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Physical Geography 🌋 > Carbon Cycle 🌿 > Flashcards

Carbon Cycle 🌿 Flashcards

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1
Q

Positive feedback in carbon cycle

A
  • increased global temperatures
  • increased rates of permafrost melt
  • releases greenhouse gases into atmosphere (CO2 and methane)
  • increased effects of global warming
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2
Q

Negative feedback in carbon cycle

A
  • CO2 in atmosphere increases
  • extra CO2 increases rate of photosynthesis
  • more CO2 is removed from atmosphere
  • amount of CO2 in atmosphere reduces
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3
Q

stores in the carbon cycle

A

atmosphere - stored at CO2

Hydrosphere - oceans - dissolved CO2

Lithosphere - sedimentary rock - eg limestone in lithosphere

Lithosphere - fossil fuels - in lithosphere eg coal and oil

Biosphere - vegetation - wood 50% carbon

permafrost (cryosphere)

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4
Q

flows in carbon cycle

A
  • photosynthesis
  • combustion
  • sequestration
  • respiration
  • decomposition
  • weathering
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5
Q

how does photosynthesis affect carbon cycle

A

transfers carbon from atmosphere to biosphere

passed through food chain
released by respiration and decomposition

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6
Q

how does combustion affect the carbon cycle

A

transfers carbon to atmosphere

from biosphere - wildfire
from lithosphere - burning fossil fuels

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7
Q

how does sequestration affect carbon cycle

A

transfer from atmosphere

to lithosphere - into sedimentary rocks
to biosphere - photosynthesis
to hydrosphere - into oceans

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8
Q

how does respiration affect carbon cycle

A

transfer from living organisms to atmosphere

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9
Q

how does decomposition affect carbon cycle

A

transfer from dead biomass to atmosphere and soils

broken down by decomposers to release CO2 and methane
transfered to soil as humus

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10
Q

how does weathering affect carbon cycle

A

chemical weathering
atmosphere to hydrosphere and biosphere

atmospheric carbon reacts with water to form acid rain
dissolves rocks of calcium carbonate eg limestone

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11
Q

fast vs slow carbon flows

A

fast
- photosynthesis
- respiration
- combustion
- decomposition

slow
- sequestration into sedimentary rocks

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12
Q

natural processes affecting the carbon cycle (processes driving change)

A
  • wildfires
  • volcanic activity
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13
Q

human factors affecting the carbon cycle (processes driving change)

A
  • fossi fuels
  • deforestation
  • farming practises
  • land use changes
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14
Q

how do wildfires affect carbon cycle

A

rapid transfer
biosphere to atmosphere

vegetation burnt - less photosynthesis, less carbon removed
Wood 50% carbon, released
- in short term

  • long term
    can encourage growth of new plants, secondary succession
    increasing photosynthesis - net release 0 as eventually reabsorbed
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15
Q

how does volcanic activity affect carbon cycle

A

carbon stored in magma released in eruptions
enters atmosphere

larger eruptions could have significant affects on carbon cycle
- less significant than human

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16
Q

how do fossil fuels affect carbon cycle

A

extracting and burning releases CO2 into atmosphere

released from long term lithosphere stores
would remain for millions of years with no human intervention

  • 90% of anthropogenic carbon emissions
  • most fossil fuels extracted from rocks 70-100 million years old
17
Q

how does deforestation affect the carbon cycle

A

cleared for agriculture, logging or urbanisation

flow of carbon stored in biosphere to atmosphere
- wood 50% carbon
vegetation removed
- reduced photosynthesis

13 million hectares forest cut a year (and converted)

18
Q

how do farming practises affect carbon cycle

A

release carbon into atmosphere
- livestock release CO2 respiring
- ploughing releases CO2 from soil
- rice paddies

population rises, so does need for food
increases emissions from farming
mechanisation also increased emissions

  • 40% agricultural emissions in Asia from rice paddies
19
Q

how do land use changes affect carbon cycle

A

Urbanisation
- vegetation removed
- reduces storage in biosphere
- less photosynthesis

concrete production
- releases CO2

Increasing in future as urbanisation occurs more

  • 13 million hectares forest cut a year and land use changed
  • urban areas = 2% land but 97% anthropogenic C02 emissions
20
Q

what is the carbon budget?

A

difference between carbon inputs and outputs in a subsystem
- balance determines if it is a carbon sink or source

changes caused by:
Fossil fuels, land use change and farming
increasing budget in atmosphere (increasing inputs) = climate change

21
Q

impacts of changes on the atmosphere

A

affects amount of gases containing carbon in atmosphere (ghg)
- responsible for keeping heat in earths atmosphere

as concentrations increase, temperature rise - global warming
Enhanced due to human activity

affect climate eg more frequent storms and warmer

22
Q

impacts of changes on the land

A

cycle allows plants to grow
- could not photosynthesise
- no decomposition, nutrients not recycled

changes can reduce carbon stored on land
released to atmosphere
Eg permafrost melt and increased wildfires

However more atmospheric C02 = more photosynthesis
warmth = longer growing seasons
= more sequestered

23
Q

impacts of changes on the oceans

A

oceans sequester carbon from atmosphere
used by organisms in photosynthesis and shells

increased CO2 in atmosphere - increase acidity of oceans
- affects marine life
- 30% increase in ocean acidity since 1750

global warming means warmer seas
- warmer water sequesters less CO2 (more in atmosphere)
- positive feedback

organisms cant survive in warmer weather, less photosynthesis, less carbon sequestered

24
Q

how is carbon essential for life on earth

A

all living things contain carbon

used in photosynthesis - allows plants to grow
- bottom of food chain

carbon in atmosphere - keeps earth warm enough for life
- however enhanced greenhouse effect

25
Q

Role of living organisms in carbon cycle

A

Plants - photosynthesis (atmosphere to biosphere)
Animals and plants - respiration (biosphere to atmosphere)
Decomposition of dead plants and animals by bacteria and fungi - carbon back to soil and atmosphere

26
Q

links between water and carbon cycles

A

photosynthesis

CO2 in atmosphere affects global temperature
- affects evaporation and precipitation

carbon and water combine to make acid rain
- chemical weathering

27
Q

Why is the carbon cycle important for sustaining life

A
  • CO2 in atmosphere used in photosynthesis, needed for plant growth and releases oxygen
  • greenhouse gas, keeps earth warm (but enhanced greenhouse effect)
  • trees 50% carbon, used for fuel and habitats
28
Q

what is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A

increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are causing more energy to be reflected back to earth
(rather than into space)
absorbed and heats earth

29
Q

affects of climate change

A

patterns of precipitation
- wetter places wetter, drier become drier
- water shortages

extreme weather events
- more frequent
- LICs at risk

decrease in agricultural productivity
- food shortages

sea level rise
- flood risk

decline in species
- eg plankton
- affects whole marine food chain

30
Q

strategies to mitigate climate change

A

renewable energy
- less use of fossil fuels
- less carbon transferred to atmosphere
- electric cars

afforestation
- increase carbon removed from atmosphere into biosphere

carbon capture and storage
- CO2 released from fossil fuels captured
- stored underground (doesn’t go to atmosphere)
(expensive)

international agreements
- Paris Agreement
- 195 countries agreed to reduce global co2 emissions by 60% of 2010 levels by 2050

carbon trading
- countries and business given limit on emissions
- produce less, sell credits

31
Q

adaptations to cimate change

A

adapt farming practises
- crops that can withstand hotter temperatures and less water
- also withstand flooding if coastal

adapt to rising sea levels
- defences against flooding and erosion

but still experience the impacts (see other flashcard)

32
Q

issues with mitigation

A

expensive
eg CCS

people often unwilling to change behaviours
eg electric cars/ less use

not everyone signs up to international agreements

some more worried about profits than protecting environment

33
Q

feedback loops affecting climate change

A

release of methane from permafrost
- increased temperatures melt permafrost
- methane trapped released in atmosphere
- increased ghg concentration
= warming needs to be reduced
eg international agreement

deforestation
- less photosynthesis, less carbon removed
- carbon in wood released
- slash and burn releases carbon in combustion
= reduce deforestation
eg afforestation and selective logging

vegetation breezing
- clearing areas leads to soil erosion
- localised areas of low pressure
- more rainfall so more erosion
- no tress grow so permeant clear area
= reduce complete deforestation
eg selective logging

but - increased global temperatures = longer growing seasons so more photosynthesis, reduced carbon

34
Q

factors affecting carbon budget

A

deforestation
- reduced photosynthesis
- carbon in wood released
- effects climate and species in rainforest
- drought due to less evapotranspiration
+ but can be mitigated
eg international agreement and protected areas

farming
- leads to deforestation
- ploughing and fertilisers release carbon
- increased co2 in atmosphere
- effects climate and drought

but negative feedback
+ increased co2 means more photosynthesis so more sequestered

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