Ecosystems and the Physical Environment Chapter 5 Ecosystems and the Physical Environment

Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Basics of biogeochemical cycling

Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Carbon cycle:

Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Nitrogen cycle: Atmospheric nitrogen (N2) Nitrogen fixation by humans Biological nitrogen fixation NH3 & NH4- Decomposition Denitrification Plant & animal proteins Internal cycling Assimilation Nitrification NO3-

Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Phosphorus cycle: Phosphate mining Phosphate rocks Fertilizer containing phosphates Animals, crops Erosion Excretion / decomposition Internal cycling Dissolved phosphates Internal cycling Soil phosphates Marine organisms Marine sediments Erosion

Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Sulfur cycle:

Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Hydrologic cycle:

Solar Radiation

Solar Radiation Temperature Changes with Latitude Like at poles Like equator

Solar Radiation Temperature Changes with Season

The Atmosphere Composition Nitrogen 78% Oxygen 21% Carbon dioxide Argon Water vapor Pollutants Helium Etc. 1%

The Atmosphere Layers of the Atmosphere

The Atmosphere Atmospheric Circulation Prevailing winds Circulation spawned by heating / cooling Prevailing winds Generated by pressure differences and Coriolis effect

The Atmosphere The Coriolis Effect

The Global Ocean Patterns of Circulation in the Ocean

The Global Ocean Patterns of Circulation in the Ocean Influenced by: 1) Coriolis Effect 2) Land Masses

The Global Ocean Vertical Mixing of Ocean Water

The Global Ocean Ocean Interactions with the Atmosphere

The Global Ocean Ocean Interactions with the Atmosphere Upwelling This decreases during El Niño Increases during La Niña

Weather and Climate Examine the definitions for climate and weather. What is wrong with the following statement? “Global warming cannot be occurring, we had a very cool summer.”

Weather and Climate Precipitation: Atacama Desert in Chile = 0.05 cm / year Mount Waialeale in Hawaii = 1200 cm / year What is the annual precipitation in your area?

Weather and Climate Rain shadows Insert Fig 5.19 b

Weather and Climate Severe weather events: 1) Tornados Source: University of Wyoming, Department of Atmospheric Science Frequency of tornados annually per 100,000 km2 Tornado Alley (US) 40 Sydney, Australia 8 United Kingdom 1 Bangledesh 0.6

Weather and Climate Severe weather events: 2) Tropical cyclones Atlantic Ocean = hurricanes Pacific Ocean = typhoons Indian Ocean = cyclones

Weather and Climate But, all are the same severe weather event:

Internal Planetary Processes Plate tectonics

Internal Planetary Processes Plate boundaries

Internal Planetary Processes Plate boundaries

Internal Planetary Processes Volcanoes Most volcanoes occur along subduction zones

Internal Planetary Processes Volcanoes Some occur along spreading zones Few, such as Hawaiian Islands, not associated with plates.

Internal Planetary Processes Earthquakes caused by release of built up stress, typically along faults movement releases seismic waves Typical side effects include: 1) Landslides 2) Tsunamis