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Geography - A - Global Systems > Block 6 (The Global Carbon Cycle) > Flashcards

Block 6 (The Global Carbon Cycle) Flashcards

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1
Q

Define the carbon cycle

A

A biochemical cycle, in which carbon moves between the lithosphere, oceans, atmosphere

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2
Q

What type of system is the global carbon cycle?

A

Closed (no matter in or out, but energy can move in or out)

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3
Q

What components is the global carbon cycle made up of?

A
  • Fluxes (inputs + outputs)

- Stores/reservoirs

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4
Q

Carbon flows through abiotic + biotic things. What sphere is the abiotic things?

A

Geosphere - e.g. rock

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5
Q

At what time scale does carbon move through the geosphere?

A

Long time scale (slow)

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6
Q

At what time scale does carbon move through the biosphere?

A

Biosphere (e.g. plants)

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7
Q

Define carbon stores/reservoirs

A

Places in the Earth’s system where carbon can be found

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8
Q

Carbon flows through abiotic + biotic things. What sphere is the biotic things?

A

Biosphere

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9
Q

What are the 5 global carbon stores?

A
  • Lithosphere + sedimentary rock
  • Oceans
  • Fossil fuels
  • Biosphere
  • Atmosphere
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10
Q

What is the percentage of global carbon stored + average residence time in the lithosphere store?

A
  • 99.9%

- 150 mill yrs

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11
Q

What is the percentage of global carbon stored + average residence time in the ocean store?

A
  • 0.064%

- 25 mill -> 1250 mill

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12
Q

What is the percentage of global carbon stored + average residence time in the fossil fuel store?

A
  • 0.007%

- 150 mill yrs

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13
Q

What is the percentage of global carbon stored + average residence time in the biosphere store?

A
  • 0.003%

- 18 yrs

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14
Q

What is the percentage of global carbon stored + average residence time in the atmosphere store?

A
  • 0.001%

- 6 yrs

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15
Q

Define residence time?

A

Time carbon is held in a store

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16
Q

Define mass balance

A

The theory that the total amount/mass of global carbon doesn’t change (it just shifts between stores)

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17
Q

What is the mass balance of the global carbon is fixed?

A

Approx 1.85 bill bill tonnes

18
Q

Define fluxes/flows

A

Movements/transfers of carbon between stores

19
Q

Define inputs

A

The flux movement of carbon into a store

20
Q

Define outputs

A

The flux movement of carbon out of a store

21
Q

Define processes

A

Physical mechanisms that drive the inputs/outputs from stores (e.g. photosynthesis)

22
Q

Give 3 ways that the carbon cycle is relevant for humans?

A
  • Carbon is ubiquitous (everywhere)
  • Carbon is a building block (for humans + living beings)
  • Carbon has become an important factor in anthropogenic climate change
23
Q

What did The Paris Agreement + COP-26 agree on carbon emissions?

A
  • Must be lowered

- Global temps should stay within 1.5C increase of pre-industrial levels

24
Q

What type of carbon is stored in biotic things?

A

Organic carbon

25
Q

What type of carbon is stored in abiotic things?

A

Inorganic carbon

26
Q

What are the 3 types of carbon pathways we must know?

A
  • Between land + atmosphere (at a local, short term scale)
  • Between ocean + atmosphere
  • Between land + oceans
27
Q

Which of the three carbon pathways is the ‘fast’ pathway? Why?

A

Between land and atmosphere

Carbon has relatively short residence times in land + atmosphere stores

28
Q

What are the processes involved in the land-atmosphere carbon pathway?

A

1) Fossil fuel combustion
2) Carbon sequestration + photosynthesis
3) Respiration
4) Decomposition

29
Q

Outline the fossil fuel combustion process in the land-atmosphere carbon pathway

A
  • Burning coal, oil, natural gas releases CO2 into atmosphere
  • Land -> Atmosphere
  • (Provides 85% of global energy consumption)
30
Q

Outline the carbon sequestration + photosynthesis process in the land-atmosphere carbon pathway

A
  • Sequestration = CO2 removed from atmosphere + stored as liquid or solid.
  • Photosynthesis = natural sequestration done by green plants. CO2 removed from atmosphere,combined with water, leaves glucose + O2.
  • Atmosphere -> Land
  • Photosynthesis formula: 6C02 + 6H20 -> C6H1206 + 602
  • (Opposite of respiration - happens slightly faster)
31
Q

Outline the respiration process in the land-atmosphere carbon pathway

A
  • Living organisms release CO2 when they react glucose + oxygen together to release energy
  • Land -> Atmosphere
  • Respiration formula: C6H12O6 + 6O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H20
  • (Opposite of photosynthesis - happens slightly slower)
32
Q

Outline the decomposition process in the land-atmosphere carbon pathway

A
  • When organic matter dies it is broken down, releasing CO2
  • Land -> Atmosphere
  • Physical breakdown processes: wind + water
  • Chemical breakdown processes: leaching + oxidation
  • Biological breakdown processes: bacteria/fungi feed and digest
33
Q

When is the rate of the decomposition process fastest?

A

In warm, oxygenated conditions

34
Q

What is Net Primary Productivity (NPP)?

A

Rate new organic matter is produced by photosynthesis (per unit area, per unit time)

35
Q

Where is NPP highest?

A

Warm water estuaries, marshes, rainforests

36
Q

What are the processes involved in the ocean-atmosphere carbon pathway?

A
  • Physical (inorganic) carbon cycle pump

- Biological (organic) carbon cycle pump

37
Q

Outline the process of the physical (inorganic) pump in the ocean-atmosphere carbon pathway

A

DOWNWELLING (Atmosphere -> Ocean)

  • CO2 diffuses from atmosphere to water surface
  • Dissolved CO2 moves into deep water as cold water (dense) sinks

UPWELLING (Ocean -> Atmosphere)

  • CO2 in deep water can move up to surface as warm water (less dense) rises
  • CO2 in surface water diffuses into atmosphere
38
Q

Outline the process of the biological (organic) pump in the ocean-atmosphere carbon pathway

A
  • Atmosphere -> Ocean
  • CO2 from atmosphere absorbed by phytoplankton in photosynthesis
  • Phytoplankton eaten by other marine organisms, who gain carbon
  • These marine organisms are eaten by others, carbon passes through marine food web
  • Some carbon falls to sea floor as they die + is squashed into sediment
39
Q

Which of the 3 carbon pathways is ‘slow’? Why?

A

Land-Ocean

Happens in a long sequence that takes a long time

40
Q

What is the sequence of the land-ocean carbon pathway?

A

1) Weathering
2) Transport to oceans
3) Marine shells
4) Lithification

41
Q

Outline the sequence of the land-ocean carbon pathway

A

1) Weathering
- Rocks broken down in situ
- Carbon is left in the form of soluble bicarbonates
- Most commonly this is by carbonation

2) Transport to oceans
- Dissolved bicarbonates move to oceans
- Transported by: channel flow, through flow, groundwater flow

3) Marine shells
- In oceans, dissolved bicarbonates are used by marine organisms to make shells

4) Lithification
- Marine organisms die
- Carbon-rich shells are lithified (turned into rock)
- An oceanic sediment layer/‘carbon pool’ is formed
- Eventually, some carbon is returned to atmosphere by tectonic movements (CO2 released from subducting melting rock)

42
Q

What is carbonation? What is its significance in carbon pathways?

A
  • Type of chemical weathering
  • Rainwater combines with dissolved CO2 to create a weak carbonic acid that changes rock containing limes -> bicarbonates
  • Most common weathering process in first stage of the land-ocean carbon pathway

Geography - A - Global Systems (8 decks)

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