Links Between Water and Carbon Cycles

Question 1

Increasing atmospheric carbon storage

Answer 1

• global mean surface temperature reached record high in 2015 of 0.87C
• IPCC (intergovernmental panel for climate change) says humans are to blame - ‘human fingerprints’ resulting in greenhouse gas emissions
• increase by 45% of CO2 emissions since start of europe’s industrial revolution
• population growth and economy developments led to worldwide increase use in fossil fuels as energy source
• ‘hockey stick’ trend line = gradual growth up to 1900s then very steep growth
• ancient air bubbles trapped in ice suggest CO2 and methane levels are higher than any time in past 800,000 years

Question 2

Increasing carbon emissions and energy budget

Answer 2

• rising GMST primarily due to increase of atmospheric carbon store impacting Earth’s energy budget
• energy budget = state of balance between solar radiation received and reflected or re-radiated
• approx 31% of solar radiation reflected by clouds and gases in atmosphere and land surface
• 69% of surface absorption is re-radiated as long wave radiation

Question 3

Impacts of rising greenhouse gas emissions on precipitation

Answer 3

• more evaporation in warmer oceans, more rain as oceans warm
• amount in UK own’t change but become more seasonal, frontal in winter, drought in summer
• extreme weather events increasing

Question 4

Impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on river discharge

Answer 4

• flood-rich period, more intense winter rainfall
• lower river discharges in S. England as less rainfall in summer
• convectional rainfall in summer, high run-off volume, flashy hydrographs

Question 5

impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on sea level rise

Answer 5

• warmer climate bringing eustatic sea level change due to thermal expansion and glacial melting of oceans
• rise of approx 3mm per year, mostly thermal expansion
• complete loss of Greenland and antarctic ice sheets cause sea level rise of 70m

Question 6

impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on acidification of oceans

Answer 6

• carbonic acid created as CO2 dissolves in oceans
• harmful effects on coral reef and other species
• animals expend more energy building shells, as acid reacts with carbonate in water, making them thinner
• impacts on reproduction, metabolism and immune systems of species

Question 7

Local scale links between water and carbon cycles

Answer 7

• carbon transported in solution by river water
• ecosystems function as stores of water and carbon and influence how transfers of carbon and flows of water operate
• deforestation increases overland flow, causing erosion of soils and permanent loss of carbon storage capacity
• atmospheric carbon concentration change global climate and water cycle flows and stores
• desertification = land becomes drier and degraded as a result of climate change or human activity
• decreased vegetation cover reduces soils infiltration capacity, run-off takes place leading to soil erosion and gullying

Question 8

Links in cycles in the UK

Answer 8

• floodplains, parks, observe fallen leaves being washed by heavy rainfall into gutters
• high levels of overland flow and channel flow in water cycle are responsible for transporting large volume of carbon away from land