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HELENP EE Ecology > EE Lecture 22: Carbon > Flashcards

EE Lecture 22: Carbon Flashcards

1
Q

when did life begin (in terms of RNA)

A

when self replicating C-N molecules like RNA began to use energy for homeostasis

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2
Q

what does carbon recycling mean

A

returned to inorganic from by respiration

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3
Q

what is carbon flux

A

rate of carbon transfer between pools

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4
Q

name some carbon sources

A

fossil fuel burning
respiration
deforestation - slash and burn
decomposition

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5
Q

name some carbon sinks

A

biomass - peat formation in bogs

sediments

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6
Q

what is carbon fixation balanced by

A

respiration

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7
Q

why is carbon at equilibrium in biomass

A

because biomass s neither a sink nor source - fixation is balanced by respiration

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8
Q

name some inorganic carbon pools

A 
rocks
sediments
gases
water 
clathrates
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9
Q

how many orders of magintude difference of C between litho- hydro- and atmosphere

A

2 orders of magnitude difference between each component

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10
Q

where are clathrates found

A

worldwide

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11
Q

what are clathrates associated with

A

onshore and off shore permafrost

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12
Q

what can clathrates trigger? why/how

A

clathrates lie beneath submarine slopes and can contribute to landslides when seabed temp rises

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13
Q

what are clathrates

A

solid chemical lattice - traps methane >10^19 gC

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14
Q

what potential use is there for clathrates

A

potential fuel source

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15
Q

what hazard do clathrates pose

A

major hazard for global warming

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16
Q

how many molecules of methane does each clathrate cage typically contain

A

1 molecule of methane per clathrate cage

17
Q

what is the clathrate gun hypothesis

A
  1. energy gun is loaded as clathrates build up during cold periods
  2. the gun is fired to cause rapid greenhouse warming (positive feedback)
  3. process occurs on different timescales and magnitudes
  4. produces a well documented saw tooth pattern of temp change
18
Q

how many MYA was the latest paleocene thermal max

what was it to do with

A

55MYA

rapid warming of sea due to 2x10^8 methane transferred from clathrates to ocean

19
Q

in the clathrate gun hypothesis what is the gun

A

gun gets loaded during cold periods by clathrate build uip

20
Q

what are units of carbon in carbon cycle`

A

petagrams

21
Q

what are the main carbon flows in the carbon cycle

A

ocean to atmosphere
photosynthesis and respiration
deocmposition

22
Q

outline main steps of carbon cycle

A 
fixation
respiration
litter fall
herbivory
root dynamics
C input to streams (allochthonous)
C fixed in steams (autochthonous)
sedimentation in lake
export open system
23
Q

what does allochthonous mean

A

C input into streams

24
Q

what does autochthonous mean

A

C fization in streams

25
Q

what are the consequences of increased CO2 due to

A

immediate increase in photosynth in C3 plants often disappears under long exposure
increase biomass and food production
root shoot ratios increase
N fixers benefit more than other plants

26
Q

what consequences does an increase CO2 in C3 plants have

A

immediate increase in photosynth in C3 plants often disappears under long exposure, suggesting homeostasis

27
Q

what consequences does an increase CO2 on root shoot raitos have

A

root shoot ratios increase when increase CO2

28
Q

which type of plants benefit more from an increased CO2 conc

A

N fixers

29
Q

what is tau - τ

A

mean residence time

30
Q

what is the symbol for mean residence time

A

tau

31
Q

what is eqtn for tau

A

tau = mass/flux

32
Q

what does mass/flux equal

A

mean residence time - tau

33
Q

what does tau help you work out

A

how much an increase in respiration would lag photosynthesis by in response to linear folding
tau is measured in years

34
Q

what is tau measured in?

A

yrs/unit of time

35
Q

If t was 40yrs, for a 2Gt per year terrestrial sink, what would global NPP be going up by? what would rate of global CO2 increase per year be

A

2/40 = 0.05Gt per year

36
Q

write formular for measuring C sink from tau

A

C sink = ΔNPP x τ

37
Q

what does tau measure

A

rate of global CO2 increase per year/unit of time

38
Q

what is the most parsimonious explanation for increasing forest growth

A

forest have more net C sink, more CO2 resource causing an increase NPP

39
Q

how do C and N pollutants interact

A

fertilizer effects increase biomass pools of both nutrients

HELENP EE Ecology (8 decks)

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