Changes to the carbon cycle

Question 1

What human factors change the carbon cycle?

Answer 1

• deforestation
• land use change (urbanisation and agriculture)
• hydrocarbon extraction and use

Question 1

What physical factors impact the carbon cycle?

Answer 1

• wildfires
• volcanic activity

Question 2

What % of global carbon emissions are released by volcanoes?

Answer 2

1%

Question 3

What % of global carbon emissions are released by cement manufacturing?

Answer 3

8%

Question 4

Why does outgassing contribute little to global warming?

Answer 4

S is released which forms SO2, which is a particulate that reflects UV rays -> cooling

Question 5

What main impacts do changes to the carbon cycle have on land?

Answer 5

can increase both C uptake and release

Question 6

What main impacts do changes to the carbon cycle have on oceans?

Answer 6

• acidification
• warming
• sea level rise
• ice melting
• salinity

Question 7

How does lower salinity impact the oceans?

Answer 7

impacts the movement of water and physical pump as well as ocean temperatures

Question 8

How does ocean warming impact coral?

Answer 8

coral bleaching
algae expelled from coral

Question 9

How does ocean acidification impact the oceans?

Answer 9

• coral reefs die; loss in biodiversity
• less carbonate ions; poorer quality shells and potentially corrosive acidic

Question 10

How are poor quality shells a negative impact?

Answer 10

• impacts C in biosphere
• impacts businesses such as Whiskey creek hatchery

Question 11

Why might shells being dissolved be a positive?

Answer 11

raises pH again

Question 12

How much have sea levels risen annually since 1990?

Answer 12

9.1 mm/year

Question 13

What 2 ways do sea levels rise?

Answer 13

• terrestrial ice melt
• thermal expansion

Question 14

How does melting sea ice impact ecosystems?

Answer 14

• no ice for algae to live under
• algae are producers so food chain impacted

Question 15

What does ocean warming lead to an increase in?

Answer 15

intensity and frequency of tropical storms

Question 16

How would the death of coral reefs impact coastal communities?

Answer 16

no protection against erosion or storms

Question 17

What has the pH decreased from and to in the last 250 years?

Answer 17

from 8.25 to 8.14

Question 18

What are the impacts of changes to the carbon cycle on the land?

Answer 18

• longer growing season
• carbon fertilisation
• faster decay
• more wildfires

Question 19

The destruction of peatlands in the UK will be equal to how many years of carbon emissions?

Answer 19

5 years

Question 20

By how much are urban populations growing each week?

Answer 20

+1.3 million

Question 21

What % of global emissions came from cities in 2012?

Answer 21

47%