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Ecosystems and the Physical Environment Chapter 5
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Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Basics of biogeochemical cycling
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Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Carbon cycle:
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Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Nitrogen cycle: Atmospheric nitrogen (N 2 ) Nitrogen fixation by humans Biological nitrogen fixation Nitrification NH 3 & NH 4 - NO 3 - Assimilation Denitrification Plant & animal proteins Decomposition Internal cycling
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Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Phosphorus cycle: Phosphate rocks Phosphate mining Fertilizer containing phosphates Animals, crops Soil phosphates Internal cycling Erosion Dissolved phosphates Marine organisms Excretion / decomposition Internal cycling Marine sediments
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Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Sulfur cycle:
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Cycling of Materials within Ecosystems Hydrologic cycle:
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Solar Radiation
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Temperature Changes with Latitude Like equator Like at poles
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Solar Radiation Temperature Changes with Season
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The Atmosphere Composition Nitrogen78% Oxygen21% Carbon dioxide Argon Water vapor Pollutants Helium Etc. 1%
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The Atmosphere Layers of the Atmosphere
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The Atmosphere Atmospheric Circulation Circulation spawned by heating / cooling Prevailing winds Generated by pressure differences and Coriolis effect
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The Atmosphere The Coriolis Effect
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The Global Ocean Patterns of Circulation in the Ocean
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The Global Ocean Patterns of Circulation in the Ocean Influenced by: 1) Coriolis Effect 2) Land Masses
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The Global Ocean Vertical Mixing of Ocean Water
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The Global Ocean Ocean Interactions with the Atmosphere
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The Global Ocean Ocean Interactions with the Atmosphere Upwelling This decreases during El Niño Increases during La Niña
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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.”
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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?
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Weather and Climate Rain shadows Insert Fig 5.19 b
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Weather and Climate Severe weather events: 1) Tornados Source: University of Wyoming, Department of Atmospheric Science Frequency of tornados annually per 100,000 km 2 Tornado Alley (US)40 Sydney, Australia8 United Kingdom1 Bangledesh0.6
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Weather and Climate Severe weather events: 2) Tropical cyclones Atlantic Ocean = hurricanes Pacific Ocean = typhoons Indian Ocean = cyclones
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Weather and Climate But, all are the same severe weather event:
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Internal Planetary Processes Plate tectonics
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Internal Planetary Processes Plate boundaries
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Internal Planetary Processes Plate boundaries
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Internal Planetary Processes Volcanoes Most volcanoes occur along subduction zones
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Internal Planetary Processes Volcanoes Some occur along spreading zones Few, such as Hawaiian Islands, not associated with plates.
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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
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