Here’s a detailed breakdown of the processes, elements/compounds, sources, and sinks for each of the scenarios you provided:
1. Thunderstorm with Heavy Downpours and Lightning
- Process: Precipitation and lightning discharge.
- Elements/Compounds: Water (H2O), nitrogen oxides (NOx from lightning), oxygen (O2).
- Source: Atmospheric moisture, warm air rises, condensation in clouds, and electrical discharge.
- Sink: Water infiltrates the ground, evaporates, or flows into bodies of water.
2. Fire Sweeping Across a Dry Section of Prairie
- Process: Combustion.
- Elements/Compounds: Carbon dioxide (CO2), water vapor (H2O), particulate matter, and heat.
- Source: Dry biomass (grasses, shrubs), ignition source (lightning, human activity).
- Sink: The heat and gases ascended to the atmosphere, and ash is deposited in the soil.
3. Heavy Rain Leads to Water Movement into Nearby Body of Water
- Process: Runoff and erosion.
- Elements/Compounds: Water (H2O), nutrients (N, P), sediments.
- Source: Rainwater falling on soil and land surfaces.
- Sink: Nearby rivers, lakes, or other bodies of water.
4. Acidic Rainwater Dissolving Surface Rocks
- Process: Weathering (chemical weathering).
- Elements/Compounds: Carbonic acid (H2CO3) formed from CO2 & H2O, minerals (e.g., calcite from limestone, granite).
- Source: Atmospheric CO2, rainwater.
- Sink: Dissolved minerals are carried away by water, potentially leading to soil nutrient depletion.
5. Clover Growth with Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria in Burnt Prairie
- Process: Plant growth and nitrogen fixation.
- Elements/Compounds: Nitrogen (N2, fixed as NH3), carbon (from photosynthesis).
- Source: Seeds of clover and nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., Rhizobia) in the soil.
- Sink: Biomass accumulation (clover plants) and nitrogen contributed back to the soil.
6. Herbivores Eating and Digesting Clover
- Process: Consumption and digestion.
- Elements/Compounds: Organic matters (carbohydrates, proteins from clover), nitrogen, carbon.
- Source: Herbivores (e.g., rabbits, deer) feeding on clover.
- Sink: Nutrient absorption into herbivore bodies, waste produced from digestion.
7. Bacteria, Fungi, and Insects Breaking Down Herbivore Waste
- Process: Decomposition.
- Elements/Compounds: Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and organic matter.
- Source: Waste left by herbivores (manure).
- Sink: Nutrients are returned to the soil, becoming available for plants.
8. Drying of Surface Soil Following Warm Days
- Process: Evaporation.
- Elements/Compounds: Water (H2O).
- Source: Warm temperatures and sunlight.
- Sink: Moisture is lost to the atmosphere.
9. Carbon and Sulfur from Fire Transformed into Coal Over Millions of Years
- Process: Fossilization (coal formation).
- Elements/Compounds: Carbon (C), sulfur (S), hydrocarbons.
- Source: Organic matter from burned plant material and sediments.
- Sink: Deposited underground over geological timescales, transforming into coal under heat and pressure.
This breakdown provides a clear overview of the interactions between biological, geological, and atmospheric processes, emphasizing the flow of elements and compounds through the environment in each scenario.