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Carbon and Water cycle > KEY WORDS > Flashcards

KEY WORDS Flashcards

1
Q

open system

A

where energy and matter can enter or leave an environment

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2
Q

closed system

A

where energy but no matter can enter or leave an evironment

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3
Q

positive feedback

A

where a set of consequences lead to the amplification of the impact

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4
Q

negative feedback

A

where a set of consequences lead to the nullification of the impact

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5
Q

cryosphere

A

areas of the earth system that are cold enough to have frozen water

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6
Q

lithosphere

A

outermost part of the earth, consists of the crust and upper mantle

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7
Q

biosphere

A

the living parts of the earth’s system

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8
Q

hydrosphere

A

the parts of the earth’s system that contains water

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9
Q

atmosphere

A

the layer of gas between the earth surface and space

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10
Q

global hydrological cycle

A

the continuous movement of water between the hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere

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11
Q

frontal precipitation

A

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

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12
Q

orographic precipitation

A

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

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13
Q

convective precipitation

A

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

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14
Q

drainage basin

A

an area of land drained by a river and its tributaries

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15
Q

watershed

A

higher ground that makes the outer edge of a drainage basin

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16
Q

interception by vegetation

A

the plants impede the movement of water from the atmosphere to the soil

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17
Q

surface storage

A

water stored in depressions in the ground in ground such as puddles or lakes

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18
Q

soil moisture storage

A

water stored within pores within the soil structure

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19
Q

groundwater storage

A

water stored within cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock

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20
Q

water table

A

the top of the zone of saturation, where pores in the ground below this point are saturated with water

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21
Q

channel storage

A

water stored within the river

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22
Q

aquifer

A

permeable underground layer of rock that store water

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23
Q

infiltration

A

water soaking the ground

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24
Q

overland flow/run-off

A

water moving over the earth’s surface

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25
Q

throughfall

A

water dripping off leaves

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26
Q

stemflow

A

water flowing down the stems or trunks of plants

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27
Q

percolation

A

water seeping through the soil into the water table

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28
Q

groundwater flow

A

slow movement of water below the water table through permeable rock

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29
Q

baseflow

A

ground water that feeds rivers through the beds and banks

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30
Q

interflow

A

water flowing downhill through permeable rock above the water table

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31
Q

channel flow / river discharge

A

water flowing through the river

32
Q

transpiration

A

the transfer of water from plants to the atmosphere as photosynthesis

33
Q

evapotranspiration

A

joint processes of evaporation and transpiration

34
Q

river discharge

A

water flows out of the drainage basin

35
Q

potential evapotranspiration

A

the amount of evapotranspiration that could take place assuming that there us a constant supply of water

36
Q

water balance

A

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

37
Q

water surplus

A

period of time when precipitation input is greater than evapotranspiration output

38
Q

water deficit

A

period of time when perception input is less than evapotranspiration output

39
Q

cumecs

A

cubic meteres per second - measurement of river volumes

40
Q

peak discharge

A

point in time when river volumes peak after a store event

41
Q

peak rainfall

A

period of time when rainfall from a storm is at greater intensity

42
Q

lag time

A

time between peak rainfall and peak discharge

43
Q

river regime

A

the annual pattern of river discharge

44
Q

contour ploughing

A

planting across a slope following its elevation contour lines to help minimise surface run-off and soil erosion

45
Q

water abstraction

A

the removal or extracting water from a natural source such as rivers, lakes, groundwater and aquifers

46
Q

carbon cycle

A

the continuous movement of carbon between the hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere

47
Q

respiration

A

the transfer of co2 into the atmosphere by the burning or organic carbon. this can include negation (biosphere) or fossil fuels (lithosphere)

48
Q

combustion

A

transfer of carbon to the atmosphere by the burning or organic carbon. that can include vegetation or fossil fuels

49
Q

decomposition

A

the release of carbon compounds into the atmosphere, soil and to the ocean floor as animal and plant structures are broken down by bacteria

50
Q

sequestration

A

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

51
Q

terrestrial biological carbon sequestration

A

the transfer and storage of carbon into the biosphere upon the earth’s surface

52
Q

geologic sequestration

A

the transfer and storage of carbon into the lithosphere e.g. saline intrusions

53
Q

ocean carbon biological pump

A

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

54
Q

euphotic

A

sun lit

55
Q

ocean acidification

A

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

56
Q

Keeling curve

A

a graph of the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere based upon continuous measurements taken at the Mauna Loa in Hawaii

57
Q

carbon sink

A

anything that absorbs more carbon than it releases as carbon dioxide

58
Q

carbon flux

A

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)

59
Q

IPCC

A

intergovernmental panel on climate change

60
Q

carbon budget

A

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

61
Q

enhanced greenhouse effect

A

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

62
Q

Radiative forcing

A

the difference between insolation (sunlight) absorbed by the earth and energy radiated back to space. The greenhouse effect reduces energy loss

63
Q

carbon fertilisation

A

the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increases the rate of photosynthesis in plants. Cause a negative feedback

64
Q

Permafrost

A

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)

65
Q

Thermohaline circulation

A

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

66
Q

phytoplankton

A

tiny, plant-like producers of the plankton community

67
Q

phytoplankton

A

tiny, plant-like producers of the plankton community

68
Q

Foraminifera

A

single-celled organisms with shells or tests. they play an important role in the ocean carbon pump

69
Q

Albedo

A

the proportion of light or radiation that is reflected by a surface

70
Q

Mitigation

A

The action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something

71
Q

Adaption

A

The process of changing structures or behaviour to suit environmental conditions

72
Q

resilience

A

the ability to return to the status quo after a disturbing event

73
Q

UNFCCC

A

An International environmental treaty adopted in 1992, which is designed to mitigate against global warming

74
Q

Renewable energy

A

an energy source is one that is constance replenishing itself, including power harnessed from the sun, wind, moving water and geothermal souces

75
Q

Carbon capture and Storage (CCS)

A

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

76
Q

kyoto protocol

A

an international treaty among industrialised nations that sets mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions

Carbon and Water cycle (34 decks)

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