Earth Science: Cycling of Matter and Energy

Big Idea: The biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere are interconnected, as matter cycles and energy flows through them:
Effects of solar radiation on the cycling of matter and energy:
- solar radiation provides the energy required for most life on Earth, and is the root cause of wind and ocean currents, which distribute energy and nutrients around the planet, as well as the energy sources for the water cycle Matter Cycles within biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems:
- e.g., water, nitrogen, carbon, phosphorous, etc. human impacts on sources and sinks (e.g., climate change, deforestation, agriculture, etc.) bioaccumulation and biomagnification Sustainability of Systems:
- a systems approach to sustainability sees all matter and energy as interconnected and existing in dynamic equilibrium (e.g., carbon as a key factor in climate change, greenhouse effect, water cycle, etc.) First Peoples knowledge of interconnectedness and sustainability
- everything is connected, from local to global; First Peoples perspectives on interconnectedness