EcologyEcology

Everything Is Connected To Everything Else

Cycles of MatterCycles of Matter

• Matter can not be created or destroyed.

• Matter, in the form of chemicals, flows in cycles from the nonliving part of the environment to living things and back again.

4 Important Matter 4 Important Matter CyclesCycles

• Hydrologic (Water) Cycle

• Oxygen Cycle

• Carbon Cycle

• Nitrogen Cycle

The Water Cycle

Water Cycle TermsWater Cycle Terms• Radiation is the suns energy (heating water).• Evaporation is water (liquid) changing to water

vapor (gas). Evaporation requires energy.• Condensation is water vapor (gas) changing to

water (liquid). Condensation releases energy.• Precipitation is any form of water falling from

the sky.• Infiltration/Percolation is water filtering into

the ground.• Runoff is water that flows on top of the ground.• Perspiration is water that comes out of

animals in the form of sweat. Respiration is from breathing.

• Transpiration is water that comes out of plants.

InfiltrationInfiltration

• InfiltrationInfiltration is water moving into the ground. Most precipitation that reaches the surface infiltratesinfiltrates the ground.

• InfiltrationInfiltration can only occur it the surface is permeablepermeable (allows water to flow through), and is unsaturated.

PermeabilityPermeability

• Most infiltration occurs in the thin layer of rock, sand, gravel and soil lying on top of the bedrock. This layer is called the regolithregolith.

• PermeabilityPermeability refers to the ability of the regolith to allow water to pass through.

• Material that does not allow water to flow through is said to be impermeableimpermeable.

Water TableWater Table

When water can not infiltrate deeper and fills the pores above the impermeable layer a zone of zone of saturationsaturation forms.

The upper surface of this zone is called the water tablewater table.

The zone above the water table is called the zone of aerationzone of aeration.

Water Table ZonesWater Table Zones

Permeability and Particle Permeability and Particle SizeSize

PorosityPorosity

• PorosityPorosity refers to the amount of open space between the pores of a material.

• PorosityPorosity of a loose material is dependent on the shape, packing, and sorting of the material. Particle Particle ssizeize is not a factor.

• PorosityPorosity is usually expressed as a percentage comparing the volume of open space to the total volume of the material.

Porosity and Porosity and PermeabilityPermeability

CapillarityCapillarity

• CapillarityCapillarity is the ability of water to move upward through small openings in soil.– The smaller the particle size the

greater the capillarity.

Surface WaterSurface Water

• RunoffRunoff is water that does not infiltrate the ground. There are many factors that affect runoffrunoff.

• RunoffRunoff occurs when:– Rain fall exceeds the permeability

rate– Slope of surface is too steep to allow

infiltration.