Importance of Carbon Flashcards
What is the importance of water to humans?
It is used in industry (brewing, food manufacturing, paper making, steel making), sewage disposal, drinking and cooking (domestic use), recreational activities (swimming, boating), irrigation of crops (enables farming), generates electricity (hydroelectric power), moderates thermal conditions
What is the drainage basin system?
It is an open system with inputs of sunlight and precipitation, and outputs of kinetic energy, heat energy and evapotranspiration + runoff
What effect does reduced discharge have on the water cycle?
Lowering of water table
How is the water cycle enhanced by human activity?
Negative feedback loops
- restores dynamic equilibrium
E.g. forestry
How is the water cycle disturbed by human activity?
Positive feedback loops
- disrupts dynamic equilibrium
E.g. farming, urbanisation, deforestation, fossil fuel combustion, water abstraction, concrete manufacturing
How does temperature impact the carbon cycle in the Amazon rainforest?
High temperature is ideal for plant growth and decomposition
- High NPP = more carbon stored in biosphere than released through respiration back to atmosphere - 100 billion tonnes of carbon stored in trees in the Amazon
- High decomposition rates = leaf litter containing carbon recycled rapidly by decomposers = transfer of carbon from pedosphere back to atmosphere is rapid
- High temps all year round in Amazon = constantly rapid cycling of carbon from atmosphere to biosphere to pedosphere to atmosphere (POSITIVE FEEDBACK CYCLE)
- biological weathering - chelation - common due to high temps and rainfall, and rapid decomposition rates
- High temps = high evaporation rates = high precipitation rates
What are some examples of long term changes to the water cycle?
Climate change: glacials and interglacials = more/less water stored in cryosphere
Ice = high albedo = cooling of atmosphere
- Global thermohaline circulation
How does latitude affect water and carbon cycles?
High lat = less evaporation + precipitation = larger seasonal differences = shorter growing season + shorter daylight hours in winter = lower NPP and less transpiration
How does altitude affect water and carbon cycles?
High alt = lower temperature = lower evaporation, transpiration and precipitation rates = less rainfall and more snow = less decomposition
How do ocean currents affect carbon and water cycles?
Warm ocean currents = increased temps = increased evaporation, transpiration and precipitation = higher rainfall
How does an individual tree transfer water?
- Intercepted precipitation transferred to ground surface as throughfall, stem flow and leaf drip
- Evaporation from intercepted storage
- Transpiration from vegetation storage to atmosphere
- Capillary action of roots from soil moisture storage to vegetation storage
How does an individual tree store water?
- Temporary storage of water that has been intercepted
- Storage of water in vegetation (biomass)
How does an individual tree impact the water cycle?
- Interception reduces rate at which water reaches the ground = increased infiltration, through flow + groundwater flow = decreased surface runoff = increased lag time and decreased peak discharge
- More evapotranspiration = reduced soil moisture storage = reduced amount of water reaching river = decreased river discharge = REDUCED RISK OF FLOODING
What it the process of condensation?
When air is cooled to its dew point and becomes saturated
What is convection and advection?
Convection: when air is warmed by contact with the ground or sea surface, causing it to rise, and pressure to fall resulting in cooling due to adiabatic expansion which result in air sinking
