Biology 2483A Lecture Notes - Paleoecology, Northern Hemisphere, Nitrification

• School: Western University
• Department: Biology
• Course: Biology 2483A
• Professor: Hugh Henry

Document Summary

Movements of biologically important elements are linked at a global scale that transcends ecological boundaries. Atmospheric emissions of pollutants, dust, and greenhouse gases have caused widespread environmental problems. A major focus of global ecology is the study of the environmental effects of human activities. Elements move among geological, atmospheric, and biological pools at a global scale. The global cycling of carbon (c), nitrogen (n), phosphorus (p), and sulfur (s) are emphasized because of their biological importance, and their roles in human alteration of the global environment. The pool, or reservoir, is the amount of an element in a component of the biosphere. The flux is the rate of movement of an element between pools. For example, terrestrial plants are a pool for carbon, while photosynthesis represents a flux. Major pools of c are in the atmosphere, oceans, land surface (includes soils and vegetation), and sediments and rock.