envierment
Nitrogen Cycle
A lot of nitrogen in the atmosphere – about 78%
N triple bond – very strong
Only a few ways to turn N2 gas into useable form – lightning, combustion engine, plants, Haber-Bosch process
Groups of 4
kayla.bradley001@umb.edu
Please send Kayla any requests for Groups of 4 members. She makes all assignments and enters them into Blackboard.
You should be able to see all names and emails of your group members under “Groups” in Blackboard.
Deadline for any changes is 8:00 pm TONIGHT (Tuesday, 9/27)
Index Card Boxes
News
https :// www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/25/how-birds-of-prey-are-exposing-a-toxic-time-bomb
https:// www.cnn.com/2022/09/24/politics/epa-new-office-environmental-justice/index.html
https:// www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63012180
https:// www.enn.com/articles/71221-climate-models-unreliable-in-predicting-damage-to-coral-reefs
Why is it difficult to move the nitrogen in the atmosphere into the nitrogen cycle of the biosphere?
A. Nitrogen is not very abundant in the atmosphere.
B. Few organisms can directly utilize atmospheric nitrogen.
C. Most plants do not require organic nitrogen for survival.
D. Oceans quickly absorb nitrogen gas.
E. Living organisms quickly absorb nitrogen gas.
Answer: B
When reviewing responses:
Ask if anyone knows the % of N in atmosphere
Nitrogen Cycle
A lot of nitrogen in the atmosphere – about 78%
N triple bond – very strong
Only a few ways to turn N2 gas into useable form – lightning, combustion engine, plants, Haber-Bosch process
Nitrogen Needs
Amino Acidsproteins
Nucleic Acids
Chlorophyll
Carbon to Nitrogen ratio
C:N ratio differs depending on material woody trees 50:1, ocean 7:1, grass 20:1
Lawn calculation
What information do you need to calculate how many pounds of lawn clippings you would get if you add 1 pound of nitrogen fertilizer to your lawn?
Carbon/Nitrogen ratio (20:1)
Carbon (50% by weight)
Water (75%)
Conservation of mass
Need C:N ratio
Lawn calculation (solution)
What information do you need to calculate how many pounds of lawn clippings you would get if you add 1 pound of nitrogen fertilizer to your lawn?
Carbon/Nitrogen ratio (20:1)
Carbon (50% by weight)
Water (75%)
1 lb N -> 20 lb C (from Carbon/Nitrogen Ratio)
20 lb C -> 40 lb organic matter (Carbon is 50% by weight)
40 lb OM -> 160 lb clipping (water is 75 %)
Conservation of mass
Need C:N ratio
Nitrogen Limitation
Ponkapoag Bog-carniverous plants
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMA-l8EgSLU
2:00 to 2:49
Exam Format
Part 1: Critical Thinking (50%)
Made available 9/30 by 11am
Due 10/7 (before class 11am)
You have as much time (within the week) to complete
To be completed individually (no group, tutor website, friends, etc.)
Open note/book/internet
Example exam on blackboard (under exams tab)
Part 2: Multiple Choice (20%)
Made available 9/30 by 11am
Due 10/7 (before class 11am)
60 minutes to complete (must finish once you start and only one attempt)
To be completed individually (no group)
Open note/book/internet
Part 3: Group Work (30%)
To be completed During class time on Thursday October 7th (starting promptly at 11am)
Questions will be posted on blackboard at 11am and you will have up to 2 hours to finish the exam. (it is planned to take less than 1 hour)
Meet with group over collaborate, zoom, phone call etc. (Before Thursday (9/30) test collaboration functions with group)
Open note/book/internet
All group members must turn in the same assignment to get credit
The professor and TA’s will be in regular class zoom call so you can drop into the call if you or your group has questions
The best way to study for this is completing Part 1 (Part 3 questions will be a continuation of Part 1)
Week 4/5 timeline
Thursday (9/29) (this week)
Part 1 (Critical Thinking) made available
Part 2 (Multiple Choice) made available
Trial run of collaboration tools with group
Thursday (10/6) (next week)
Part 1 (Critical Thinking) due by 11am (before class)
Part 2 (Multiple Choice) due by 11am (before class)
Part 3 (Group Work) opened at 11am and due by 1pm
A few notes
Put your name in the title of your exam (and assignments) when submitting them to Turnitin
Make sure your name is on the actual document
Upload exam and assignments as a PDF
Plagiarism
Plagiarism: Today's access to information, especially through the internet, and today's easy electronic communication (e.g. email, Facebook, etc.) are great advantages for learning. However, it has also become commonplace to copy and paste words, sentences, and paragraphs from the internet and to share words, sentences, and ideas with other students. It is your responsibility as a college student to know and understand plagiarism (see www.plagiarism.org for example). Sharing your work (verbal, written, electronic) with anyone on the Take Home portion of the exams is strictly forbidden. Copying work from the internet, books, or other students without proper citation is a violation of the University Code of Student Conduct.
University Code of Student Conduct: ( https://www.umb.edu/life_on_campus/policies/community/code) and grounds for failure or dismissal from the University. There are many on-line plagiarism checkers that we (the instructors) commonly use and that you can use to ensure that your work is original.
Understanding Plagiarism: An additional resource an be found at http://umb.libguides.com/c.php?g=351180
Citations on Exams
Properly Cited Work
There are three major forms of adaptation that diatoms possess to live in the ocean. First, a physiological one, is their ability to float due to oil vacuoles that keep them buoyant (Chen, 2017). Second, diatoms are able to photosynthesize at low light levels (Smith, 2012).
Chen, R.F., 2017. Adaptations of Diatoms, Journal of phytoplankton ecology, 50: 1-12.
Smith, M.E., et al., 2012. Photosynthetic Algae, Plenum Press, Washington D.C. 200 pp.
Proper Citations
Proper Citation (in text after statement, and full citation at end of question
INTRODUCTION
Carbon burial in a salt marsh depends on productivity, accretion, and degradation, as well as on the amount of carbon transported laterally out of the system (Bowen et al., 2016; Clark et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2016). This outwelling of organic matter was noted by Odum (1980), who postulated that the productivity of nearshore waters could be enhanced not only by the upwelling of nutrients from deeper waters but also from the outwelling of nutrients, organic matter, and organisms from fertile estuaries. Odum’s outwelling hypothesis motivated a plethora of salt marsh outwelling studies (e.g., Childers, Day, and Mckellar, 2002). Most early outwelling studies focused on the importance of nutrient outwelling to microbial communi- ties in adjacent waters (Deegan, Hughes, and Rountree, 2002; Odum, 2002; Weinstein and Kreeger, 2007). However, quanti-
Examples of Plagiarism
Coccolithophore From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Importance in global climate change[ edit]
Impact on the carbon cycle[ edit]
Coccolithophores have both long and short term effects on the carbon cycle. The production of coccoliths requires the uptake of dissolved inorganic carbon and calcium. Calcium carbonate and carbon dioxide are produced from calcium and bicarbonate by the following chemical reaction:
Ca2+ + 2HCO3− ←→ CaCO3 + CO2 + H2O. [34]
Because coccolithophores are photosynthetic organisms, they are able to use some of the CO2 released in the calcification reaction for photosynthesis. [35]
However, the production of calcium carbonate drives surface alkalinity down, and in conditions of low alkalinity the CO2 is instead released back into the atmosphere. [36] As a result of this, researchers have postulated that large blooms of coccolithophores may contribute to global warming in the short term. [37] A more widely accepted idea, however, is that over the long term coccolithophores contribute to an overall decrease in atmospheric CO2 concentrations. During calcification two carbon atoms are taken up and one of them becomes trapped as calcium carbonate. This calcium carbonate sinks to the bottom of the ocean in the form of coccoliths and becomes part of sediment; thus, coccolithophores provide a sink for emitted carbon, mediating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. [37]
Plagiarism Trying to take credit for these words and ideas that are NOT yours.
During calcification two carbon atoms are taken up and one of them becomes trapped as calcium carbonate. This calcium carbonate sinks to the bottom of the ocean in the form of coccoliths and becomes part of sediment; thus, coccolithophores provide a sink for emitted carbon, mediating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.
Plagiarism Trying to take credit for these progression of ideas that are NOT yours.
Two carbon atoms are taken up during calcification and one of them becomes trapped as CaCO3. This CaCO3 sinks to the bottom of the ocean in the form of shells and becomes part of sediment. Coccolithophores provide a sink for atmospheric CO2, mediating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.
Not great, but OK Citing source of words, placing in quotes, and giving credit. However, there is no original thought or demonstration of knowledge
“During calcification two carbon atoms are taken up and one of them becomes trapped as calcium carbonate. This calcium carbonate sinks to the bottom of the ocean in the form of coccoliths and becomes part of sediment; thus, coccolithophores provide a sink for emitted carbon, mediating the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.”
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccolithophore)
Good Answer Processed information that was gathered from a website.
During the formation of a coccolith shell, two carbon atoms are needed. One is emitted as CO2 to the atmosphere, the other is incorporated as CaCO3. As the coccolithophore dies and sinks, it buries a carbon atom in the sediments, and thus acts as a sink for atmospheric CO2.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coccolithophore)
More plagiarism examples
From TurnItIn….
Improper Citation (no quotes, no citation in text)
Copy and Paste (Improper Citation)
Not enough to just change a few words…
Legal, but not great.
Diatoms have special adaptations to avoid sinking, “The formation of long chains of cells linked by silica spines, some species form zig-zag or star shaped colonies, some diatoms form attachments to surfaces…”
https://diatoms.org/news/where-do-diatoms-live
Sample Exam Question
1.) UMassBoston
A fluke earthquake levels UMassBoston to rubble. The Board of Trustees decide that rather than rebuild the University, it is to be relocated.
a.) Plot the population of mice and cats over time from 0-100 years at the destroyed site. Be sure to label your axes. (4 points)
b.) Explain the trends in your graphs. (3 points)
c.) What factors control the carrying capacity of this site? (4 points)
2 Point Answer
B) Cats and mice will go up over time
C) Carrying capacity is the number of individuals in an ecosystem
Population
Time
cats
mice
A)
6 Point Answer
B) Mice go up fast as they reproduce fast. Cats go up slower because they grow slower
C) Mice run out of food eventually
# of individuals
Time
mice
cats
0
100
10 Point Answer
B) # of mice increase exponentially in a few years due to new resource and plenty of food. # of cats increases exponentially due to increase in prey species (mice), but slower increase due to longer reproduction time. Slight variations in carrying capacity due to variations in environmental variables.
C) Carrying capacity of mice controlled by food source, cat predators, habitat area, and environmental variables such as weather, sunlight, temperature. Carrying capacity of cats controlled by food source (mice), habitat area, environmental variables, maybe other predators competing for same food source, and maybe a predator that eats cats.
cats
mice
# of mice
Time (years)
0
100
20
40
60
80
0
1000
0
100
# of cats
A)