carbon cycle Flashcards
name where the 3 main stores of carbon are
lithosphere
hydrosphere
pedosphere (soil)
name 2 uses of carbon as an economic resource
contained in fossil fuels
which are used as raw materials
used as fertiliser
what is the main importance of carbon globally
contributes to greenhouse effect
what is the carbon budget
balance between stores and sinks
what are the 3 main stores of carbon
marine and sedimentary rocks (69%)
oceans
fossil fuel deposits
where is carbon stored in each of the following
lithosphere
hydrosphere
biosphere
atmosphere
lith- sedimentary rock deposits
hydrosphere- surface layer of oceans
biosphere- organic matter in soils and living/ dead organisms
atmosphere- co2 in atmosphere
what is a flux
change in amount of carbon held in a store
describe the main steps in the slow carbon cycle
atmospheric co2 absorbed by oceans
co2 used by marine organisms to form shells
organisms die and sink to sea floor which forms sedimentary rock
tectonics subduct limestone into mantle and carbon is released in volcanoes
how long is carbon usually held in sedimentary rock
150 million years
describe the main steps in the fast carbon cycle
photosynthesis absorbs co2
respiration from plants and decomposition returns co2 back into atmosphere
carbon exchange occurs between atmosphere and oceans also
name the 3 main factors that have an effect on carbon stores
distribution of land and sea
distribution of fossil fuels
latitude and climate- determine characteristics of ecosystem
name 2 examples of how carbon is stored in the biosphere
living vegetation
peat
what is gross primary production
amount of carbon primary produced produce each year
what is carbon sequestration
describes the transfer of carbon from atmosphere to other stores
what are the 2 most important processes in the fast carbon cycle
photosynthesis and respiration
what is the average flux of carbon from photosynthesis each year
120 gigatones
what is biosynthesis
production of a new carbon compound by a living organism
what is net primary productivity
difference between amt of carbon taken in by photosynthesis and amount released by respiration
what happens to atmospheric co2 with rainwater
it dissolves it
what type of weathering releases carbon
carbonation
what is the physical ocean pump
mixing of surface and deep ocean waters
what is downwelling and what is it caused by
cold water is denser then warm water causing it to sink
co2 absorbed at surface is transported to deep waters by convection causing it to be stored in lower layers of ocean
what is upwelling and what is it caused by
deep ocean currents transport co2 to surface
co2 diffuses out to atmosphere
how does the biological pump work
microorganisms move carbon from atmosphere to deep ocean
phytoplankton near surface produce organic material by using dissolved co2
carbon in phytoplankton accumulates in sediments on sea floor
other organisms extract carbon from sea water to produce shells
decay releases c02 into deep water which gets trapped in sedimentary rocks for millions of years
what influence does volcanic activity have on the carbon cycle
returns carbon to atmosphere that has been trapped in sedimentary rock for millions of years
how do low latitudes influence carbon
due to increase in temp there is increased rates of photosynthesis and respiration
so more movement from atmosphere to biosphere
faster rates of decomposition faster carbon cycle overall
how do high latitudes influence carbon
decreased photosynthesis and respiration
biosphere store goes to atmospheric and then into pedosphere
slower rate if decomposition
permafrost holds an extremely high amount of carbon
slower cycle overall
how does liquid availability affect processes and stores
more water
more precipitation so more photosynthesis
more decomposition
more decomposition
more chemical weathering - lithosphere to hydro and atmosph
faster carbon cycle
short term factors
what 2 diurnal changes affect carbon
what 2 seasonal changes affect carbon
day- more photosynthesis so more transfer from atmosphere to biosphere
night- no photosynthesis but respiration so biosphere to atmosphere and pedosphere
summer- increase in carbon stores in biosphere
winter- more respiration and decomposition
long term factors
what are the main climate change factors that affect the carbon cycle
glacial - reduced temps
inter-glacial increased temps
volcanic activity
what are the main impacts of glacial on carbon cycle
less co2 in atmosphere
more carbon stored in deep ocean
what percentage of carbon release is land use change responsible for globally
10%
what type of change does land use stores mainly affect
short term
what cycle does urbanisation have an affect on
local carbon cycle
why does urbanisation have an affect on land use stores
important stores are removed or covered up
what impact does the clearance of forest for farming have on carbon
reduces storage so reduces biosphere store
what is ploughing and how does it affect carbon
turning over of soil
exposes organic matter to oxidation causing it to decompose reducing pedosphere store
what is the main source of carbon emissions on farms
artificial fertilisers as it increases atmospheric stores
what impact does livestock have on carbon stores
release methane
how much global methane production does rice contribute to
20%
what impact does forestry have on carbon stores
increases biosphere carbon stores as trees sequester the carbon
what is the downside to forest trees
they only are an active carbon sink for 100 years
how much carbon dioxide emissions does deforestation account for
20%
what s the impact of fossil fuels on the carbon cycle
increase atmospheric store which enhances greenhouse effect
how much tonnes of co2 is due to fossil fuels each year
10 billion
what is carbon capture and storage
attempt to reduce global carbon emissions by capturing carbon and storing it deep underground
what is an example of a carbon capture scheme
boundary dam in canada
what state is the global carbon cycle currently in
disequilibrium due to anthropogenic activity
what is an example of a long term negative feedback carbon cycle
carbon fertilisation
how does carbon fertilisation work
stimulates photosynthesis and stores carbon in biosphere
explain the negative feedback loop of weathering
warmer temps
more precipitation
increase in chemical weathering
more carbon for marine organisms to build shells
organisms die and sink to floor increasing burial
what is an example of a short term positive feedback loop for carbon
increase in global temps
explain the short term positive feedback loop for increase in global temps
increase in global temps
increase in oceanic temp
warm water holds less co2
less co2 dissolved in oceans more co2 being released from ocean to atmosphere
so more co2 in atmosphere
