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Exam 21: Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling

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Question 31

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Coastal zones of contact between freshwater from streams and rivers and salt water from the ocean are called

A) estuaries.
B) headwaters.
C) deltas.
D) coastal upwelling zones.

E) B) and C)
F) C) and D)

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Question 32

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In open water ecosystems, decomposition occurs primarily in the

A) thermocline.
B) hypolimnion.
C) epilimnion.
D) benthic zone.

E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

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Question 33

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Describe three different processes that are important for decomposition. Explain which organisms are important for each of the processes.

In salt marshes, only a small portion of primary production is consumed by herbivores.

The major decomposers of dead plant tissues are

The breakdown of chemical bonds that were formed during the construction of plant and animal tissues is called ________.

Coastal ecosystems are not very productive because they are usually cool.

Describe the process of upwelling in the ocean and how it relates to fisheries.

In ________, the process of nutrient cycling is sometimes described as nutrient spiraling.

Compounds resistant to decomposition are known as

Define mineralization and immobilization, and discuss the differences between them.

Estuaries receive nutrients both from tides and from streams and rivers.

The incorporation of mineral nutrients into an organic form is called ________.

Aerobic decomposition occurs at a faster rate than anaerobic decomposition.

Describe the soil microbial loop.

Which of the following is NOT a component of plant tissue?

Animals that feed on bacteria and fungi are called ________.

Which of the following is NOT an important process involved in decomposition?

Decomposition proceeds faster in moist environments than in dry environments.

The last organic compound to be decomposed in plant matter is