Carbon Pumps

Question 1

What role do phytoplankton play in the biological carbon pump, and how much carbon dioxide do they sequester annually?

Answer 1

Phytoplankton make up half of the planet’s biomass and sequester 2 billion metric tonnes of CO2 annually to the deep ocean.

Question 2

How does the carbonate pump sequester carbon, and what geological formations does it contribute to?

Answer 2

The carbonate pump relies on inorganic carbon sedimentation, contributing to the formation of limestone sediments such as the white cliffs of Dover.

Question 3

What processes are involved in the physical carbon pump, and how long does it take for water to circulate in the system?

Answer 3

The physical carbon pump involves upwelling and downwelling, as well as the thermohaline current. It takes 1000 years for any given cubic meter of water to travel around the system.

Question 4

How does the carbon transport by ocean currents compare to river flows in terms of carbon circulation?

Answer 4

Ocean currents circulate carbon, with river flows equivalent to over 100 times that of the Amazon rainforest.