Carbon And Water Cycles Flashcards
Within the boundaries of systems we find three properties
Elements- substances that make up the system
Attributes- characteristics of the elements perceived and measured
Relationships- how elements and attributes work together
Types of system
Close system- transfers of energy into and beyond system boundary but not matter
Open system- where matter and energy are transferred across the boundary
Isolated systems- no interactions with anything our side of the system, no inputs and outputs
Positive feedback loop
Seven cents in which before me an action causes a knock on affect/secondary affect. Becomes changed and often irreversible
E.g. Release of more water vapour
Negative feedback loop
A circumstance and which performing an action causes fewer performances of an action
Atmospheric water
Water found in the atmosphere; mainly water vapour with some liquid water and ice crystals. Water vapour found in visible masses (clouds)
In three states: gas (water vapour) being most
Important as it absorbs, reflects and scatters radiation
Small increase in water vapour- positive feedback loop
Cryospheric water
Water locked up on the Earth surface as ice
Permafrost Alpine glaciers Sea ice Ice caps Ice sheets
Terrestrial water
Consists of surface water (rivers, lakes, wetlands) groundwater soil water biological water (all water in biomass)
Oceanic water
Makes up 97% of water cycle
Salt dissolved in water stops freezing below 0
PH 8.5- increasing due to CO2 concentration
Factors affecting water flow and transfer
Evaporation (factors affecting the rate of reaction: insolation, surface area, temperature, humidity) Condensation Precipitation Sublimation Desublimation
Changes in the magnitude of water cycles over time
Daily
Dew and condensation in the morning
More evaporation during day
Weather generally
Seasonally
More water in monsoon seasons
Ice coverage dependent on season
Long periods of time
Warm and cold periods (holocene, Pleistocene, ice age)- human activity and milankotvitch
This takes place on local, micro and global scales
What is a drainage basin
Area of land drained by a river and it’s tributaries, this includes water found below the water table as well as soil water and surface flow
- Drainage basins separated by highlands called watershed
- Drainage basins are cascading systems- all linked so input of one is output of another
What is a river regime?
The variability in its discharge throughout the course of the year in response to precipitation, temperature, evapotranspiration and drainage basin characteristics- displayed on a hydrograph
What is the water balance
Balance between inputs (precipitation) and outputs (run off)
Factors affecting water flow in drainage basin
Vegetation and land use Soil type and depth Rainfall Shape of the land Bedrock Climate Conditions in drainage basin (ground frozen/baked) Size and shape of river
Recharge season
When precipitation exceeds potential evapotranspiration
Surplus season
When precipitation exceeds potential evapotranspiration
Storm hydrograph
Graph used to show how a rivers discharge changes in response to a precipitation event
Precipitation- bar graph
River discharge- line/ coloured area
Features of the storm hydrograph
Peak rainfall- hour of greatest rainfall
Peak discharge- time of maximum river discharge
Falling limb- a period of time when the rivers discharge is falling
Normal flow- base flow of the river
Rising limb- period of rising river discharge
Physical factors affecting storm hydrograph
Drainage basin shape Relief Drainage density Pervious weather conditions Geology Vegetation type and cover Precipitation intensity Drainage basin size
Human factors affecting the storm hydrograph
Deforestation Afforestation Land use Urbanisation Fluvial engineering Drainage basin management
Where carbon stored?
Lithosphere-earths crust and upper mantle (organic and inorganic)
Hydrosphere- oceans (surface layer, intermediate and deep layer, living organic matter)
Biosphere- total sum of all living matter (living vegetation, plant litter, soil hummus, peat, animals)
Atmosphere- CO2
Movement of carbon
Moves from each store in a continuous cycle- through transfers and fluxes
Net carbon sink- carbon entering a store then leaving
Net carbon source- leave and then enters
Natural factors increasing atmospheric CO2
Forest fires Volcanic eruptions Equestration of of carbon from the sea Biomass shuts down (seasonal) Interglacial periods
Natural factors decreasing atmospheric CO2
Long term reduction of volcanic activity
Glacial periods
Biomass regrows
Human factors increasing atmospheric CO2
Deforestation Climate change- burning CO2 Warmer oceans- less absorbed Combustion of forests Increased farming Tundra releasing carbon- due to climate change
Human factors decreasing atmospheric CO2
Carbon capture schemes
Afforestation
Impact of carbon on the land
Agriculture more intensive Increased temps More wildfires Farmland replaced by trees More CO2 in atmosphere means more plant growth
Impact on the ocean
Ocean acidification Ocean warming Melting sea ice Ocean salinity Sea level rise
Impact on the atmosphere
20% of CO2 in atmosphere
Enhanced greenhouse effect (radiative affect)
Change in the climate
Temp rise
Decrease in arctic and Antarctic
Increase in winter precipitation (N hemisphere)
Decrease in summer precipitation
Individual human intervention in climate change
Turn off lights
Walk/ less car more public transport
Eating less meat
Insulate house
Local/ regional human intervention in climate change
Other clean energy projects
Recycling projects
Greater public transport networks (other schemes-congestion charge)
Greener transport- electric cars, tax incentive
Global
Summits: Rio 92, Kyoto 97, Paris 2015
