Carbon and water cycle

Question 1

what is the largest to smallest store of carbon

what are the precentages

Answer 1

1. Lithosphere - 99.6%
2. hydrosphere
3. Cryosphere
   4.Biosphere
   5.Atmosphere

Question 2

explain the global water distribution total

largest to smallest

Answer 2

1. oceans and seas 96.5%
2. freshwater 2.5%
3. other saline water sources 1%
4. cryosphere
5. groundwater
6. freshwater
7. water vapour

Question 3

what is the rate of ice caps melting?

how much has arctic ice decreased?

what is the effect of ice caps melting

Answer 3

• 9% per decade
• Arctic ice has decreased by 40% since 1960s

-easier shipping routes around Greenland and iceland = less fuel for ships= less carbo
-animal habitats melting = number of polar bears has decreased by 72%
-albedo =warmer temps = climate change or longer growing periods for vegetation = economy

Question 4

explain the Tricellular model of atmospheric circulation

Answer 4

• Equator = insolation (heat and light) max, low pressure due to rising limb of hadley cell, rain and hot, convectional rain, rainforests

-30 degrees = high pressure, low rainfall, falling limb of the hadely cell, desserts

• 60degrees = low pressure due to rising limb of polar cell, wet, cool

-north and south pole = cold, dry, high pressure, falling limb of polar cell

Question 5

how reflective is snow/ice? (albedo)

Answer 5

95% reflective

Question 6

how does deforestation of the Amazon effect precipitation there?

Answer 6

-rainfall lower by 0.25% each month for every 1% loss of amazon rainforest

Question 7

which country was impacted hugely by water abstraction and how

Answer 7

-Mexico city , land subsidence (sinking)

Question 8

Describe the Eden Basin (case study)

Answer 8

-northwest England
-river Eden’s source is in the Pennine Hills in south Cumbria
-Carlisle is vulnerable to flooding because it is low-lying and at the confluence of eden petteril and caldew river
-rainfall 3x higher than national average approx 2,800mm
-slopes= decrease lag time
-parts are impermeable igneous rock = increases surface runoff

Question 9

how do human activities effect flood risk at the Eden Basin

Answer 9

-farming= soil compaction, 2000-9 30% increase in cattle grazing = reduces vegetation= less interception

-construction/ urbanisation = Eden Gate development = new homes, 10,000 new homes plan

-deforestation

Question 10

describe storm Desmond in the Eden Basin

Answer 10

-December 2015
-devastating flooding
-record rainfall in Shap 260mm in 48 hours
-2000 properties flooded

Question 11

what is the pioneer stage

what is the climax community, give examples

Answer 11

-beginning of succession, minimal biomass, biodiversity and carbon storage

-maximum biomass, biodiversity and carbon storage
e.g temperate deciduous woodland (like ashton court), amazon rainforest

Question 12

explain the Mount St Helens case study

Answer 12

-1980 eruption
-10 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere in only 9 hours (humans do this currently in 2.5 hours per day)

Question 13

explain the Pinatubo case study

Answer 13

-200m ash
-global dimming by 0.5 degrees for 5 years
-Philippines

Question 14

what is a case study for a wildfire

Answer 14

-2018 ‘Campfire’
-Paradise, California
-150,000 acres
-around 5.5 million tons of co2 emitted

Question 15

what is the long term effect of carbon absorption after deforestation

Answer 15

10 years after absorption goes from 30% to 12%

Question 16

how much emissions does burning fossil fuels make each year

Answer 16

34 billion tons of co2 per year

Question 17

how much co2 does concrete produce

Answer 17

• 1 tonne of concrete = 900kg co2
• 1 mile motorway = 30,000 tones of concrete

Question 18

carbon capture and storage (ccs)

Answer 18

-22 carbon capture projects in the world- in norht america most
-can reduce emissions at the source

cons
-co2 could leak out of underground reservoirs
-induced seismicity = earthquakes

Question 19

afforestation

Answer 19

-The Great Green Wall of Africa = 250,000 tonnes of carbon sequestered

cons
-not enough space, maintenance

Question 20

renewable energy

Answer 20

-30% of world energy
-no greenhouse gas emissions
-Freiburg Freiburg has over 400 solar panel installations, has goals of achieving 100% renewable energy by 2035

cons
-expensive
-NIMBY
-not reliable 100% of the time and place

Question 21

International agreements

Answer 21

-COP 28 = 200 countries agreed to move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy

Question 22

how much does deforestation contribute to co2 level?

Answer 22

1.5 billion tons of co2 from deforestation every year

Question 23

what is the annual rainfall in the amazon rainforest

Answer 23

2 meters per year

Question 24

how much of the amazon rainforest is deforested per year

Answer 24

19,300 km3 using slash and burn

Question 25

how much carbon does the amazon rainforest store?

Answer 25

80-120 billion tons of carbon

Question 26

what would happen if temps increased by 4 degrees to the amazon rainforest

Answer 26

kill 85% of the rainforest

Question 27

what are the attempts of limiting human impacts on the amazon rainforest

Answer 27

-selective logging
-afforestation = Peru plans to restore 3.2 million hectares
-environmental law = Brazilian forest code for landowners to keep 50-80% of land as forest
-protection = national parks e.g Central Amazon Conservation complex in Brazil

Question 28

farming in the amazon rainforest

Answer 28

Extensive cattle ranching is the number one culprit of deforestation in virtually every Amazon country, and it accounts for 80% of current deforestation (Nepstad et al. 2008). Alone, the deforestation caused by cattle ranching is responsible for the release of 340 million tons of carbon to the atmosphere every year, equivalent to 3.4% of current global emissions. Beyond forest conversion, cattle pastures increase the risk of fire and are a significant degrader of riparian and aquatic ecosystems, causing soil erosion, river siltation and contamination with organic matter. Trends indicate that livestock production is expanding in the Amazon.