Carbon at a variety of scales

Question 1

(on a local scale) trees act as …

Answer 1

biological sequestrators (storing carbon in stems and leaves)

Question 2

explain the carbon cycle of a tree

Answer 2

coverts atmospheric co2 into organic molecules (vital for growth) through photosynthesis. co2 then descends through the root of the tree and is released into the soil through root cell respiration and the death of roots. co2 is also marginally released through plant respiration and when leaf litter falls and decomposes. decomposed leaf litter can also sink into soil- carbon stored in leaves transferred to soil

Question 3

what is a ‘sere’

Answer 3

is a vegetation succession (a sequence of changes) that relate to a specific environment

Question 4

lithosere definition

Answer 4

vegetation succession that occurs on bare rock

Question 5

hydrosere definition

Answer 5

water/pond

Question 6

halosere definition

Answer 6

salt marsh

Question 7

psamosere definition

Answer 7

coastal/ sand dunes

Question 8

first stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere

Answer 8

rock is exposed for the first time (eg after glacial retreat, tectonic uplift)

Question 9

second stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (weathering)

Answer 9

rock is slowly weathered and carbon can be released (dissolved in water)– links to the water cycle as it gets transferred to other stores

Question 10

third stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (vegetation)

Answer 10

vegetation (eg lichen and moss) starts to grow on bare rock and carbon exchange (photosynthesis) occurs

Question 11

fourth stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (soil)

Answer 11

as organic matter (leaf litter) is added to broken rock, a soil develops= wider range of plants

Question 12

fifth stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (why soil is important)

Answer 12

soil is very important as it can absorb and store carbon over long periods

Question 13

sixth stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (why more carbon is better)

Answer 13

more carbon in soil = different habitats established and range of wildlife

Question 14

seventh (final) stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere

Answer 14

is reached when environmental equilibrium is achieved — climatic climax

Question 15

carbon cycle at a continental scale (long– talk about weathering, oceans, tectonic uplift, volcanoes, etc)

Answer 15

acid rain reacts with minerals–slowly dissolves through chemical weathering–carbon left in water–carried by surface water to ocean–settles in the form of calcium carbonate–used by shells and corals (coral respiring released co2)– dead ones sink and become buried–turned to limestone–tectonic uplift exposes limestone–tectonic forces mean oceanic plate subducts beneath continental–deposits then subject to convection currents–rise back to surface through volcanic eruptions–co2 released back into atmosphere where it is dissolved in water. GOES BACK TO BEGINNING