KEY WORDS Flashcards
open system
where energy and matter can enter or leave an environment
closed system
where energy but no matter can enter or leave an evironment
positive feedback
where a set of consequences lead to the amplification of the impact
negative feedback
where a set of consequences lead to the nullification of the impact
cryosphere
areas of the earth system that are cold enough to have frozen water
lithosphere
outermost part of the earth, consists of the crust and upper mantle
biosphere
the living parts of the earth’s system
hydrosphere
the parts of the earth’s system that contains water
atmosphere
the layer of gas between the earth surface and space
global hydrological cycle
the continuous movement of water between the hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere
frontal precipitation
deposition of water upon the earth due to a collision of air masses. Warmer air rises over the cooler air and passes through the dew point
orographic precipitation
deposition of water produced when moist air rises as it moves over a mountain range. the decline temp (1’c per 100m) causes the air to pass through the dew point
convective precipitation
deposition of water caused by air rising and cooling past the dew point that is caused by the heating of the air by the ground below
drainage basin
an area of land drained by a river and its tributaries
watershed
higher ground that makes the outer edge of a drainage basin
interception by vegetation
the plants impede the movement of water from the atmosphere to the soil
surface storage
water stored in depressions in the ground in ground such as puddles or lakes
soil moisture storage
water stored within pores within the soil structure
groundwater storage
water stored within cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock
water table
the top of the zone of saturation, where pores in the ground below this point are saturated with water
channel storage
water stored within the river
aquifer
permeable underground layer of rock that store water
infiltration
water soaking the ground
overland flow/run-off
water moving over the earth’s surface
throughfall
water dripping off leaves
stemflow
water flowing down the stems or trunks of plants
percolation
water seeping through the soil into the water table
groundwater flow
slow movement of water below the water table through permeable rock
baseflow
ground water that feeds rivers through the beds and banks
interflow
water flowing downhill through permeable rock above the water table
channel flow / river discharge
water flowing through the river
transpiration
the transfer of water from plants to the atmosphere as photosynthesis
evapotranspiration
joint processes of evaporation and transpiration
river discharge
water flows out of the drainage basin
potential evapotranspiration
the amount of evapotranspiration that could take place assuming that there us a constant supply of water
water balance
an equation that examines input (precipitation) and outputs of the drainage basin (evapotranspiration and discharge) as well as how much water is stored within the drainage basin
water surplus
period of time when precipitation input is greater than evapotranspiration output
water deficit
period of time when perception input is less than evapotranspiration output
cumecs
cubic meteres per second - measurement of river volumes
peak discharge
point in time when river volumes peak after a store event
peak rainfall
period of time when rainfall from a storm is at greater intensity
lag time
time between peak rainfall and peak discharge
river regime
the annual pattern of river discharge
contour ploughing
planting across a slope following its elevation contour lines to help minimise surface run-off and soil erosion
water abstraction
the removal or extracting water from a natural source such as rivers, lakes, groundwater and aquifers
carbon cycle
the continuous movement of carbon between the hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere
respiration
the transfer of co2 into the atmosphere by the burning or organic carbon. this can include negation (biosphere) or fossil fuels (lithosphere)
combustion
transfer of carbon to the atmosphere by the burning or organic carbon. that can include vegetation or fossil fuels
decomposition
the release of carbon compounds into the atmosphere, soil and to the ocean floor as animal and plant structures are broken down by bacteria
sequestration
the abstraction and storage of carbon from the atmosphere into carbon sinks (such as oceans, forest or soil) through physical or biological processes such as photosynthesis
terrestrial biological carbon sequestration
the transfer and storage of carbon into the biosphere upon the earth’s surface
geologic sequestration
the transfer and storage of carbon into the lithosphere e.g. saline intrusions
ocean carbon biological pump
the ocean’s biologically driven sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean interior and seafloor sediment. Oceans absorb carbon from the atmosphere which is then absorbed by phytoplankton during photosynthesis in the euphotic part of the ocean. Once plankton such. as foraminifera tuns absorbed carbon into CaCO3 - sink in sea floor and bury carbon
euphotic
sun lit
ocean acidification
a reduction in the PH of the Ocean over an extended period of time, cause mainly by uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Impact biological pump
Keeling curve
a graph of the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere based upon continuous measurements taken at the Mauna Loa in Hawaii
carbon sink
anything that absorbs more carbon than it releases as carbon dioxide
carbon flux
the amount of carbon exchanged between earth’s carbon pools - the oceans, atmosphere, land and living things. Typically measured in units if gigatonnes of carbon per year (GtC/Yr)
IPCC
intergovernmental panel on climate change
carbon budget
the tolerable quantity of greenhouse gas emissions (1000Gtc) that can be emitted in total over a specified time. Warming above this will lead to positive feedback loops such as melting permafrost that will further increase atmospheric carbon to intolerable levels
enhanced greenhouse effect
impacts on the climate from the additional heat retained due to the increased amounts of carbon doxed and other greenhouse gases that humans have released into the earth’s atmosphere since the industrial revolution
Radiative forcing
the difference between insolation (sunlight) absorbed by the earth and energy radiated back to space. The greenhouse effect reduces energy loss
carbon fertilisation
the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases the rate of photosynthesis in plants. Cause a negative feedback
Permafrost
soil, rock or sediment that is frozen for more than two consecutive years. Melting of this leads to organic decay and carbon fluxing into the atmosphere (part of positive feedback)
Thermohaline circulation
sometimes called ocean conveyor belt, which is driven by global density gradients created by surface heat and freshwater fluxes. Helps to absorb atmospheric carbon into the ocean
phytoplankton
tiny, plant-like producers of the plankton community
phytoplankton
tiny, plant-like producers of the plankton community
Foraminifera
single-celled organisms with shells or tests. they play an important role in the ocean carbon pump
Albedo
the proportion of light or radiation that is reflected by a surface
Mitigation
The action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something
Adaption
The process of changing structures or behaviour to suit environmental conditions
resilience
the ability to return to the status quo after a disturbing event
UNFCCC
An International environmental treaty adopted in 1992, which is designed to mitigate against global warming
Renewable energy
an energy source is one that is constance replenishing itself, including power harnessed from the sun, wind, moving water and geothermal souces
Carbon capture and Storage (CCS)
a technology that can capture up to 90% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced from the use of fossil fuels in electricity generation and industrial processes, thus preventing the carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere
kyoto protocol
an international treaty among industrialised nations that sets mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions
