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Geography Physical > Carbon cycle: EQ1 > Flashcards

Carbon cycle: EQ1 Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the carbon cycle?

A

The carbon cycle is a nutrient cycle that shows how carbon is passed from the atmosphere (where it is in the form of carbon dioxide) into plants (during photosynthesis) and on to animals as they feed on plants.

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2
Q

What are fluxes?

A

Also known as flows or processes are movements of carbon from one store to another, they provide the motion in the carbon cycle.

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3
Q

What are the 4 stores of carbon?

A

Atmosphere - CO2 and CH4
Hydrosphere - CO2
Lithosphere - fossil fuels and limestones
Biosphere - living and dead organisms

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4
Q

What is the equilibrium of the cycle?

A

How the carbon cycle is maintained in a balance. If sources (adding carbon) is equal to the sink (removing carbon)

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5
Q

What are carbon sinks?

A

A carbon sink is any reservoir, natural or otherwise, that accumulates and stores some carbon-containing chemical compound for an indefinite period and thereby lowers the concentration of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

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6
Q

What is the largest flux of carbon?

A

Photosynthesis

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7
Q

What are the overall Pg of Carbon Stores

A

Atmosphere - 750
Soils - 1500
Fossil Fuels - 4000
Plants - 560
Earth’s Crust - 1,000,000,000
Oceans - 38,000

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8
Q

Pg/yr for Fluxes of Carbon

A

Volcanoes - 0.1
Respiration - 60
Photosynthesis - 120
Burning - 6
Soil Respiration - 60
Litter-fall - 60
Rivers - 0.8
Ocean Loss - 90
Ocean Uptake - 92
Burial of Sediment - 0.1

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9
Q

What are the 3 forms of carbon?

A
  • Inorganic- found in rocks such as bicarbonates and carbonate.
  • Organic- found in plant material.
  • Gaseous- found as CO2, CH4 and CO.
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10
Q

How do carbon fluxes vary globally?

A

Regional climates influence rates of photosynthesis and respiration, and CO2 fluxes vary with latitude. Levels are always higher in the northern hemisphere because it contains a greater landmass and greater temperature variations than the southern hemisphere.

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11
Q

In which ways do fluxes vary between stores?

A

1) Size
2) Rates
3) Timescales

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12
Q

What are the three types of carbon stores on the Earth?

A
  • Terrestrial (land)
  • Atmosphere
  • Oceanic
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13
Q

What is decomposition?

A

When complex, carbon compounds in dead organisms, urine and faeces are broken down into simpler carbon compounds by bacteria or fungi.

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14
Q

What are examples of carbon fluxes?

A
  • Photosynthesis
  • Respiration
  • Decomposition
  • Combustion
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15
Q

What’s the role of photosynthesis in the carbon cycle?

A

Plants take carbon out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis and release it back into the atmosphere via respiration (seconds to minutes).

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16
Q

Dead plant material in the carbon cycle:

A

Carbon from dead plant material can be incorporated into soils, broken down by soil microbes and released back into the atmosphere (10-500years).

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17
Q

Organic matter in the carbon cycle:

A

Organic Matter that becomes buried in deep sediments, slowly transformed into deposits of coil, oil and natural gas and when burnt, released once again to the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide (millions of years).

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18
Q

Most of Earth’s carbon is…

A

Geological.

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19
Q

What is the geological carbon cycle?

A
  • Long term carbon cycle involving carbon moving through 3 major stores: land, ocean and air.
  • Closed system
  • Cycle is generally balanced.
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20
Q

What is carbon sequestration?

A

Is the process by which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and held in a solid or liquid form. It’s the processes that facilitates the capture and storage of carbon.

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21
Q

What is outgassing?

A

Pockets of carbon dioxide exist in the Earth’s crust. Volcanic eruptions and earthquakes can release these gas pockets. Outgassing is the release of gas, previously dissolved, trapped, frozen or absorbed in some material (e.g. rock). It occurs mainly along mid-ocean ridges, subduction zones and at magma hotspots.

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22
Q

What are the four main processes in the geological carbon cycle?

A
  • Volcanic out-gassing
  • Chemical weathering
  • Lithification (creating Sedimentary rock)
  • Metamorphism
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23
Q

Volcanic out-gassing: Geological carbon cycle

A

Volcanic outgassing is another process which involves the release of carbon through it being released when a volcanic eruption takes place. This process increases the level of carbon in the atmosphere as carbon previously trapped underground is released through ash etc. C02 that is contained in the mantle fluids is vented from the terrestrial stores of carbon.

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24
Q

Chemical weathering: Geological carbon cycle

A

Chemical weathering involves the chemical reaction of carbon-containing compounds and water which react to form carbonic acids. Atmospheric carbon reacts with precipitation to form weak carbonic acids which react with rocks to form carbonates which are carried by the ocean as well as subaerial processes at the coastline which contribute to carbonates in the oceans. These marine organisms in the oceans sequester carbon.

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25
Q

Lithification (creating Sedimentary rock): Geological carbon cycle

A

Lithification is another geological process which involves sediments accumulating and forming layers that cement together dead organic matter as well as things like shells and animals which fall to the seabed and trap carbon in the deep oceans through the process of downwelling forming sedimentary rock.

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26
Q

Metamorphism: Geological carbon cycle

A

Metamorphism occurs when rock is formed through extreme heat and pressure. When a volcanic eruption takes place, the magma cools once released from the mantle. This reduces carbon levels as it traps carbon in the rock for millions of years until chemical weathering occurs.

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27
Q

Why are oceans an important carbon store?

A

One of the world’s largest carbon stores
Store 50 times more carbon that the atmosphere.
93% is stored in algae, plants and coral.
7% in dissolved form.

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28
Q

What are the three pumps in ocean sequestration of carbon?

A
  1. Biological pumps move CO2 from the ocean surface to marine plants such as phytoplankton through photosynthesis. These may then be eaten by predators.
  2. Physical pumps move Carbon through thermohaline circulation and Upwelling can release deep water carbon back into the atmosphere.
  3. Carbonate pumps form sediment from dead organisms on the sea bed.
29
Q

What is phytoplankton?

A
  • Microscopic organisms (plants) that live in watery environments.
  • They photosynthesise moving carbon from the atmosphere into their biomass as glucose.
  • They are very sensitive to changes in temperature, sunlight, water depth, wind and nutrient levels.
  • When populations grow exponentially it is known as a bloom.
30
Q

Explain the role of phytoplankton in the carbon cycle.

A
  • Phytoplankton sequester atmospheric carbon during photosynthesis in surface ocean waters.
  • Carbonate shells/tests move into the deep ocean water through the carbonate pump and action of the thermohaline circulation.
31
Q

What is the biological pump in the ocean sequestration of carbon?

A
  • Phytoplankton transfer carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the ocean by photosynthesis.
  • Carbon is returned to the near-surface when phytoplankton decomposes but some fall to the ocean depths.
  • Transfer of particulate and dissolved organic carbon from the surface to the deep ocean
32
Q

What is zooplankton?

A

Consists of microscopic organisms drifting or floating in the sea or freshwater along with the diatoms protozoa and small crustaceans.

33
Q

How are nutrients cycled in the ocean?

A
  • Phytoplankton respire and photosynthesise in the top layer.
  • Organic material sinks when it dies.
  • Cold water at the bottom of the ocean rises, which pulls nutrients up to the top layer.
  • Warmer surface water is preventing cold water up-welling and nutrient cycling, reducing phytoplankton blooms.
34
Q

What is carbon sequestering?

A

The process of CO2 being removed from the atmosphere and being held in solid or liquid form.

35
Q

What is thermohaline circulation?

A

A global system of surface and deep ocean currents driven by the varying temperature differences. This includes downwelling where dense water sinks and upwelling where less dense water rises to the top.

36
Q

What is the physical pump?

A

Physical pumps move carbon compounds to different parts of the ocean in downwelling and upwelling currents. Downwelling occurs in those parts of the oceans where cold, denser water sinks. These currents bring dissolved carbon dioxide down to the deep ocean. Once there, it moves in slow-moving deep ocean currents, staying there for hundreds of years.

Eventually, these deep ocean currents, part of the thermohaline circulation, return to the surface by upwelling.

The cold deep ocean water warms as it rises towards the ocean surface and some of the dissolved carbon dioxides is released back into the atmosphere.

37
Q

What is the carbonate pump?

A

Carbonate pumps form sediments from dead organisms that fall to the ocean floor.
Particularly significant here are the hard outer shells and skeletons of crustaceans, fish and corals.

All are rich in calcium carbonate.

38
Q

What does phytoplankton consist of?

A

Phytoplankton consists of the microscopic plants and plant-like organisms drifting and floating in the sea (or freshwater) along with diatoms, protozoa and small crustaceans.

39
Q

What is photosynthesis?

A

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesise (extract) nutrients from carbon dioxide and water.

40
Q

What is the process of terrestrial sequestering?

A

Plants sequester carbon out of the atmosphere during photosynthesis. In this way, carbon enters the food chains and nutrient cycles of terrestrial ecosystems.
When animals eat plants, carbon sequestered in the plant becomes part of their fat and protein.

CO2 from the atmosphere is absorbed by trees and plants through photosynthesis and stored as carbon in soils and biomass (tree trunks, branches, foliage, and roots.

41
Q

What are primary producers?

A

Largely comprised of plants, form the foundation of the food chain and use solar radiation to convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates via photosynthesis.

42
Q

How do trees play a role in the carbon cycle?

A

Growth of trees depend on water, nutrients and sunlight. 95% of tress biomass is made up of CO2 that sequesters and converts into cellulose. Carbon fixation turns gaseous carbon into organic compounds.

43
Q

How do mangroves play a role in the carbon cycle?

A

Biological carbon can be stored in soils in the form of organic matter.
Mangrove forests capture massive amounts of carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, and then trap and store them in their carbon-rich flooded soils for millennia. This is an important ecosystem service as we face climate change.

44
Q

How does tundra/permafrost play a role in the carbon cycle?

A

Plant remains, which as a result of continuous freezing and thawing of the soil, can remain trapped in a layer of permafrost for several thousand years. This is why tundra is a carbon sink, trapping carbon dioxide and and keeping it from returning to the atmosphere.

45
Q

How do rainforests play a role in the carbon cycle?

A

Trees release carbon back into the atmosphere during respiration when they die and decay, and if they are burned in a forest fire. This dynamic process of absorbing and releasing carbon constantly affects Earth’s carbon balance. The soils are thin and lack nutrients.

46
Q

Why is carbon important in the soil?

A

Carbon is the main component of soil organic matter and helps to give soil its moisture-retention capacity, its structure and fertility.

Organic carbon is concentrated in the surface layer of the soil. Supports micro-organisms that maintain the nutrient cycle.

47
Q

Why can the carbon in the nutrient and water cycle not operate?

A
  • The broken-down organic matter provides spaces for infiltration and storage of water.
  • The broken-down organic matter provides the nutrients for plant growth.
48
Q

A healthy soil is very important as they usually:

A
  • Provide air, water and nutrients for micro organisms and plants to thrive.
  • Sequester carbon.
  • Improve resilience to wetter weather, because they enable infiltration of water.
49
Q

The amount of carbon stored within a soil depends on…

A

The difference between the inputs and the outputs in the system.

50
Q

What are the inputs and outputs?

A
  • Inputs: Plant litter and animal waste.
  • Outputs: Erosion, decomposition.
51
Q

What is the greenhouse effect?

A

The warming of the atmosphere as gases such as CO2, CH4 and water vapour absorb heat energy radiated from the sun.

52
Q

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A

The increase in the natural greenhouse effect, said to be caused by human activities that increase the quantity of GHG’s in the atmosphere.

53
Q

Where are the gases coming from contributing to the greenhouse effect?

A
  • Cattle
  • Rice paddy fields
  • Factories
  • Vehicle engines
  • Air travel
54
Q

What are the 4 greenhouse gases?

A
  • Carbon dioxide
  • Methane
  • Nitrous oxide
  • Halocarbon
55
Q

Where does methane come from?

A

Besides rice fields, another major source fo methane is hoofed animals with multiple stomachs. Like cattle and sheep. Methane is released during digestion and from their manure.

56
Q

Where does nitrous oxide come from?

A
  • Agricultural soils that use large amounts of nitrogen-based fertilisers
  • cattle waste in feed lots.
57
Q

Where does carbon dioxide come from?

A
  • The industrial revolution,
  • food production.
  • Coal, oil, gas, engines + factories
58
Q

Why is there warmer temperatures at the equator?

A

At the equator theres a smaller distribution than at the poles as the solar radiation has to travel a shorter distance to travel to at the equator.

59
Q

What is atmospheric circulation?

A

The combination of oceanic and atmospheric circulation drives global climate by redistributing heat and moisture. Areas located near the tropics remain warm and relatively wet throughout the year. In temperate regions, variation in solar input drives seasonal changes.

60
Q

What are ocean currents?

A

Redistribute warm water from the equator towards the poles keeping may places warmer.

61
Q

What is the albedo effect
(local)?

A

White surface reflects more of the suns rays and have a higher Albedo. Dark surfaces absorb more having a lower albedo.

62
Q

What’s altitude?

A

Connection between the height above sea level and temperature.

63
Q

What does fossil fuel consumption impact on?

A
  • Balance
  • Climate
  • Hydrological cycle
  • Arctic amplification
64
Q

What is a fossil fuel?

A

Formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms.

65
Q

What is fossil fuel consumption?

A

They’re long-term carbon stores. Carbon is locked away within the remains of organic matter. Most oil and gas are extracted from rocks that are 70-100 million years old. When burnt they generate energy.

66
Q

What are the implications of a 2 degree temperature increase on climate?

A
  • Extratropical low pressure system tracks will move northwards with a climate pattern shift.
  • Hottest day on record was 2015 with an average temperature of 1 degree celsius that of the preindustrial era.
67
Q

What are the implications of a 2-degree temperature increase on ecosystems?

A
  • Biodiversity will be effected as habitats will be in deep water.
  • South Asia will become drier.
68
Q

What are the implications of a 2-degree temperature increase on the hydrological cycle?

A
  • Rivers will dry up in regions where precipitation is reduced.
  • Permafrost areas will thaw and add more water to artic rivers.

Geography Physical (13 decks)

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