Changes in the water cycle overtime - Natural Variation

Question 1

How do Ocean currents (Plankton Blooms) affect the carbon cycle?

Answer 1

1. If the upwelling of nutrient bearing cold currents from ocean depths increases (often during La Nina), surface plankton growth is stimulated
2. The greater the surface coverage of plankton, the faster the rate of CO2 absorption.

Question 2

How do disease and predators affect the carbon cycle?

Answer 2

1. The Pine Bark Beetle is damaging to the coniferous woodland of Canada since it is able to spread to another 7-10 trees after infecting one tree. Therefore, forests must be cut down and burned to stop the spread.
2. A fungal disease caused ash dieback kills ash trees.

Question 3

How do Wildfires affect the carbon cycle?

Answer 3

1. When large amounts of dry leaf and plant litter builds up within an ecosystem overtime, it can be ignited by lightning strikes and undergo combustion, creating a fire
2. The Fort McMurray Wildfire was thought to release 85 million tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere.

Question 4

How does volcanic activity affect the carbon cycle? *

Answer 4

1. The volume of CO2 released by volcanoes is just 1% of human emissions

Question 5

How does Nuetral ENSO circulation affect the carbon cycle?

Question 6

How does La Nina ENSO circulation affect the carbon cycle?

Question 7

How does El Nino ENSO circulation affect the carbon cycle?

Question 8

How has asteroid impact affected the carbon cycle?

Answer 8

1. The vaporisation of carbonate rocks on impact caused large amounts of carbon dioxide and more carbon monoxide to be released 65 million years ago.

Question 9

What is the carbon budget?

Answer 9

A value which determines the volume of CO2 which can be emitted before causing a dangerous imbalance.

Question 10

What was the CO2 growth rate in 2023?

Answer 10

22 billion tonnes in the year