Carbon- Cycle

Question 1

Keeling Curve

Answer 1

A graph representing concentrations of CO2 in earths atmosphere since 1958.

Question 2

How much of warming is attributed to carbon concentration increase?

Answer 2

60%

Question 3

Who was the first to note the correlation between CO2 increases and rising temperatures?

Answer 3

Arrgenius by measuring CO2 levels in atmosphere and comparing it to that of the ocean.

Question 4

Eddy Covariance Technique

Answer 4

Measures exchange of GHG between earths surface and the atmosphere

Question 5

Why is the Eddy Covariance Technique useful?

Answer 5

Allows to distinguish earth processes that are carbon sinks and carbon soruces.

Question 6

What happens to CO2 when it enters the ocean?

Answer 6

Reacts with sea water forming carbonic acid(H3CO3), an inorganic acid.

Question 7

What is the carbon composition of the ocean?

Answer 7

Carbonic acid is 1%, 90% Bicarbonate HCO3-, and 9% Carbonate Iones(C032-)

Question 8

Why is increasing ocean CO2 seqeustration significaiton in acidification?

Answer 8

It increases ionic concentration of bicarbonate, decreasing pH by H+ increase.

Question 9

What did Lashof identify in 1989?

Answer 9

Biogeochemical feedbacks

Question 10

Where does uncertainity arise in climate models?

Answer 10

The unknown fate in warming worlds, and corresponding radiative forcing, for example.

Question 11

What does the keeling curve exhibit?

Answer 11

Seasonal pulses of CO2 captured by terrestial biosphere, with gradual increase from year to year.

Question 12

How much does CO2 ppm increase?

Answer 12

By 2ppm

Question 13

Airborne Fraction

Answer 13

The fraction of anthropogenic CO2 emissions that remains in the atmosphere after natural processes have absorbed some of them.

Question 14

What is the airborne fraction of CO2?

Answer 14

60%

Question 15

How much do the ocean/terrestial sinks aborb?

Answer 15

About 25% each

Question 16

What would projections of warming be without ocean/terrestial sinks?

Answer 16

Twice as fast, above 500ppm, 2k above PIL.

Question 17

What factors contribute to decreases in carbon uptake over time by ocean/terrestrial?

Answer 17

Ocean stratification and reduced thermohaline circulation, and temperature

Question 18

Ocean stratification

Answer 18

Distinct layers in vertical sea water colmns

Question 19

CO2 fertilization effect

Answer 19

This causes increased photosynthesis rates whilst limiting leaf plant transpiration.

Question 20

What does the evolution of atmospheric CO2 result from?

Answer 20

Balance between CO2 emissions and land/ocean carbon sinks.

Question 21

Feedback Loop

Answer 21

The coupling of CO2-climate system dependence on climate change, and vice versa.

Question 22

What do pertubations in CO2 sink rate of ocean/terrestrial land lead to?

Answer 22

Suppression/Amplifcation of climate change alteration.

Question 23

How much of the 10 billion GtC remainin the atmosphere?

Answer 23

40%, 60% to land/oceans

Question 24

Why do ocean/land negative feedbacks occur?

Answer 24

Strenghtening of partial pressure of CO2 gradients like buffering capacity.

Question 25

What are the two processes determining land/ocean CO2 uptake?

Answer 25

Buffering capacity and CO2 fertilization effect.

Question 26

What is the most probable limiting effect of CO2 fertilization rates?

Answer 26

Nutrient limitation

Question 27

Beta Carbon

Answer 27

The sensitivty of stock in regards to transition to low carbon emissions.

Question 28

Why does CO2 fertilization rate increase?

Answer 28

Increased CO2 supply
Save water as stomatal conductance reduces in icnreasing CO2
Nutrient limitation