Biogeochemical Cycles
This gas is common in the atmosphere but cannot be used by most organisms
N2
What are the 9 planetary boundaries?
Climate change, rate of biodiversity loss (terrestrial and marine), interference with the nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, stratospheric ozone depletion, ocean acidification, global freshwater use, change in land use, chemical pollution/ biogeochemical flows, atmospheric aerosol loading
What does CAFO?
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
Which greenhouse gas is the largest contributor to climate change
CO2
What is the variety of life in the natural world called?
Biodiversity
This process moves carbon from the biosphere to atmosphere
respiration
What are the three planetary boundaries that we are still in the safe operating space of?
Stratosphere ozone depletion, atmospheric aerosol loading, ocean acidification
This is the environmental problem that leads to excess nitrogen and phosphorus in water
runoff
What specialist species lives in stable environments
K-specialist
How many species have we identified?
2 million
This organism lives in anaerobic environments and produces CH4 as a byproduct
Methanogen
What 3 are listed as “high risk zones”?
climate change, biodiversity loss, biogeochemical flows
The term for when genetic diversity is lost
Genetic erosion
The measure of the reflectivity of a surface is called what?
albedo
What is the basis of evolutionary change?
Gene Mutations
This important nutrient does not have a gaseous form
Phosphorus
What is NPP and HANPP?
Net Primary Productivity and Human Appropriation of Net Primary Productivity
energy available from plants produced by photosynthesis
Name a negative consequence of the Green Revolution
Loss of genetic diversity
This animal has become the symbol of the danger that climate change poses to the survival of nonhuman species
Polar Bears
What is the phenomenon that states biodiversity is highest in the tropics?
Latitudinal Species Gradient
This is the equation for photosynthesis
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
What are the two sub-categories of the biosphere integrity planetary boundary?
Genetic diversity and functional integrity
Name the most common pesticide used in agriculture
glyphosate
What two proxies were used to measure climates of the past?
Tree rings, coral skeletons, ice cores
What are the four divers of biodiversity loss?
Habitat alteration, Invasive species, Pollution, Over-exploitation