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Geo 202
final
57
Geology
Not Applicable
03/08/2006

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Term
Define Natural Selection
Definition
An organisms characteristics are more fit for environmental conditions, thus increasing survival rate, reproduction passes on genetic info, evolution of survival characteristics.
Term
Proxies
Definition
Records of natural events that are controlled by and closely mimic climate are called this
Term
The little Ice Age
Definition
A periond that occurred about 700 years ago, marked by unusually snowy winters, raing summers and violent storms throughout Western Europ is referred to as the Little Ice Age
Term
Mass extinctions are typically followed by periods of robust species radiation TRUE?FALSE?
Definition
True
Term
What are used by scientists as a climate proxy record?
Definition
1 The width and density of tree rings

2 oscillations in the growth rings of corals
3 variations in oxygen isotopes in ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica
Term
DNA the blueprint of life is infor stored via polymerization
TRUE?FALSE
Definition
TRUE
Term
Which of the following is not a type of biological diversity?
genetic
habitat
morphological
species
1. What are the three types of biological diversity
Definition
morphological
genetic, habitat,species
Term
Carbohydrate production by photosynthesis is

primary production
secondary production
Definition
primary production
Term
Viruses are intermediate forms between living and non-living
TRUE?FALSE
Definition
True
Term
Define Mass Extinction
Definition
When a large percentage of the animal and plant species go extinct at one time
Term
The history of the Earth since the beginning of time is divided into 3 eras , what are they
Definition
Cenzoic, Mesozoic, Paleozoic
Term
List and define the 4 requirements for life
Definition
growth
metabolism
reproduction
evolution
Term
When a population grows at a fixed rate it is called what
Definition
exponential
Term
define nitrogen fixation
Definition
The process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted to ammonia, nitrate ions, or amino acids. Microorganisms are mostly responsible, but a small amount is converted by lightening
Term
What are the Big 6?
Definition
Macro Nutrients, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen Hydrogen Phosphorus, and Sulfur
Term
What limits the abundance of life?
Definition
the limiting factor could be lack of an element,
toxins
neutral elements
Term
Big 6 CHONPS
Definition
Carbon-organic compounds
CHO- carbohydrates
CHON- proteins
P energy element in ADP,ATP
Ca Structure Element
Na, K nerve signal transmission
Term
minimum system that can support life depends 2 primary processes
Definition
A continual recycling of chemical elements and a flow of energy
Term
Autotrophs are
Definition
self feeders
Term
How does Chrystalliation differ from polymerization
Definition
Polymerization absorbs energy and crystalizatin releases energy, Poly is a string of molecules and chryst are the packing of atoms and molecules in certain geometric organizations. Life (growth) requires a source of energy ( to adsorb.
Term
What is the difference between eukaryote and prokaryote cells,
Definition
Prokaryote have no nucleus or membrane enclosed organelles, eukaryotes do
Term
How does autrophic respiration work? What does it produce
Definition
Converts light energy into energy that can be used by other trophic levels
Term
What are the differences and similarities between primary and secondary production?
Definition
Carbohydrate production from light energy by autotrophs is called primary production, Body mass production is secondary production
Term
7. What properties define population dynamics?
Definition
population growth and change,
Term
8. What is carrying capacity
Definition
the limit on the population that an ecosystem can carry, imposed by the limited resources of that ecosystem
Term
9. What are the three tenets of the Gaia hypothesis?
Definition
1 Life has altered environment at a global scale and continues to do so
2 Life tends to stabilize the environment by reducing the variability of the chemical and physical aspects
3these alterations benefit life by increasing the probability that life will survive
Term
10. What is the current pattern of growth of the human population
Definition
An increase of 95 million people each year
Term
1. What defines a biogeochemical cycle?
Definition
A natural cycle describing the movements and interactions through the Earths speres of the chemicals needed for life
Term
2. What are the differences between macronutrients and micronutrients
Definition
Macro Nutrients are needed in large quantities by living organisms, Micro organisms are still needed, but in smaller quantities
Term
3. What is a limiting nutrient?
Definition
a nutrient must be available in the right amounts at the right times, and at the right concentrations, or it becomes limiting, limiting the growth of an organism until it is obtained.
Term
4. What is food-chain concentration?
Definition
A concentration of a compound in living tissue increases as the compound transfers up in the food chain.
Term
5. What are the differences between nonmetals and metals in terms of their biogeochemical cycles?
Definition
Metals do not form a gas thus are more likely to become limiting factors to the growth of living organisms, limits the cycling of the element
Term
6. Where is most carbon stored in the lithosphere?
Definition
Marine sediments and sedimentary rocks
Term
6. Where is most carbon stored in the lithosphere?
Definition
Marine sediments and sedimentary rocks
Term
7. What role(s) do bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle?
Definition
convert molecular N into Ammonium which is more available for plant uptake
Term
9. What role did the development of respiration in organisms play in the evolution of the Earth?
Definition
as plants respired O2 was produced and higher life developed
Term
10. What is a Redfield ratio?
Definition
106:16:1
The ratio of Carbon:Nitrogen:Phosporus
It is a balance system that controls the chemical aspects of living things
Term
2. What factors influence biological diversity?
Definition
species richness, evenness and dominance. Many things influence biological diversity, environment
Term
What is competive exclusion
Definition
2 species that have exactly the same requirements cannot coexist in exactly the same habitat, one species will always win out over the other
Term
What is a niche
Definition
a species profession, what it does, like a squirrels job is to eat the seeds of trees. The niche represents the set of all environmental conditions under which a species can persist.
Term
What 4 characteristics define natural selection.
Definition
Inheritence, mutation, migration, and genetic drift
Term
What happened during the Cambrian period, and when was the Cambrian period
Definition
The Cambrian period began 570 million years ago and ended 520 million years ago. Organism with internal and external skeletons came into being,extensive growth and developement in the marine environment. Rise of oxygen on the planet
Term
What happened at the end of the Permian period
Definition
Widespread extinction, marked drop in sealevel, continents massed together
Term
What were the first land vertebrates? when did they first appear{name of perios}and the years before they were present
Definition
crossopterygians, a fish that came to land in the Devonian period about 400 million years ago
Term
When was the Cretaceous extinction? What were its causes and consequences?
Definition
65 million years ago, possibly a giant meteorite hit the Earth

The Dinosaurs became extinct
Term
When did flowering plants evolve?
When did naked seed pland evolve?
Definition
Flowering plants evolved during the Cretaceous period about 100 million years ago
Naked seed plants(Gymnosperems) evolved during the Carboniferous period ( the Pennsylvanian period of the Carboniferous period around 285 million years ago
Term
when did mammals first appear
Definition
At the beginning of the Tertiary period about 65 million years ago
Term
What has happened on Earth after each major extinction
Definition
A rapid appearance of of new species that occupied vacant niches.
Term
Describe the difference between a renewable and nonrenewable resource
Definition
renewable resource: new supplies grow each season.
nonrenewable resource: even they are replenished by natural processes, it takes millions of years vs. annual seasons
Term
What is the source of the organic matter that forms petroleum? How do scientists know this?
Definition
MIcroscopic phytoplankton( tiny floating plants} and bacteria that is buried in sediment of the ocean floor.
Evidence:
1. Oil possesses optical properties known only in hdrocarbons derived from organic matter.
2. Oil contains nitrogen and certain compounds believed to originate only in living matter
Term
What is geothermal power? and where is it found in Oregon
Definition
Source of heat, Water in fractures in hot rock forms steam which is brought to the surface, and used to run power plants, Klamath Falls has access to geothermal power
Term
What is hydropower and where is it being used in Oregon
Definition
the power of flowing water is converted into electricity by damming streams, most of our power comes from hydroelectric power.
Term
What are some examples of biomass energy and where are they being used in Oregon?
Definition
The burning of wood and animal dung used for cooking, Some people in Oregon still burn wood for heat.
Term
How has the uplift of the Himalayas influenced world climate?
Definition
changed the path of the jet streams, created rainshadows, that promoted desertification in continental interiors and intensified monsoon circulation.
Term
How does weathering influence the carbon cycle
Definition
Silicate weathering and burial of organic carbon remove CO2 from the atmosphere an place it in long term storage, Removal of CO2 from the atmosphere reduces the greenhouse effect and influences world climate
Term
Are landscapes everin a complete equilibrium? why or why not
Definition
Landscapes are constatly adjusting to changes in the factors that control their developement and likely are never in a complete state of equilibrium.
Term
What factors control erosion rates
Definition
climate, lithology(types of rock), relief, time,
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