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A level GEO > Carbon Cycle > Flashcards

Carbon Cycle Flashcards

1
Q

Define sequestration

A

The natural storage of carbon by physical or biological processes such as photosynthesis

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2
Q

What is inorganic carbon?

A

Carbon in rocks

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3
Q

What is organic carbon?

A

Carbon stored in plants and organisms

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4
Q

What is gaseous carbon?

A

Carbon in CO2, CH4 and CO

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5
Q

Define respiration

A

The process in which living organisms involving the production of energy, with the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide

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6
Q

What is the geological carbon cycle?

A

The movement of carbon between land oceans and atmosphere

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7
Q

What is the biogeochemical carbon cycle?

A

The exchange of carbon between its four main reservoirs - the atmosphere, terrestrial biosphere, oceans and sediments

-> the geological cycle is part of this
-> the second part is the biological carbon cycle

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8
Q

What is the biological carbon cycle?

A

The faster cycle with rapid turnovers between the atmosphere, terrestrial biosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere

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9
Q

What are 3 terrestrial stores of carbon?

A

Limestone
Shale
Fossil fuels

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10
Q

Define fossil fuels

A

Dead organic material builds at bottom of rivers and seas and decays.
Heat and pressure is exerted
This becomes coal oil and gas

It does not become shale because organic matter builds up faster than it can decay

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11
Q

What is shale?

A

Organic carbon from dead organisms are embedded in layers of mud. Millions of years of heat and pressure compresses this into sedimentary rock

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12
Q

How does carbon get from the ocean to atmosphere?

A

Subduction of the sea floor at plate margins means some carbon ends up in earths lower mantle

Some hidden limestone can be exposed through tectonic uplift

Pockets of C02 in crust. Can be disturbed by volcanic activity
-Eg: pinatubo eruption 1991

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13
Q

What are the largest carbon stores?

A

-Terrestrial/crustal
-sedimentary rocks
-Slow cycled

-Deep in ocean
-Inorganic carbon stored at great depths and slowly cycled

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14
Q

What 4 main processes make up the fast (biological) carbon cycle?

A

Photosynthesis
Respiration
Decomposition
Combustion

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15
Q

Define decomposition

A

Breaking down of organic matter and releasing CO2 into soils

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16
Q

Define combustion

A

Burning of biomass/fossil fuels releases C02 and other greenhouse gases into atmosphere

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17
Q

What are phytoplankton booms?
How do they remove Co2 from atmosphere?

A

-Phytoplankton are micro-algae with calcium carbonate shells
-Sunlight conditions can cause a boom
-They sequester CO2 in their shells
-This sinks to bottom of the ocean
-When they die it is stored as sediment

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18
Q

Biological pump

A

Large phytoplankton absorb co2 and convert it to organic carbon
Organic carbon is transferred through marine food web
Dead organisms sink to deeper ocean
Decomposition releases CO2
Some long term storage occurs

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19
Q

Carbonate pump

A

Marine organisms like plankton, coral, oysters use carbonate ions to form shells and inner skeletons

When they die the shells sink to ocean floor

Some shells accumulate as sediment
Or shells dissolve and carbon is in deep ocean currents

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20
Q

Physical pump

A

CO2 is easily absorbed in cold water, therefore there is a high density of CO2 in deep ocean water and at the poles
• Warm waters release more CO2 to the atmosphere
• Ocean currents move water around so that warm water cools and absorbs CO2, and so that cold water sinks due to high density, taking CO2 from the surface to the deep ocean

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21
Q

Thermohaline circulation

A

Thermohaline circulation maintains the oceans’ biological and carbonate pumps by providing the correct conditions for phytoplankton to live and reproduce.

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22
Q

What is the anthropogenic greenhouse effect

A

Greenhouse effect enhanced by humans

Less heat escapes into space

Higher concentration of greenhouse gases (25% higher) since Industrial Revolution

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23
Q

How does the normal greenhouse effect work?

A

Some solar radiation is reflected by earth and atmosphere

Some infrared radiation passes through atmosphere

Some is absorbed by greenhouse gases and remitted in all directions

This warms the earths surface

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24
Q

How does the carbon cycle affect temperatures?

A

Solar isolation is more intense at equator and more dispersed at the poles
Wind distributes heat
Greenhouse effect

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25
How does the carbon cycle affect precipitation?
Distribution of heat affects this Warm air rises and cools, condenses and causes clouds and rain. This results in high rainfall around equator Low rainfall low latitudes where air pressure rises
26
How does the carbon cycle affect atmospheric composition?
Photosynthesis regulates atmospheric composition By sequestering CO2 through phytoplankton and terrestrial photosynthesis Little CO2 absorbed in deserts
27
Healthy soil
Dark, crumbly, porous Worms and organisms present Air and water provides nutrients for microorganisms
28
Define energy mix
The combination of different available energy sources used to meet a country’s demand
29
Define energy security
Refers to the reliability and availability of energy to meet the needs of a population Depends on supply accessibility, availability affordability and reliability Vital for country to function
30
What are the main factors affecting the energy mix?
Climate change commitments -COP Economy - Fossil fuels cheaper Resource depletion Availability - EG Iceland geothermal Rising demand Geopolitical
31
USA vs France energy security
USA 15% imported 82% fossil fuels France 46% imported 50% fossil fuels 41% nuclear
32
What players are involved in energy security?
-Governments/regulators: eg ofgem sets energy price gap for households -Suppliers -Consumers -Campaigners -Energy analysts
33
What are energy pathways + examples
Transfer energy from producer to consumer, resolving the global mismatch of supply and demand between production and consumption Examples: Oil pipelines, shipping routes, electricity transmission lines, road, rail
34
How has the Russia/ukraine conflict affected oil and gas supplies in Europe?
-Sanctions: $60 per barrel price cap -regulation and reduction of imports: EU pledge -This has reduced value of Russian oil which is now sold discounted to India/china 175 million dollar loss
35
Which factors disrupt energy supply?
-Conflict -Population growth -Piracy - hostages/ships attacked west Africa -Natural hazards -> eg Hurricane Ida closed 70% of offshore oil companies $30m of oil lost
36
Why can’t renewables fully replace fossil fuels?
-Expensive: infrastructure required -Fossil fuels = higher energy density -Large land use eg wind farms/HEP NIMBYISM -Falling oil prices results in investment -Storage -> cannot store energy -Reliability and dependency
37
Carbon capture
-captures emissions, then transported and injected into geological formations like saline aquifers -Could reduce emissions by 19% -Not widely implemented due to cost -Could grow with investment
38
Hydrogen fuel cells
-Can produce electricity, only by product is water -High potential in transportation -Expensive
39
What are tar sands and how is oil extracted?
A mixture of clay, sand, water and bitumen Alberta produces 40% of canadas oil output They are mined and injected with steam to make the bitumen less viscous so it’s useable
40
Advantages of tar sands
-Contribute to economy through jobs and can access global energy markets -Pipeline expansion is taking place in Canada -Some indigenous people have been hired eg Fort McKay First Nation -Revenue sharing agreements with indigenous people
41
Disadvantages of tar sands
-Environmentalists -Deforestation -Acid rain -Indigenous groups - description of traditional lands, food sources, cultural losses -Local residents - contamination of water in fort Mcmurray
42
What is fracking?
Water and chemicals is pumped into shale gas in sedimentary rocks, forcing the gas out of the rocks 1% of USA gas supply in 2000
43
Advantages and disadvantages of fracking
+ Energy independence => less reliance on foreign sources Creates jobs in drilling, transport, development Reduces cost of energy Burns cleaner than coal - Greenhouse gas emissions + methane leakage Contamination of groundwater Induced seismically - small earthquakes and pressure is altered
44
Deepwater oil advantages and disadvantages
-Brazil- huge oil deposits found off coast in 2006 -Energy needed for development + Lots of energy produced Creates jobs - Oil spills damage ecosystems
45
Afforestation vs reforestation
Afforestation = replanting in areas that didn’t have trees before Reforestation = Replanting trees in places where they were destroyed
46
Indonesia deforestation
$18 billion palm oil industry 3.5% of GDP 2.3Gigatonnes of CO2 released
47
What is ocean acidification
Increased CO2 in worlds oceans results in it being more acidic Ocean is now 30% more acidic than (1750) (since Industrial Revolution)
48
How does ocean acidification harm coral?
-Reduced availability of carbonate ions, corals need this to build there skeletons -Without sufficient ions they cannot maintain their skeletons
49
What is coral bleaching and it’s causes
-Corals expel the algae living in their tissues turning them white -Algae provide food and energy Caused by -Climate change => higher ocean temperature (ideally should be 23-29) -Pollution = changes to water chemistry
50
Why are coral reefs so important?
-Shelter 25% of marine species -Protect shorelines from erosion -Fishing industries -Tourism income
51
What does Kuznets curve show?
How economic development affects environmental degradation. Curve shows societies reach a tipping point where they move from exploitation to protection (but at first they exploit to develop) Suggesting rising income eventually reduces environmental impacts
52
Why is there a turning point (Kuznets curve)
Appreciation that ecosystems are crucial to human wellbeing through services they provide Supporting services Provisioning services: provide products to humans Regulating services: regulate earths systems Cultural services: Non material benefits that people gain
53
What services do mangrove forests provide?
-Stabilise against coastal erosion -Tangled roots trap nutrient rich sediments -Absorb wave energy from storms and tsunamis -Nurseries for fish -Eg Thailand
54
Threats to Thailand mangroves
-35% deforestation for farming, tourists, -17.7% GDP from tourism
55
Attempts to reduce threats to Thailand mangroves
-2500 hectares recovered in Ranong -Mangrove buffer zone and reforestation
56
Maldives coral reefs
-Shelter 25% of marine species globally -Food in Asia -1M tourists to Maldives /yr -70% destroyed by coral bleaching -Coral rescaping is occurring with metal frames -eg 4 seasons hotel monitors coral bleaching
57
Arctic sea ice
-Store 5-14% of global carbon -Regulages thermohaline circulation -Melting due to temperatures Paris agreement
58
Why can’t we give specific predictions about co2 emissions? Human reasons
-Rate of economic growth changes -Demand changes due to population -changing lifestyles eg 60% living in cities by 2050
59
Why might previous carbon sinks become less efficient?
-permafrost in the arctic tundra will thaw and release methane resulting in positive feedback loop -Warming oceans slow biological pump
60
Peatlands
-Accumulation of partly decayed vegetation which stores lots of carbon 3% of earths land surface -Many have been drained eg Lake District Dam drains for restoration -historically carbon sinks but decomposing due to temperatures
61
What are the main terrestrial stores of carbon?
Limestone Shale Fossil fuels
62
How is limestone created?
Shell building organisms form layers on ocean floor and are lithified (turned to rock)
63
What are the main features of the nutrient cycle
Carbon moves between biomass, litter, soil, and the atmosphere through photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and combustion, recycling carbon through ecosystems.
64
In what ecosystem does organic matter decay the quickest?
Tropical rainforests because soils are most healthy (dark crumbly porous)
65
Explain deepwater oil as an unconventional fossil fuel
Drilling through seabed in ocean depths greater than 400m using floating rigs
66
Hurricane Ida how did it disrupt energy pathways?
90% of oil and gas production in Gulf of Mexico was shut down as infrastructure damaged
67
How did deepwater oil benefit Brazil?
170Bn from foreign oil TNCs 2.4million barrels a day in 2016
68
What are adaption strategies for climate change?
Flood risk management Land use planning Resilient agricultural systems
69
What are the mitigation strategies for climate change?
Carbon taxation Renewable switching Afforestation Carbon capture and storage

A level GEO (8 decks)

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