Chapter 24 Outline
Case Study: Dust in the Wind and the Decline of Coral
Global Biogeochemical Cycles
CONCEPT 24.1 Elements move among geological, atmospheric, and biological pools at a global scale.
- The global carbon cycle is closely associated with energy
- Biological fluxes dominate the global nitrogen cycle
- The global phosphorus cycle is dominated by geochemical fluxes
- Biological and geochemical fluxes both determine the global sulfur cycle
Global Climate Change
CONCEPT 24.2 Earth is warming at an unprecedented rate due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases.
- Evidence of climate change is substantial
- What are the causes of the observed climate change?
- When did humans begin to affect climate?
- The ecological consequences of climate change are substantial
- BOX 24.1 Models, Volcanoes, and Climate Change
- Ecological responses to climate change are apparent
Acid and Nitrogen Deposition
CONCEPT 24.3 Anthropogenic emissions of sulfur and nitrogen cause acid deposition, alter soil chemistry, and affect the health of ecosystems.
- Acid precipitation causes nutrient imbalances and aluminum toxicity
- Too much of a good thing can be bad: N deposition
Atmospheric Ozone
CONCEPT 24.4 Losses of ozone in the stratosphere and increases in ozone in the troposphere each pose risks to organisms.
- Loss of stratospheric ozone increases transmission of harmful radiation
- Tropospheric ozone is harmful to organisms
Case Study Revisited: Dust in the Wind and the Decline of Coral
Connections in Nature: A Historical Perspective on Dust and Ecology
