Carbon and water cycle Flashcards
Facts and Stats
what is the largest to smallest store of carbon
what are the precentages
- Lithosphere - 99.6%
- hydrosphere
- Cryosphere
4.Biosphere
5.Atmosphere
explain the global water distribution total
largest to smallest
- oceans and seas 96.5%
- freshwater 2.5%
- other saline water sources 1%
- cryosphere
- groundwater
- freshwater
- water vapour
what is the rate of ice caps melting?
how much has arctic ice decreased?
what is the effect of ice caps melting
- 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
explain the Tricellular model of atmospheric circulation
- 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
how reflective is snow/ice? (albedo)
95% reflective
how does deforestation of the Amazon effect precipitation there?
-rainfall lower by 0.25% each month for every 1% loss of amazon rainforest
which country was impacted hugely by water abstraction and how
-Mexico city , land subsidence (sinking)
Describe the Eden Basin (case study)
-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
how do human activities effect flood risk at the Eden Basin
-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= only 5-10% of region is covered in forest due to widespread clearance
describe storm Desmond in the Eden Basin
-December 2015
-devastating flooding
-record rainfall in Shap 260mm in 48 hours
-2000 properties flooded
what is the pioneer stage
what is the climax community, give examples
-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
explain the Mount St Helens case study
-1980 eruption
-10 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere in only 9 hours (humans do this currently in 2.5 hours per day)
explain the Pinatubo case study
-200m ash
-global dimming by 0.5 degrees for 5 years
-Philippines
what is a case study for a wildfire
-2018 ‘Campfire’
-Paradise, California
-150,000 acres
-around 5.5 million tons of co2 emitted
what is the long term effect of carbon absorption after deforestation
10 years after absorption goes from 30% to 12%
how much emissions does burning fossil fuels make each year
34 billion tons of co2 per year
how much co2 does concrete produce
- 1 tonne of concrete = 900kg co2
- 1 mile motorway = 30,000 tones of concrete
carbon capture and storage (ccs)
-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
afforestation
-The Great Green Wall of Africa = 250,000 tonnes of carbon sequestered
cons
-not enough space, maintenance
renewable energy
-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
International agreements
-COP 28 = 200 countries agreed to move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy
how much does deforestation contribute to co2 level?
1.5 billion tons of co2 from deforestation every year
what is the annual rainfall in the amazon rainforest
2 meters per year
how much of the amazon rainforest is deforested per year
19,300 km3 using slash and burn
how much carbon does the amazon rainforest store?
80-120 billion tons of carbon
what would happen if temps increased by 4 degrees to the amazon rainforest
kill 85% of the rainforest
what are the attempts of limiting human impacts on the amazon rainforest
-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
farming in the amazon rainforest
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.
