Changes to the Process of Natural Carbon Sequestration Flashcards
How does land cover change affect the process of carbon sequestration?
Land cover change affects processes that occur within the carbon cycle, including that of carbon sequestration.
Any change to this process due to land cover change will ultimately effect climate, which then creates feedback loops to influence land cover (a bi-directional relationship)
what is the definition of natural carbon sequestration
the syllabus defines natural carbon sequestration as the process of capture and long term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the natural biogeochemical cycling of carbon
What is the primary cause of deforestation and the subsequent release of carbon into the atmosphere?
The creation of new agricultural land typically requires the clearing of native forests. When trees are cut down and burned or left to decompose, carbon that was previously stored in the fibres of the vegetation is released as CO2 to the atmosphere.
Currently, deforestation and the resulting net carbon source to the atmosphere is occurring primarily in the tropics
What has allowed for natural carbon sequestration in the US and Europe?
Less productive agriculture land in the US and Europe has been allowed to regrow as frorets. This has resulted in the natural sequestration (long term storage) of carbon from the atmosphere, through carbon accumulation in woody biomass and soils.
How does land use and land cover change contribute to greenhouse gas emissions at different scales?
Land use and land cover change plays a major role in climate change at global, regional and local scales. At a global scale, land use and land cover change are responsible for releasing greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, thereby driving global warming and resulting in further land cover change.
How much organic carbon is estimated to be stored in soils globally?
Globally, soils are estimated to contain approximately 1500 gigatonnes of organic carbon equivalent to a depth of one metre, more than the amount in vegetation and the atmosphere.
How can land use and land cover change increase the release of CO2 to the atmosphere?
Land use and land cover change can increase the release of CO2 to the atmosphere through the disturbance of terrestrial soils and vegetation.
What is the major driver of increased CO2 release through land use change?
The major drive of this change is deforestation, especially when followed by agriculture, as it causes the further release of soil carbon in response to disturbance by tillage.
How can modification of agricultural practices contribute to carbon sequestration?
However, modification of agriculture practices has become a recognised method of carbon sequestration as soil can act as an effective carbon sink, offsetting as much as 20% of CO2 emissions annually.
How do scientists use forensic methods to determine the source of increased carbon emissions?
Scientist can use forensic methods to determine the source of increased carbon emissions by measuring the production of the carbon-13 isotope in atmospheric CO2.
