carbon overview Flashcards
what main 2 main features affect carbon in the ocean
1.-phytoplankton
2.-the physical pump and biological pump
what is thermohaline circulation?
the global system of surface and deep ocean currents driven by temperature and salinity differences between different parts of the ocean. It can be seen as a giant conveyor belt, which plays a vital part in the carbon cycle. The physical pump plays a role in this as it drives downwelling where cold, denser water sinks.
This process also allows for the transfer of CO2
what allows for soil health to be to a good standard an why
-carbon being returned to soils by dead plant material being decomposed. Carbon is stored in organic matter(humus) that is mixed in soil.
-this is important for soil health as organic matter helps retain soil moisture and nutrients
what 3 things does fossil fuel combustion increase implications for
increases implications for:
-climate:
more extreme hot events, stronger storms in tropical areas, precipitation patterns will change
-ecosystems:
-10% of land species face extinction due to an inability to adapt
-80% of coral reefs could be bleached
hydrological cycle:
- shift of high pressure zones= drought in Mediterranean zones.
-cryosphere (frozen ice) store will deplete
how much did energy use per capita increase from 2000 to 2014
increased by 17.5%
what are the four reasons why countries differ in consumption of energy
-physical availability:
e.g. large oil reserves in the Middle East
climate affects availability- clear skies for solar etc..
-cost and public perception:
costs are passed onto the consumer when developing energy resources is expensive. People have different perceptions of their energy needs based on lifestyle.
-level of economic development:
countries need technological ability to extract some energy
when a countries development is lower demand will be less so no need to exploit
-environmental priorities:
cultures view the environment differently
some see nature as a provider of resources (Russia, USA)
others are concerned abt the serious damage that could take place and will strive to use less carbon and coal
some have fears about nuclear recyclable (Germany)
synoptic link, what are the 3 large energy players:
TNCs
OPEC- 14 members, influences supply and price of world oil by controlling production.
Governments- provide legislation (law making) on emissions levels
what percentage of the worlds oil reserves are in the middle east
around 48%
what are unconventional fossil fuels
energy resources that are not easily available
state the significance of the geological cycle in the regulation of the carbon cycle
SEQUESTRATION OF CARBON
-formation of sedimentary rocks:
-forms in the oceans (carbonate sediments build up strata)
-derived from plants and animals in shale, coal and other rocks.
RELEASE OF CARBON
in the geological cycle, carbon is released from outgassing(release of gas, previously dissolved, trapped, frozen or absorbed) and acid rain
state the significance of the biological cycle in the regulation of the carbon cycle
SEQUESTRATION OF CARBON
-oceanic sequestering
-carbonate pumps, biological pumps, physical pumps
-terrestrial sequestering
-primary producers sequester carbon during photosynthesis
-when plants and animals die, their CO2 moves to the soil
RELEASE OF CARBON
oceanic
- 70% of carbon taken up by phytoplankton gets released back to the atmosphere
-eventually deep ocean currents part of the thermohaline circulation, return to the surface by upwelling.
terrestrial
-in animals some co2 is returned by respiration
-when plants and animals die, some of their waste is returned to the soil
-biological carbon can be stored as dead organic matter
state the significance of the humans in the regulation of the carbon cycle
SEQUESTRATION OF CARBON
-none
RELEASE OF CARBON
burning of fossil fuels
how does carbon help soil
carbon helps give soil its moisture retention capacity, structure and fertility. This helps with ecosystem productivity.
what does photosynthesis help with in terms of CO2 levels
photosynthesis keeps CO2 levels relatively constant helping regulate the Earths temperature
what implications does fossil fuel combustion have on the climate
-a rise in mean global temp
-more precipitation and evaporation
-sudden shifts in weather patterns
-more extreme weather events
-some areas becoming drier, others wetter
what implications does fossil fuel combustion have on ecosystems
-sea level rise
-loss in biodiversity (resilience)
-coral bleaching
what implications does fossil fuel combustion have on the hydrological cycle
-increased temperatures so more evaporation
what factors impact the access to and consumption of energy resources
-physical availability
-cost
-technology
-public perception
-level of economic development
-environmental priorities
what are the energy players that have roles in securing pathways and energy supplies
TNCs, OPEC, consumers and the government
how do TNCs play a role in securing pathways and energy supplies
Royal Dutch Shell and Petrochina
-have a role in exploring, extracting, transporting, refining and producing petrochemicals- Decide how energy is obtained e.g RDS drilling in the Artic
how does OPEC play a role in securing pathways and energy supplies
14 members and owns 2/3rds of the worlds oils reserves so can control the amount of oil and gas entering the market-> has been accused of holding back production to drive prices up
how do consumers play a role in securing pathways and energy supplies
passive players when fixing energy prices
how does the government play a role in securing pathways and energy supplies
can influence the sourcing of energy for geopolitical reasons
who is the 2nd largest producer of gas
Russia
how many pipelines from Russia span across ukraine
3
pos and negs of biofuels in Brazil
-clearage of Amazonian rainforest so is not carbon neutral
-takes up lots of land which could be used to grow food
what has growing demand for food, fuel and other resources globally led to…
change in land use cover…
-deforestation
-afforestation (net gain of trees in china)
-conversion of grasslands to farming (ploughing= immediate loss of co2 and moisture)
-urbanisation
overall has affected terrestrial carbon stores with wider implications for the water cycle and soil health
what may climate change emerging from the enhanced greenhouse effect lead to
may increase the frequency of drought due to shifting climate belts and deforestation which may impact the health of forests as carbon stores
how was the Amazon impacted by drought
degraded the forest.
declined as a carbon store
sequestered less CO2
GHG increase
diminished role in hydrological cycle
what are forests useful for
sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
storing carbon
transferring moisture from the soil back into the atmosphere by evapotranspiration
The rising temperatures resulting from GHG emissions are increasing both evaporation rates and the amount of water vapour. This in turn, is impacting on:
precipitation patterns
river regimes
drainage basin stores
the cryosphere
what is further encouraging climate warming in the artic
a loss of albedo as the ice that once covered the land surface gives way to tundra, and tundra gives way to taiga. Sunlight that was previously reflected back into space by the white surface is now being increasingly absorbed by the ever darkening land surface. In other words, it is encouraging further climate warming.
Threats to ocean health pose threats to human wellbeing, especially in developing regions; what are the threats
-loss of tourism (less attraction of scuba diving)
-loss of fishing industry
what is adaptation
Adaptation:
changing our ways of living in such a manner that we are able to cope with most, if not all, the outcomes of global warming
living with the problem, not solving it
what is mitigation
Mitigation:
reducing or preventing GHG emissions by devising new technologies and adopting low-carbon energies (renewables and recyclables)
tackling the root cause of the problem
what are the adaptation strategies
-water conservation and management
-resilient agricultural systems
-land use planning
-flood risk and management
-solar radiation management
pos and neg of water conservation and management
Benefits
+Fewer resources used, less groundwater abstraction
+use more grey (recycled) water
Costs and Risks
- cannot match increased demands for water
-Changing cultural habits of a large water footprint needs promotion and enforcement by governments
pos and neg of resilient agricultural systems
Benefits
+ drought-tolerant species help resistance
+better practices generate healthier soils and may help carbon dioxide sequestration and water storage
Costs and risks
-More expensive technology, seeds and breeds unavailable to poor subsistence farmers (aid needed)
-High energy costs from indoor and intensive farming
-Genetic modification is still debated
-Growing food insecurity in many places adds pressure to find ‘quick fixes’
pos and neg of land use planning
Benefits
+Soft management: land-use zoning, building restrictions in vulnerable flood plains and low-lying coasts
+Enforcing strict runoff controls and soakaways
Costs
+Abandoning high-risk areas and land-use resettling is often unfeasible, as in megacities such as Dhaka, Bangladesh or Tokyo-Yokohama
+A political ‘hot potato’
+Needs strong governance, enforcement and compensation
pos and neg of flood risk management
Benefits
Hard-management traditionally used: localised flood defences, river dredging
Simple changes can reduce flood risk, e.g. permeable tarmac (suds)
Reduced deforestation and more afforestation upstream to absorb water and reduce downstream flood risk
Costs and Risks
Debate over funding sources,
Land owners may demand compensation for afforestation or ‘sacrificial land’ kept for flooding
Constant maintenance is needed in hard management, e.g. dredging; lapses of management can increase risk
pos and neg of solar radiation
Benefits
Geoengineering involves ideas and plans to deliberately intervene in the climate system to counteract global warming
It could cool the Earth within months and be relatively cheap compared with mitigation
Costs and Risks
Untried and untested
Would reduce but not eliminate the worst effects of GHGs: for example, it would not alter acidification
Would need to continue geoengineering for decades or centuries as there would be a rapid adjustment in the climate system if SRM stopped suddenly
name the mitigation strategies
carbon taxation, renewable energy switching, energy efficiency, afforestation, carbon capture and storage
carbon taxation
-The carbon price floor tax sets a minimum price companies have to pay to emit carbon dioxide.
It was unpopular with industry
In 2015, the policy was ‘frozen’
In 2015, oil and gas exploration tax relief was expanded to support fossil fuels, hence the fracking debate
renewable energy switching
The relationship between the big energy producers and the government dictates the amount of switching from fossil fuels to renewables and nuclear power.
Renewables provide intermittent electricity, while fossil fuels provide the continuous power essential for our current infrastructure.
energy efficiency
The Green Deal scheme encouraged energy-saving improvements to homes, such as efficient boilers and lighting, and improved insulation. It was scrapped in 2015.
afforestation
Tree planting in the UK is increasing, helping carbon sequestration. It involves t charities such as the National Trust
The Big Tree Plant campaign encourages communities to plant 1 million new trees, mostly in urban areas.
carbon capture and storage
Few actual geologic CCS projects exist globally, despite its potential.
Canada’s Boundary Dam is the only large scale working scheme.
