3a,b- Changes To C + W Cycle Flashcards
Name 3 land use changes that will affect carbon + water cycles
Urbanisation
Farming
Forestry
How might urbanisation , farming + forestry affect carbon cycle
Urbanisation =
Decrease in biomass + store in soils due to less present in urban areas
- urban areas produce a lot of CO2 (heating, transport)
Farming =
Reduce carbon store in biomass above + below ground
Crops removed takes away the nutrients + organic matter for decomposition
Forestry =
Trees are carbon stores = however they do not keep same rate of carbon capture as they get older = reach equilibrium where carbon taken in is balanced by falling leaves + branches
How can urbanisation , farming and forestry affect water cycle
Urbanisation =
Impermeable substances = little to no soil or groundwater stores = the drains are designed to move water rapidly to stream/river = high precipitation could lead to flooding + large increase in river discharge
Farming =
Machinery can compact soils = reducing infiltration
Ploughing increases evaporation = fires out soils
Forestry =
High interception but depends on type of tree
High transpiration + evaporation (due to interception on leaves)
How does melting terrestrial ice affect CO2 in ocean
Addition of cold meltwater = increases volume of oceans = more CO2 can diffuse into ocean
How might increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide affect a place
Increase temps = changing pattern of precipitation can lead to desertification
How might warming temps affect CO2 dissolved
Warming temps = oceans cannot store as much = more CO2 in atmosphere
What are 3 short term changes that can happen
Diurnal (day + night)
Seasonal
Direct human activity
- Volcanic eruptions releasing CO2 = 65 Million tonnes /yr
what are 2 long term changes that can happen
Tectonic activity = uplift of new land + carbon to be weathered
Natural climate change = glacial periods more water stored as ice + more carbon in oceans
What is the impact of water extraction
If done in surface level = reduce channel flows
On groundwater level = reduce aquifer store of water = streams may dry up
How much CO2 is contributes to atmosphere a year due to fossil fuel combustion
10 billion tonnes
What is carbon sequestration
Carbon capture + storage aims to reduce CO2 emissions from fuel combustion
- locks carbon away underground
Very expensive however
How might increasing temperatures act as a negative feedback loop to reduce temps - water vapour
Increase in water vapour + evaporation = more clouds = increase cloud cover from sun = lower temps
Positive feedback loop of decomposition + temps
Increase temps = more decomposition = more carbon released = high temps
Cycle repeats
What 3 management strategies are there to manage the water cycle
Forestry
Water allocation
Drainage basin planning
How much water is consumed by agriculture
75%
- lost by evaporation or too much water = water lost by percolation
What is an example of water allocation
- farmers collecting water in tanks = helps manage water
- water traded in markets = encourage users to appreciate value of water
How is drainage basin planning useful in managing water cycle
- land use decisions can be based on drainage basins
What are the 2 main IDEAS in managing carbon cycle
Improving carbon sinks + reducing carbon emissions
How much land has China planted trees in - afforestation
Planted trees over 400,000km since 1980
- an example of a strategy to improve carbon sinks
How many hectares of land has the uk government converted farmland to wetland
400 hectares of land converted back to wetlands in east Cambridgeshire = peat stores 2x as much carbon as woodland = wetland restoration
How much carbon is stored in the Congo basin wetland
30 gigatonnes = 15 years worth of USA emissions
How is Crop Residue as a improved agriculture technique an effective way to reduce carbon Emissions
Replacing carbon as you go by putting “mulch” in between crops as they develop = nutrients + carbon store in soil kept steady
= easily repeatable but small scale
Give an example of an international agreement to reduce carbon emmisions
Paris climate change convention 2015 = aims to reduced CO2 emissions below 60% of 2010 levels by 2050
Why are international agreements essential but also flawed
Global cooperation is key to reduce emissions as global warming is a global problem
Struggles to enforce agreements + developing countries feel it’s unfair as already developed countries has there chance when there were no restrictions
Give 2 ways to improve carbon sinks + 2 ways to reduce carbon emmisions
Improve =
Afforestation
Wetland restoration
Reduce=
International agreements
Improved agricultural techniques
What strategy’s have been put in place to manage Aral Sea
Construction of 12km dyke/dam connecting North + South Aral Sea = control water spillage into south sea