the Earth every five days. 6.8 billion people on earth  
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Resource Depletion   As the human population grows, the resources necessary for our survival become increasingly depleted. coal, oil, and uranium are finite in quantity and cannot be renewed or reused. aluminum or copper also exist in finite amounts but can be recycled.  
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Sustainability   : the practice of living on Earth in a way that allows humans to use resources without depriving future generations of those resources.  
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Sustainable Development   balances current human well-being and economic advancement with resource management for the benefit of future generations.  
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In order to live sustainably:   Environmental systems must not be damaged beyond their ability to recover. Renewable resources must not be depleted faster than they can regenerate. Nonrenewable resources must be used sparingly.  
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Ecological Footprint   a measure of how much a person consumes, expressed in area of land.  
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The Scientific Method   1. Observations and questions 2. Hypothesis 3. Collecting data 4. Interpreting results 5. Disseminating findings  
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Theory   a hypothesis that has been repeatedly tested and confirmed by multiple researchers and is widely accepted.  
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Natural Law   : when a theory has been tested multiple times and there are no known exceptions  
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Controlled Experiment   an experiment conducted in controlled conditions, such as in a laboratory.  
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Natural Experiment   when a natural event, such as a volcano, acts as an experimental treatment in an ecosystem  
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Matter   anything that occupies space and has mass. It is the “stuff” that makes up the universe  
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Mass   a measure of the amount of matter an object contains.  
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Weight   the force that results from the action of gravity on mass.  
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Atom   the smallest particle that can contain the chemical properties of an element  
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Molecule   a particle containing more than one atom.  
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Element   : a substance composed of atoms that cannot be broken down into smaller, simpler, and different components. Elements can exist as solids, liquids or gases.  
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Compounds   molecules that contain more than one element.  
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Atomic Number   the number of protons in the nucleus of a particular element.  
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Mass Number   the total number of protons and neutrons in an element  
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Isotopes   : atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons, and therefore different atomic masses  
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Ionic Bonds   elements that form compounds by transferring electrons from one element to another. When this transfer happens, one atom becomes electron deficient (positively charged) and one atom becomes electron rich (negatively charged).  
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Hydrogen Bonds   a weak chemical bond that forms when hydrogen atoms that are covalently bonded to one atom are attracted to another atom on a different molecule. Water is known as a polar molecule.  
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Surface Tension   the result of cohesion between water molecules at the surface of a body of water.  
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Capillary Action   when adhesion of water molecules to a surface is stronger than cohesion between the molecules.  
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Acid   a substance that contributes hydrogen ions (H+) to a solution  
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Base   a substance that contributes hydroxide ions (OH-) to a solution  
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pH Scale   Indicates the strength of acids and bases. pH 7 is neutral. Above 7 is basic. Below 7 is acidic.  
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Chemical Reaction   when atoms separate from the molecules of which they are a part or recombine with other molecules.  
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Law of Conservation of Matter   matter cannot be created or destroyed; it can only change form.  
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Inorganic Compounds   compounds that do not contain carbon, or contain carbon only bound to elements other than hydrogen.  
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Organic Compounds   compounds that have carbon-carbon and carbon-hydrogen bonds  
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Carbohydrates   compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. For example, C6H12O6.  
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Proteins   made up of long chains of nitrogen-containing organic molecules called amino acids  
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Nucleic Acids   organic compounds found in all living cells. DNA & RNA  
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Lipids   : biological molecules that do not mix with water. For example, fats, oils, waxes, and steroid hormones.  
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Energy   the ability to do work.  
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Power   the rate at which work is done. energy = power x time  
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Kinetic energy   energy of motion  
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potential energy   stored energy  
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Chemical energy   potential energy contained in chemical bonds  
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Temperature   the measure of the average kinetic energy of the atoms and molecules making up a substance.  
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First Law of Thermodynamics   Energy is neither created nor destroyed  
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Photosynthesis   Reactant Energy ---> Product Energy + Light Energy  
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Energy efficiency   the ratio of the amount of work that is done to the total amount of energy that is introduced into the system  
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Second Law of Thermodynamics   When energy is transformed, the quantity of energy remains the same, but its ability to do work diminishes  
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Open system   exchanges of matter or energy occur across system boundaries  
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Closed system   matter and energy exchanges across system boundaries do not occur  
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Steady state   when input equals output, it is said to be in a steady state.  
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Negative Feedback Loops   when a system responds to change by returning to its original state, or at least by decreasing the rate at which the change is occurring.  
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Positive Feedback Loops   when a system responds to change by increasing the rate at which the change is occurring  
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Producers/Autotrophs   are able to use the sun’s energy to produce usable energy through the process called photosynthesis  
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Cellular Respiration   the process by which other organisms gain energy from eating the tissues of producers. C6H12O6 + 6 O2 --->Energy + 6 H2O + 6 CO2  
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Primary Consumers/Herbivores   consume producers  
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Secondary Consumers/Carnivores   obtain their energy by eating primary consumers.  
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Tertiary Consumers/Carnivores   eat secondary consumers.  
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Food Chain   The sequence of consumption from producers through tertiary consumers  
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Gross Primary Productivity (GPP)   The total amount of solar energy that the producers in an ecosystem capture via photosynthesis over a given amount of time.  
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Net Primary Productivity (NPP)   The energy captured (GPP) minus the energy respired by producers.  
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Biomass   The energy in an ecosystem is measured in terms of biomass  
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Standing Crop   The amount of biomass present in an ecosystem at a particular time.  
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Ecological Efficiency   The proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one trophic level to another.  
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Trophic Pyramid   The representation of the distribution of biomass among trophic levels.  
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4 Subsystems of Earth   Geosphere (soil and rock) Hydrosphere (water in all its forms) Atmosphere (gases surrounding the geosphere) Biosphere (living things)  
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Biosphere   The combination of all ecosystems on Earth. It forms a shell around the surface of the Earth  
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Hydrological Cycles   The movement of water through the biosphere, within and between ecosystems alone or involving biogeochemical cycles.  
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Biogeochemical Cycles   The movement of matter within and between ecosystems involving biological, geological, and chemical processes.  
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Evaporation   The process where liquid water transforms into its gaseous form, water vapor  
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Transpiration   The process where plants release water from their leaves into the atmosphere.  
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Evaportranspiration   The combined amount of evaporation and transpiration.  
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Runoff   Water moving over the land surface into streams and rivers, eventually to the ocean  
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Ground Water   Water within porous sub-surface materials, either surfacing or reaching the ocean.  
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Watershed   All of the land in a given landscape that drains into a particular stream, river, lake or wetland. A watershed represents a specific, common area of land within which scientists may conduct ecological studies.  
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Macronutrients   The elements N, K, Mg, Ca, and S  
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Disturbance   an event caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents that results in changes in population size or community composition.  
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Natural Ecosystem Disturbances   hurricanes, ice storms, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and forest fires  
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Anthropogenic Ecosystem Disturbances   human settlements, agriculture, air and water pollution, clear-cutting of forests, and strip mining.  
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Resistance   a measure of how much a disturbance can affect the flows of energy and matter.  
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Resilience   The rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a disturbance  
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Restoration Ecology   A new scientific discipline that is focused on restoring damaged ecosystems  
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The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis   states that ecosystems which experience intermediate levels of disturbance are more diverse than those with high or low levels of disturbance.  
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Instrumental Value   value as a tool to people by providing ecosystem services. These can be quantified.  
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Intrinsic Value   value independent of any benefit accruing to humans. These cannot be quantified.  
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Provisions   Goods that humans can use directly.  
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Regulating Services   The service provided by natural systems that helps regulate environmental conditions  
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Support Systems   The support services that natural ecosystems provide such as pollination, natural filters, and pest control.  
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Cultural Services   Ecosystems provide cultural or aesthetic benefits to many people.  
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Weather   the short-term conditions of the atmosphere in a local area. These include temperature, humidity, clouds, precipitation, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure.  
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Climate   The average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period― typically several decades.  
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Unequal Heating of the Earth   warming does not occur evenly across the planet. a result of The variation in angle at which the Sun’s rays strike, The amount of SA over which the Sun’s rays are distributed,Some areas more solar energy than others  
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4 Properties of Atmospheric Movement   Denisty, Water vapor capacity, Adiabatic heating or cooling, Latent heat release  
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Density   less-dense air rises, denser air sinks  
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Water Vapor Capacity   warm air has a higher capacity for water vapor than cold air.  
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Adiabatic heating or cooling   as air rises in the atmosphere its pressure decreases and the air expands.Conversely, as air sinks, the pressure increases and the air decreases in volume.  
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Latent Heat Release   when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water and energy is released.  
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Atmospheric Convection Currents   global patterns of air movement that are initiated by the unequal heating of Earth.  
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Hadley Cells   the convection currents that cycle between the equator and 30 north and south.  
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Intertropical convergence (ITCZ)   the area of Earth that receives the most intense sunlight and where the ascending branches of the two Hadley cells converge.  
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Polar Cells   the convection currents that are formed by air that rises at 60 north and south and sinks at the poles (90 north and south).  
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Coriolis Effect   the deflection of an object’s path due to Earth’s rotation.  
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Causes of the movement of water   (1) density, (2) gravity, (3) prevailing winds, (4) the Coriolis effect, and (5) the geographic location  
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Tundra   high elevations, cold, treeless biome with low-growing vegetation. In winter, the soil is completely frozen. The underlying subsoil, known as permafrost, is an impermeable.  
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Boreal Forests   subarctic biome, very cold, and plant growth is constrained by temperature than precipitation. Forests are made up primarily of evergreen trees that can tolerate cold winters and the short growing seasons. soil is nutrient-poor due to slow decomposition  
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Temperate Rainforest   Moderate temperatures, high precipitation typify the temperate rainforest. coastal biome. This biome has a nearly 12-month growing season where winters are rainy and summers are foggy. supports the growth of very large trees.  
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Temperate Seasonal Forest   Receive over 1 meter of precipitation annually. Dominated by broadleaf deciduous trees such as beech, maple, oak, and hickory. Warmer summer temperatures favor decomposition, so soils generally contain more nutrients than those of boreal forests  
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Woodland/Shrub land   Hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters are characteristic of this biome. There is a 12-month growing season, but plant growth is constrained by low precipitation in summer and by relatively low temperatures in winter. Wildfires are common.  
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Temperate Grassland/Cold Desert   lowest average annual precipitation of any temperate biome. Cold, harsh winters and hot, dry summers. Plant growth is constrained by both insufficient rain in summer and cold temperatures in winter  
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Tropical Seasonal Forest   Warm temperatures and distinct wet and dry seasons. Soil in this biome is fairly fertile and can be farmed due to high decomposition rates.  
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Aquatic Climate Biomes   Categorized by salinity, depth, and water flow.  
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Littoral Zones   the shallow area of water near the shore where algae and emergent plants grow  
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Limnetic Zone   open water, where rooted plants cannot survive. Phytoplankton are the only photosynthetic organisms. Therefore, this zone extends only to as deep as sunlight can penetrate.  
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Profundal Zone   the zone below where sunlight can penetrate and therefore producers cannot survive.  
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Benthic Zone   the muddy bottom of a lake or pond beneath the limnetic and profundal zones  
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The Open Ocean Biome   The depth that light can penetrate in the open ocean is dependent on the amount of sediment and algae suspended in the water.  
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Photic Zone   the zone that receives enough light to allow photosynthesis to occur  
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Aphotic Zone   the deeper water that lacks sufficient light for photosynthesis  
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Chemosynthesis   the process that occurs in the aphotic zone when some species of bacteria use methane and hydrogen sulfide to generate energy  
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