Carbon cycle Flashcards
2 ways that carbon can be emitted by geological processes:
Chemical weathering - dissolving of calcium carbonate rocks from acid rain that releases carbon (tall cliffs of St Oswalds Bay, Dorset)
Outgassing - CO2 stored within magma released by volcanic eruptions, as well as subduction zones and geysers (e.g. in Iceland)
Biological pump in oceans explained:
CO2 in atmosphere can be consumed by phytoplankton that use it for
photosynthesis
When they die the carbon stored in their bodies is transferred to the deep ocean
Carbonate pump in oceans explained:
Chemical weathering can wash carbon based molecules into the sea through rivers
These react with CO2 in water to form calcium carbonate, used by some marine organisms to make shells
When these die they sink to bottom of ocean and sediment rich in calcium carbonate is left
Physical pump in oceans explained:
Cold water has a greater capacity to hold CO2 than warm water, sinks and held under pressure by water above it
Thermohaline circulation moves warmer water into cooler areas of world, as warm water cools the CO2 sinks to the deeper waters
In the other way around when cooler waters move towards the warmer waters it causes CO2 to rise near surface, could be released into atmosphere or absorbed by phytoplankton
3 infrastructures used to transfer energy:
.Gas and oil pipelines that cross continents as well as seas
.Transmission lines that transfer electricity
.Shipping routes that transport natural gas, oil and coal
4 factors that can interrupt energy pathways:
Conflict : pirates are known to operate off the coast of Somalia, targeting tankers leaving middle eastern countries
Hazards : earthquakes or extreme temperatures
Time : Pipelines and transmission lines can
become damaged over time
Chokepoints : the Panama canal providing a passageway between Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, can sometimes get congested which slows the ships down, causing energy prices to rise
Over half the world’s oil goes through chokepoints, narrow sea channel where key transport routes can be disrupted
Examples of major pipelines:
1) Yamal-Europe pipeline connecting gas reserves of Western Siberia, Russia to Germany
2)Kazakhstan-China transports oil from western Kazakhstan to western China
3)Trans-Mediterranean is a gas pipeline from Algeria to Italy
4 main unconventional fossil fuel sources:
-Fracking to extract natural gas
-Tar sands to extract oil
-Oil shale to extract oil
-Deep water oil, drilling to extract oil
Canadian tar sands facts:
Canada holds world’s largest tar sand reserves.
Exploitation of the tar sands has produced high levels of income, employed 400 000 people.
However produces contaminated wastewater, groups of indigenous people forced to move out, new vegetation growth is impossible and aquatic life can be killed.
USA fracking facts:
Mainly done in Texas and Colorado.
Large areas of vegetation removed, causing destruction of habitats and wildlife to move out.
Also causes increased air pollution, releases methane and other gases.
Deep water oil (USA and Brazil) facts:
Brazil currently rely on HEP but there are concerns that climate change will affect flow of rivers and ability of dams to generate power.
Deep water oil helps make Brazil and USA more energy secure.
Deep water drilling can be dangerous, explosions and spillages can occur, BP spillage in 2010 spilled 200 million gallons of oil, it is also very expensive.
4 alternatives of fossil fuels and examples:
1)Nuclear power - Hinckley point C in UK
2)Wind power - Hornsea project 1 in UK
4)Solar power - Chapel lane solar farm, serving 75% of houses in Bournemouth
4)Biofuels - Brazil first in the world, producing fuel out of sugar canes
Amazon drought events:
Climate change has affected evapotranspiration and rainfall patterns in tropical rainforests.
Amazon experienced droughts in 2005 and 2010.
Photosynthesis slowed down during the droughts and less carbon removed.
Forest wildfires causing more carbon to be released.
3 ways that human activities have increased carbon released into atmosphere:
.Dying of phytoplankton
.Melting of glaciers
.Removal of vegetation
Case study of global agreement regarding carbon emissions:
Paris agreement in 2015 established by the UN involving 195 countries
-Aiming to limit the average global temperature increase to 1.5 C above pre industrial levels
-Provide adaptation support for developing countries
Disadvantages of Paris Agreement:
-Reducing carbon emissions can cause unemployment for example in Australia it would put coal miners out of work
-Could threaten developing countries’ economic growth for example 66% of India’s energy needs are met by coal and demand could increase from rise in middle class
-Reduced carbon emissions can also increase TNC’s manufacturing costs
-Results can be deceptive, e.g. fall in CO2 emissions across EU in 2014-15 was due to warmer winter rather than changing attitudes
What does the Kuznets curve show?
The relationship between environmental degradation and economic development
UK energy mix:
.Plans to close all coal power stations by 2025
.60% of energy resources are imported, overseas companies decide which energy sources are used so it’s energy insecure
.Investing in nuclear energy, Hinckley Point C that will produce 7% of UK power
Norway energy mix:
-Mountainous and has lots of rainfall so HEP is the natural energy choice
-Oil, natural gas and coal from Norway is exported for revenue
-Deepwater drilling technology enabled Norway and UK to extract North sea oil and gas
Germany’s ‘Energiewende’ project explained:
-Aimed to phase out nuclear energy, last 3 nuclear power plants were shut down in 2023
-By 2050 80% of its energy is supposed to come from renewables, increases in wind and solar energy use
Adaptation strategies examples:
1)Water conservation and management
2)Resilient agricultural systems
3)Land use planning and flood-risk management
4)Solar radiation management
Case study for water conservation and management (Israel):
.Smart irrigation - system of pipes and valves that help water drip slowly into plants’ roots, reduces wastage and evaporation
.Piping seawater from Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea to desalination plants
.Smart pricing as well as importing products with high virtual water content to reduce agricultural consumption
Case study for agricultural systems:
.No ploughing approach which reduces use of fertilizers, improves soil health and water conservation, done by USA
.Drought resistant crops grown in Sub-Saharan Africa
Amount of energy that came from renewables in 2015 (UK):
25%, first year where renewable resources provided more electricity than coal
