How Do The Water And Carbon System Operate In The Arctic Flashcards
What is the area of the tundra?
8 million km squared
For 9 months of the year what is the heat balance like?
Negative
What is the mean temperature?
-15 degrees
What is the temperature like in deepest winter?
-40 degrees
With climate change increasing temperatures where is there a growth of more vegetation?
Northern Quebec
What is annual precipitation like?
Low
50-350 mm
What is the relief like and how does this affect the water cycle?
Extensive low relief
Very little infiltration
How is the vegetation adapted to the severe climate?
Low lying
Small leaves
Few trees
Where is the climate most severe?
North
High arctic
What melts in the summer?
Active layer
What is the layer of soil that is permanently frozen throughout the year?
Permafrost
How does permafrost impact the water cycle?
Barrier to infiltration and percolation
Groundwater stores and aquifers are limited
What is the geology of most of the Arctic?
Precambrian Igneous Rock
Why is transpiration limited?
Limited vegetation
What is the humidity like?
Low temperature
Limited moisture
Low absolute humidity
What happens in the summer when the active layer melts?
Temporary ponds or lakes form
Sit on surface as can’t infiltrate
Why does the Arctic have poor conditions for photosynthesis?
Low temperature
Low moisture
Low nutrients
How long is the growing season?
3 months
What is the net primary productivity like?
200g/m squared/year
How much carbon is in the biomass store?
4-29 tonnes/ha
What happens to microorganisms during the growing season?
More active
Break down more litter
Release some CO2
What is the issue with waterlogged conditions from the seasonal pools?
Starve decomposers of oxygen
No decomposition/respiration
Limits CO2 transfer
How much carbon does the permafrost store?
1600 gigatons
Currently permafrost is a carbon ____ but there are future possibilities that it will become a carbon ______
Sink
Source
