4.4 To what extent are the water and carbon cycles linked

Question 1

Where is the human impact on the watercycle most evident?

Answer 1

Within rivers and aquafiers public demand for Water for irrigation agriculture and public supply, in arid and semi arid regions has created acute water shortages

Question 2

Give an example of where there has been water shortages

Answer 2

In the Colorado basin USA water supplies have diminished due to increased Use abstraction from rivers and Huge amounts of evaporation from reservoirs like meat lake Mead

Question 3

Give an example of where water quality has decreased

Answer 3

In the coastal regions of Bangladesh Over pumping of Aqifers has led to Incursions of salt water often making the water unfit for irrigation and drinking

Question 4

Which carbon is transferred to the atmosphere by burning Fossil fuels annually

Answer 4

8 billion tonnes

Question 5

How much of the planet’s forest cover has been destroyed

Answer 5

Since historic times the cover has decreased by 50% and thus amounts of carbon in the biosphere has declined steeply

Question 6

Explain how human activities could impact phytoplankton within the ocean

Answer 6

phytoplankton absorbs more than half of the C02 from fossil fuels much more than tropical rainforests ultimately acidification of oceans threatens this vital biological carbon store as well as adversely affecting marine life

Question 7

Explain the numerous effects Of long term climate change on the water cycle

Answer 7

1. Global warming will lead to increase evaporation and increase water vapour in the atmosphere which is a greenhouse gas, will further increase temperatures
2. Increase precopitation wil lead to more runoff and more flood risk
3. water vapour is a source of energy, releasing latent heat on condensation, with more energy, extreme weather events such as hurricanes are more powerful and frequent
4. Melting of permafrost, will lead to a reduction in water in the crypsphere

Question 8

Explain the impact of long time climate change on the carbon cycle

Answer 8

1. Increase temperatures will lead to More decomposition and transfer of co2 to the atmosphere
2. As forests are replaced by grasslands Amount of carbon stored within the biomes will diminish but will allow boreal forests of siberia and Canada to travel polewards
3. acidification of oceans will reduce photosynthesis by phytoplankton
   4.