growth rate hypothesis
Organisms with higher growth rates require greater cellular concentration of ribosomes and have greater tissue RNA content
gypsum saturation index
heavy fraction
internal production
iron hypothesis
The proposal that ferric-ferrous iron redox shifts sequester additional phosphorus needed to stimulate nuisance D. geminata blooms in oligotrophic streams
isolated decomposition
Decomposition of litter isolated from tree canopy and root network influences to study selective pressures from litter chemistry alone
kinetic constraints
legacy contamination
lignin content
manganese cycling
The oxidation and reduction reactions of manganese in aquatic sediments, influenced by oxygen availability and organic carbon supply
metal speciation
Identification and quantification of different chemical forms and binding environments of metals in environmental samples
microbial communities
Soil microorganisms that consume nitrogen when carbon is added, affecting plant nutrient availability
microbial efficiency matrix stabilization
Framework suggesting that more labile plant material may be easier for soil microbes to assimilate and transform into microbial necromass, which can become more physically or chemically protected thro...
mineral-organic associations
Associations between organic compounds and reactive minerals that can effectively protect organic compounds from microbial access and represent an important C storage mechanism in upland soil systems
molecular weight
molybdenum mineralization
monomethylmercury
needle chemistry
nitrogen fixation
The biological conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia, making lupine a high-nitrogen host plant
nitrogen pulse
nitrogen uptake rate
Net uptake rate (NUR) of nitrogen calculated from 15N tracer experiments measuring plant nitrogen acquisition
nitrogen-15
nominal oxidation state of carbon
A measure directly related to the amount of energy required for microbial oxidation of a given compound, with higher NOSC values correlating to lower ΔGox and greater energy yield
nonstructural carbohydrates
nutrient supply-demand balance
Comparison of animal-driven nutrient inputs versus ecosystem uptake capacity to determine if nutrients are in surplus or deficit
nutrient uptake
Cellular uptake of nutrients by algal colonies from the surrounding water
paleosalinity reconstruction
Determination of ancient water salinity conditions using geochemical and paleontological indicators
particulate organic matter
Organic matter within the solid phase that can sorb metals and limit their mobility
passivation coatings
Surface coatings of Si and organic matter that stabilize ferrihydrite nanoparticles against dissolution or transformation
phenol oxidative potential
Capacity of soil to oxidize phenolic compounds, measured using L-DOPA substrate and spectrophotometric detection of oxidation products
photosynthesis
Process by which plants convert light energy to chemical energy, with formula 6CO2+6H2O → C6H12O6+6O2
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
Based on six membered planar hydrocarbon rings, such as benzene, coronene, or anthracene, known carcinogens that play a role in soot formation
polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs)
Important biochemicals for regular bodily functions, primarily sourced from algae in aquatic systems
priming mechanisms
rare earth elements
reaeration coefficient
redox gradients
Sharp redox gradients that favor the generation of ROS, created by mixing between waters with largely different chemical compositions
redox microsites
Non-majority spatially heterogeneous soil volumes possessing conditions differing from the bulk matrix, where internal oxygen consumption exceeds the rate of oxygen supply
redox zones
redox-active mountainous floodplain sediments
reducing conditions
reductive TCA cycle
rhenium as tracer
rock-N release rate
root exudates
saprolite
Weathered bedrock zone between soil and unweathered bedrock that retains original rock structure
sericitization
siderite solubility
The dissolution process of iron carbonate mineral (FeCO3) under varying geochemical conditions
silicate weathering feedback
The negative feedback system where increased atmospheric CO2 enhances silicate weathering rates, which removes CO2 from the atmosphere through carbonate precipitation
