Imapcts Of Cycle And Factors That Impact Flashcards
2 natural changes of time
Wildfires
Volcanoes
How do wildfires impact cycle
Rapidly transfer large quantities of carbon from biosphere to atmosphere
Loss vegetation- less photosynthesis - less carbon removed
Can encourage growth of new plants to increase removal,
How volcanoes impact cycle
Carbon released from magma to atmosphere
Only extreme eruptions could cause a huge difference
6 human changes over time
Hydrocarbon extraction and cement making
Land use change
Deforestation
Farming practices
Carbon sequestration
Urban growth
How does hydrocarbon extraction and cement making impact cycle
4
Made of dead plants and animals so contain CO2 when burnt CO2 released
Cement manufacture - calcium carbonate is heated to produce lime and CO2 - 5% of global anthropogenic emissions
2013 emissions - 36Gtc.
61% higher than 1990 (Kyoto protocol)
2.3% higher than 2012
2013- 43% coal, 33% oil , 18 gas , 5.5 cement
Land use change
30% of anthropogenic is land use change - mainly deforestation
Farming practices
Animals release CO2 in respiration
Release Methane in enteric fermentation - 39% of farming total
Rice in rice paddles = methane. 10% of farming emissions
Increased mechanisation = increases CO2
Asia = 44%. 25% USA. 15% Africa 12% Europe 4% Oceania
Deforestation
Slash and burn or logging
FAO estimates 13 million HA (Greece) cut down a year for land use
200km2 a day
Worlds rainforest vanish in 100 years at current rate
Affects both cycles
Urban growth
Over half worlds population in Urban areas, expected to reach 60% by 2030
Increased transponder, industry and domestic emissions
2012- cities were responsible for 47% of global emissions
Carbon sequestration
Geologic - capture it at source like power plant, objected in liquid form to underground stores
Terrestrial - using plants to capture CO2
What are fast and slow flows
Fast = photosynthesis, respiration, combustion and decomposition
Slow - sewauestration - millions of years
3 spatial scales that carbon flows occur over
Plant - respiration and photosynthesis
Ecosystem - combustion and decomposition
Continental - all carbon flows
What’s the carbon budget
Difference between inputs and outputs
Determine whether subsystem is carbon source or sink
What’s a carbon source
Release more carbon than absorbs
Carbon sink
Absorbs more than releases
Impacts of carbon on land
25% of emissions removed by plants
Changes reducing storage on land- increase temp , melts permafrost - CO2 in atmosphere increase - increase temp - postive
Increase temp due to CO2- increased wildfires
Increased temp - increase rate of decay - increase methane release
Impact on oceans
Coral reefs
Increase CO2 in atmosphere - increase acidity if oceans. 30% of CO2 releases I atmosphere has difussed into ocean - creates carbonic acid
This creates adverse effects of marine life , threat to coral reefs ( provide food and livelihood to 500 million)
Loss of coral reefs due to bleaching- loss of biodiversity - reduce food availability and reached capacity of coastlines to buffer against sea rise and storm surges
Impact on oceans
Global warming
3
Affect temperature sensitive to organisms - phytoplankton can’t survive in higher temps - decrease in numbers - less photosynthesis - less carbon removed - less effective carbon sink
Melthinf sea ice - artic retreat at 40% in 35 years, less heat reflected and less habitats and biodiversity
Melting terrestrial ice - thermal expansion - sea level rise. Between 0.8-2m by 2100
Impact on oceans
Polar marine ecosystems
Predicted to be so low in carbonate ions within century - become corrosive to unprotected shells
Impact on atmosphere
Increase greenhouse gasses - increase energy trapped - global warming - drought and more instense storms
Enchanted greenhouse effect
Extra CO2 and greenhouse gases causes radiative forcing
Radiative forcing
Difference between incoming solar energy absorbed by earth and energy radiate back to space
