Term
|
Definition
| The study of how organisms have influenced and been influenced be Earth's environment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Composed of of organisms and geologic components that function in a balanced, interrelated fashion. |
|
|
Term
| What are some inputs and outputs from the biosphere? |
|
Definition
| Energy, such as sunlight, and matter, such as carbon, nutrients, and water. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The part of out planet that contains all of its living organisms. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| (Producers) are organisms that make their own food. They manufacture organic compounds such as carbohyrdrates that they use as sources of energy and nutrients. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| (Consumers) are organisms that get their food by feeding directly or indirectly on producers. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process that all organisms use to convert input to outputs. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Type of metabolism in which organisms such as green plants and algae use energy from sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide to carbohydrates, such as sugar, and oxygen. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Type of metabolism in which organisms release the stored energy of carbohydrates. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A family tree of the heirarchy of ancestors and descendants of all organisms, derived by comparing the genes of different organisms within a particular group. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| are microbes that live in environments that would kill any other organisms. They live on all kinds of foods including oil and toxic wastes. Some "breathe" substances other than oxygen, such as nitric acid, sulfuric acid, iron, arsenic, or uranium, which they use to produce energy. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Microoranisms precipate minerals in two distinct ways, indirectly during growth and directly as a result of metabolic activity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| occurs when dissolved minerals in an oversaturated solution precipitate on the surface of individual microbes. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| All microbes need iron, but iron concetration in near-surface waters are generally so low that the microbe must obtain iron by dissolving nearby minerals. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| layered mircobial communities |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| rocks with distinctive lamination, are believed to have been formed by ancient mircobial mats. |
|
|
Term
| How old are the oldest fossil microbes? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Cambrian explosion of life |
|
Definition
| Radiation of animals during the Cambrian time that happened so fast. |
|
|
Term
| What caused the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous? |
|
Definition
| A gigantic explosion and its aftermath that occurred when an asteroid hit Earth. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Group of microorganisms that originated photosynthesis. |
|
|
Term
| Evidence for oxygen in atmosphere |
|
Definition
| Band-iron formations and red beds |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| sedimentary rocks composed of alternating thin layers formed of iron oxide minerals (magentite and hematite) and silca-rich minerals (chert and iron silicates). |
|
|
Term
| End-Permian mass extinction |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| End-Cretaceous mass extinction |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Are usually sandstones and shales that are red because of the presence of iron oxide cement that binds the grains together. |
|
|
