Carbon And Water Flashcards
What is dynamic equilibrium?
Balance between outputs and inputs in systems. Stores stay the same
What is positive feedback?
Where the effects of an action are amplified or multiplied by knock on or secondary effects
What is negative feedback?
Where the effects of an action are nullified by it’s knock on effects
Hydropshere
Water
Biosphere
Plants and animals
Cryosphere
Ice
Lithosphere
Rock
Why is carbon important?
Exists in all organisms and is important for recycling nutrients between organisms
How are water and carbon cycles linked?
They are independant via oceans, atsmosphere, cryosphere and vegetation. Human activity affects both cycles
What is a carbon sink?
Store that absorbs more than it releases
What is a carbon source?
Releases more carbon than it absorbs
What is the global distribution of the lithosphere?
Distributed between sediments and sedimentary rocks, organic matter and peat bogs
What is the size of the lithosphere?
99.985% of total carbon
What is the global distribution of the atmosphere?
Gaseous carbon
What is the size of the atmosphere?
0.0015%
What is the global distribution of the biosphere?
Living plants and animals
What is the global distribution of the hydrosphere?
Organic stores divided into surface layer, deep layer and living organic matter
What is the global distribution of the cryosphere?
Frozen mosses, methyl clathrates
What is the size of the cryosphere?
0.0018%
How does deforestation affect carbon cycle?
Removal of trees results in less carbon dioxide being used in photosynthesis. Increase in CO2 levels leading to global warming
How does burning fossil fuels affect the carbon cycle?
Releases CO2 into the atmosphere which increases greenhouse effect and global warming
What is a fast carbon cycle?
Changes rapidly (fast organic and fast non -organic)
What is slow carbon cycle?
Time scales of millions of years (slow organic and slow non-organic)
Fast processes?
Photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, ocean uptake and loss
Slow processes?
Burial and compaction, weathering
What is carbon sequestration?
The transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to plants, soils, rocks and oceans
Is carbon sequestration fast or slow?
Both fast or slow depending on if it is natural or human
What is human sequestration?
An example is CCS (carbon capture and storage). Capturing CO2 emissions from industrial processes and storing them underground - preventing release into the atmosphere.
What is natural/biological sequestration?
Plants capture CO2 from atmosphere and store it as carbon in the stems and roots of then plants as well as the soil. Also afforestation and reforestation enhance biological sequestration.
What is biosynthesis?
Change in chemical compound
What is the carbon budget?
The measure of the carbon that is stored and transferred within the carbon cycle. Measures CO2 stored against CO2 going out.
What are the impacts of a changing carbon budget?
Dense vegetation - more humidity and cloud cover due to high rates of photosynthesis and respiration.
More impacts of changing carbon budget?
Deforestation gets rid of carbon stores which means that less carbon is being stored - change in carbon budget
Any more impacts of carbon budget?
Warming oceans due to climate change - plankton in decline - less dimethyl sulphide = less clouds, more carbon, and a drier climate
Why are warm conditions ideal for plant growth?
Photosynthesis - co2 is absorbed
General effects of deforestation on TRFs?
- photosynthesis decreases
- plant and animal respiration reduced
- carbon content of soil increased
- carbon runoff increase
- decomposition less active
- replacement crop less effective in removing co2 from the atmosphere
How much carbon does the Amazon rainforest store?
76 billion tonnes of carbon
How much carbon does the amazon rainforest absorb per year?
600 million tonnes
How does changing carbon budget effect the amazon rainforest?
Increase in co2 - growth of trees - trees die younger - surge of rate of tree death in the amazon
What is the average annual rainfall in the amazon rainforest?
Approx 2300mm daily. Only 50% reaches ground due to interception. Deforestation means much less interception
How much of Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions due to deforestation?
75%
How is removal of amazon rainforest done?
Using slash and burn techniques which reduces soil humidity retention
How many hectares of land lost in the amazon rainforest between 2000 and 2010?
3.6 hectares per year
When forests are cleared how much carbon is lost to the atmosphere?
30-60% of carbon
How is top soil washed away?
Soil exposed to heavy rainfall after forest clearance
What does increased rainfall lead to?
Flash flooding
How many tonnes of carbon are absorbed by photosynthesis in an undisturbed tropical rainforest?
Around 30.4 tonnes
What does deforestation result in?
There being less storage and absorption and larger transfers of carbon into the atmosphere
An example of mitigating industrial combustion?
Canada
Boundary dam: saskatchewah Canada -
- worlds first commercial CCS call fired power station
- aims to cut co2 emissions by 90%. Expect to reduce greenhouse gases by 1million tons a yr
- CCS depends on using co2 to increase oil production
What did Sri Lanka do?
- in 2015 it has become the first country to protect all of its mangrove forests
- mangroves absorb more co2 than other forests and fix it into the soil and do not burn due to swampy conditions
- by modifying photosynthesis by planting trees, there is a larger amount of carbon being stored
Atmosphere
Air
What are the 5 sub-systems of the earth?
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
Cryosphere
Atmosphere
Lithosphere
Why are the carbon cycles important?
They are key to having a working plant. Water cycles play a key role in weather habits and everything has carbon it it. If we didn’t have them, the world would decombust. They are also important for recycling between organisms - knock on effects.
What is surface water?
Free-flowing water of rivers as well as the water of ponds and lakes
What is groundwater?
Water that collects underground on the rock
What is biological water?
Constitutes the water stored on all the biomass. It varies widely around the globe depending on the vegetation cover and type. Areas of dense rainforest store much more water than deserts.
What is porous sandy soil?
Holds very little water
What are clay soils?
Store a huge amount of water but allow very little transfer through
Sea ice
Does not raise seal levels when it melts as it forms from ocean water - rises it very very slightly
What are ice sheets?
They form when winter snowfall doesn’t melt entirely in the summer - over years ice layers build up and compress. Constantly moving downhill due to weight
What are ice caps?
Dome shaped and located over the highest points of an upland area
What are alpine glaciers?
Thick masses of ice found in deep valleys and upland hollows
What is permafrost?
Ground (soil or rock) that remains at or below 0 degrees Celsius for at least 2 consecutive years.
What does melting permafrost release?
Huge amounts of co2 and methane
What states does atmosphere water exist most commonly in?
Gas and water vapour
What is store residence time?
A measure of the average time a molecule of water spends in a reservoir.
Stores within the water cycle have different residence times - the amount of water in a store divided by either the rate of addition of water to the store or the rate of loss from it.
Why does water in the soil not remain for as long?
As it may:
- be quickly percolated into bedrock
- be transpired by plants into the atmosphere
- be transferred into rivers by throughflow
- be evaporated into the atsmosphere
- groundwater replacement can take 10s to thousands of years to replace
What are the different movements of water?
- ablation
- freezing
- vapourisation
- condensation
- evaporation
What does the movement of water depend on?
- amount of solar energy
- availability of water
- humidity of the air (humid air the closer to saturation point the air is so less evaporation will occur)
- temp of the air (warmed air can hold more water than cold air)
What is condensation the direct cause of?
Precipitation
When does condensation occur?
- the temperature of air is reduced to the dew point (heat radiated away from the earth and ground gets cooler)
- when air rises it cools, as it cools it expands, this can occur when air is forced over hills - this is the orographic effect.
What is frontal rainfall?
1) Areas of warm and cool air are blown towards each other by the wind
2) The lighter, less dense warm air is forced to rise over denser, cooler air
3) Frontal rain produces a variety of clouds as being moderate to heavy rain
What is relief rainfall?
• The air drops down over the mountain warming as it does. As it warms it increases the amount of water it can hold, meaning little rainfall occurs here – shadow effect
• The moist, warm air is forced to rise, cools and condenses forming clouds.
• The prevailing winds pick up moisture from the sea
What is conventional rainfall?
1) The surface of earth is heated by sun
2) Warm surface heats air above it . Hot air always rises and so the air begins to cool and condense.
3) Convection produces cumulus-nimbus clouds which produce heavy rain and the possible thunder and lightning.
What is sublimation?
Transfer from a solid state to a gaseous state and vice-versa
What is interception?
Water intercepted and stored on leaves of plants
What is overland flow/ runoff?
Transfer of water over the land surface when rainfall exceeds infiltration capacity
What is infiltration?
Transfer of water from ground surface into soil where it may then percolate into underlying rocks.
(The downward movement of water from the surface into soil)
What is throughflow?
Water flowing, through soil towards a river channel
What is percolation?
Water soaking into soil. (Movement of water down through the ground)
What is groundwater flow?
Transfer of water very slowly through rocks
How do storms have an impact on water stores?
Intense rainfall increases the amount of rainfall reaching the ground and increases the magnitude of stores.
How do seasonal changes affect changes in water stores?
Winter snowfalls and frozen ground interrupt the water transfers and affect the magnitude of stores
How does farming have an impact on the changes in water stores?
Ditches drain the land and encourage water to flow quickly into rivers. Irrigation increases the amount of water on the ground.
How does urbanisation have an impact on the changes in water stores?
If the slope is developed for housing, impermeable surfaces will reduce infiltration. Water will flow quickly through pipes to nearby river channels.
How does deforestation affect the changes in water stores?
The removal of trees reduces interception and infiltration - overland flow increases.
What is the soil water budget?
Describes the changes in soil water during the course of the year due to infiltration
Why can soil water budgets vary considerably?
Depending on type and depth of the soil, its texture and its permeability
What is the drainage basin?
The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries. It includes water found on the surface soil and near surface geology.
What type of system is the drainage basin an example of?
An open system - with inputs, transfers and outputs.
What is stem flow?
Water lands on plants and runs down their stems
What is groundwater store and flow?
Water deep in the ground
What is precipitation?
Rain, snow, hail and sleet
What is surface flow?
Lakes, ponds and puddles
What is evapotranspiration?
Water rises as vapour from the ground or released from leaves
What is transpiration?
Where water vapour comes out of leaves
What is soil storage?
Water held between soil particles
What is the water balance?
Within a drainage basin the balance between inputs, outputs is known as the water balance/ budget.
What are the movement and stores of a drainage basin?
Inputs – precipitation onto land
Stores – lakes and surface water
Transfers – overland flow
Outputs – evapotranspiration and transpiration from vegetation
What is the rivers regime?
Discharge levels rise and fall in a river, often showing an annual pattern.
What are the factors affecting the shape of a flood hydrograph?
Climate change (more intense storms etc)
Precipitation – amount, intensity and duration of rainfall
Shape of channel
Climate and seasonal change
Human activities e.g infrastructure/ dams, reservoirs
Vegetation (and management)
Soil type saturation
Land use – urbanisation etc
Watershed size and topography
What is lag time?
time difference between the peak of the rain storm and the peak flow of the river
How does lag time link to flooding?
Longer lag time means it is less likely to flood
What are the physical factors affecting discharge to a river?
Which lead to a short lag time - more likely to flood
• High intensity rainfall (generates run off) reducing lag time
• Watershed size (smaller watershed = shorter lag time)
• Steep slopes (faster runoff and shorter lag time)
What are the human factors which affect discharge to a river?
Which lead to a short lag time - more likely to flood
• Urbanisation – pavements and buildings generate rapid runoff, shorter lag times
• Deforestation – reduces interception rates allowing rainwater to hit surface directly.
What are the physical factors affecting discharge to a river?
Which lead to a long lag time - less likely to flood
• Large watershed – more time for rainfall to travel to river – longer lag tome
• Flat terrain – slow-down runoff, extending lag time
What are the human factors which affect discharge to a river?
Which lead to a long lag time - less likely to flood
• Lack of urbanisation – longer lag time
• Dry climates – have longer lag times due to infrequent rainfall events
How does urbanisation affect the shape of a hydrograph?
Urbanisation affects the shape of a hydrograph as the permeable surfaces it creates means that water cannot be absorbed so there is a shorter lag time meaning it is more likely to flood. Steep-rising limb.
What are the factors which can affect changes in the water cycle?
Natural variation affecting change:
- Extreme weather – severe storms, droughts
- Seasonal variations – particularly at med-high latitudes
How can drought impact upon stores and transfers?
- Drought causes reduction in water stores in rivers and lakes
- Vegetation dies back or is destroyed by fire – it affects processes such as transpiration, interception and infiltration.
- Groundwater flow becomes more important – it is a long term transfer and not affected by short term weather extremes
- Heat and dry air causes high rates of evapotranspiration. This declines as water on the ground dries up – less water available to be evaporated, and trees transpire less.
Explain how land use changes can affect the water cycle
Urbanisation - replacement of vegetated ground with impermeable concrete and tarmac means that water can’t infiltrate soil, increasing overland flow and makes flooding more likely. Soil water and groundwater stores reduced. Deforestation and removal of trees also means there is surface runoff and soil erosion.
How does farming practises affect the water cycle?
Farmers are able to control the local water cycle through irrigation or land drainage - soil covered with plants have higher infiltration and soil water rates, and therefore, reduced run-off.
How does water abstraction affect the water cycle?
Water that i abstracted for instigation, industry or domestic purposes can have significant effects on local water cycle.
Why is carbon important?
Carbon is a basic chemical element needed by all plants and animals to survive
Why is the recycling of carbon important?
Recycling of carbon is essential for life on earth and food for animals and plants, energy sources for industrial development.
What is that carbon cycle?
The route carbon follows on earth
What is the primary source of carbon?
The earth’s interior
What are the stores of carbon?
All 5 sub-systems
Describe the lithosphere
• Includes crust and uppermost mantle – hard and rigid outer layer of the earth
• Carbon is stored in the lithosphere in both inorganic and organic forms
• Inorganic deposits for carbon in the lithosphere: fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas
• Organic forms – litter, organic matter and human substances found in soil
Describe the atmopshere
• Carbon dioxide in the atsmosphere is about 400ppm
• Due to human activities co2 levels are the highest they have been for 800,000 years
• CO2 plays a role in regulating earths temperature
Describe the biosphere
• The total sum of all living matter
• Living regeneration, plant littler, soil hummus, peat and animals
Describe the hydrosphere
• Ocean is important in carbon cycle
• Measuremnts come from deep and shallow waters from all the oceans
• Surface layer, intermediate layer and deep layer and also organic matter (fish, plankton, bacteria etc).
Explain how deforestation affects the stores and transfers of carbon in a tropical rainforest
Carbon is store din above ground biomass and below ground biomass
Due to deforestation there is less carbon store in this biomass
Large amount of carbon is also being emitted via burning, decay of slash and soil erosion
Deforestation has resulted in there being less storage and absorption and larger transfers of carbon into the atmosphere
