Monitoring The Cycles Flashcards
Long term changes to the water cycle
. Global sea levels drop by 100-130 m
. ⅓ landmass covered in glaciers
. Water stored in biosphere shrinks cos fewer plants
. In tropics, rainforest is replaced by deserts and grasslands cos climate is drier
. The water cycle slows cos maj is trapped in the ice
Long term changes to the carbon cycle
. Reduction in CO² = 180ppm in glacial periods raises to 280ppm in interglacial
. Phytoplankton growth is stimulated so absorb lots of CO² by photosynthesis
. Carbon in biosphere decreases cos there’s less plants
. Pedosphere to atmosphere exchange not happen cos soul is covered in ice
Monitoring techniques
. Ice caps
-> monitor surface height using lasers so can monitor volume, extent and location of changes
. Sea surface temps
-> measure radiation emitted from oceans to show areas of upwelling and downwelling
. Arctic sea ice
-> measures microwaves emitted from earth’s surface and compare over tike to see change in sea ice coverage
. Deforestation
-> measures reflectivity and reveal land use changes
. Atmospheric CO²
-> measures CO² in the atmosphere and how effective plants are at absorbing it
Management of the carbon cycle
. Afforestation
. Planting Trees = lower flood risk, less soil erosion + increasing biodiversity
.protecting trees from loggers, farmers and miners = cheaper way of curbing emissions -> REDD+ scheme (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) = place £ value on conservation
. China = massive gov sponsored programme start 1978 that aims to re-forest 400,000km^2 by 2050 -> in 2000 to 09 30,000km^2 planted successfully - non-native species + fast growing ones (Polar and Birch)
Management of the carbon cycle
. Wetland restoration
. contains 35% of terrestrial carbon
. in lower US states wetlands halved since 1960 = loss of biodiversity + habitats
. destruction of wetlands = more CO2 and CH4 in atmosphere
. increasing pop, economic development + urbanisation = huge pressure
Management of the carbon cycle
. Improving agriculture
. unsustainable practices E.G. overcultivation and overgrazing = up soil erosion and release more carbon into the atmosphere
. intensive live stock farming = produces 100mil tonnes/yr of CH4
. CH4 emissions from flooded padi fields cos uncontrolled decomposition of manure
. improve quality of animal feed
. control manure decomposition
Management of carbon cycle
. International agreements
. Kyoto protocol
. started in 1997
. AC agree to legally binding reductions in their CO2 emissions but bigger poorer emitters exempt (China + India)
. some ACs refuse to agree to treaty like USA and Australia
. expired in 2012
Management of the carbon cycle
. International agreements
. Paris treaty
. started in 2015 to be implemented in 2020
. aim to reduce global CO2 emissions below 60%of 2010 levels by 2050 + keep global warming below 2 degrees C
. countries set own target and they aren’t legally binding
. AC transfer signif funds + tech to help poorer to achieve targets
. maj of CO2 emitters say its ACs problem cos they are still industrialising and ACs had theirs on fossil fuels
Management of the carbon cycle
. Cap and trade
. offers more market based approach to limiting CO2 emissions -> businesses are given and annual quota for the amount of CO2 they are allowed to emit
. if its less than quota then get carbon credits which can be traded on international markets ( if exceed quota then have to buy carbon credits or be fined)
. carbon offsets = credits awarded for things like afforestation -> they can be bought to compensate for excessive emissions elsewhere
Management of the water cycle
. Forestry techniques
In the UK
. schemes like Making Space for Water (2005)
-> implement sustainable development should be firmly rooted in all flood and erosion risk managements
. planting = up lag time on flood plains
-> benefits H2O quality, habitats, help meet ecological and chemical quality targets and meets biodiversity action plan
-> to create 7950 hectares of wet woodlands by 2030
Amazon Region Protected Areas (ARPA)
. create new 283,000 km^2 of new protected area + transform 125,000km^2 of neglected parks to get them up to scratch
. set up long term protected area
-> target for funding = US$220 mil
. parks protect habitat, biodiversity, act as barrier to deforest, keep tree coverage to preserve rainfall patterns
Management of the water cycle
. water allocation -> domestic
ACs
. 30% homes have meter but more are needed
-> down water consump by 10% after meter fitted
-> use incentives to encourage less water use ( block and seasonal tariffs)
. to save water should have short flush toilets, turn off taps ( waste 6mil L/min), fix dripping taps ( waste 5,500 L/yr), use shower ( 60L compared to 120 L in bath) + only put machine on when there’s a full load
LIDCs
. India focus on recycling water cos of rapid pop growth
. Bang drink mix of recycled + rain water -> plan to supply 600 mil L of recycled H2O
. Bang also treating sewage to make drinkable
-> 425 mil L of sewage = 400 mil L of drinking
. now compuls for new housing to use recycled water
. Mumbai Municipal Corporation to reduce H2O supply from 140 L to 90 L /person/day
Management of the water cycle
.Water allocation -> agricultural
ACs
. uses 1% of H2O resources but signif regional + seasonal differences
-> E Anglia = 16% of abstract H2O use -> in summ irrigat can exceed the abstract for public use
. clim change = up demand -> agri irrigat = increase by 20% by 2025 and 30% by 2050
. demand concentrated in E + S where arable farming
. to help should invest in breeding programmes for plants like willow cos H2O efficient
-> help sust devel of crops for use in energy generat as well as food source
LIDCs
. use lots to irrigate crops
. irrigat sys not automated so not as efficient
Managing the water cycle
. water allocation -> industrial
ACs
. factories use lots of water cos large scale
. Cadbury committed to saving water by wasting less
-> on site treatment plant ( cost £2mil )
-> reduces H2O demand by 15% /year
-> saves £10,000/ annum + 17 mil L/ year
LIDCs
. local industry = small so use little or no water
. ACs moving their industries here so up H2O consumption
-> Coca-cola in India use 1 mil L of H2O/ day
Managing the water cycle
. Drainage basin management
Pickering, N Yorkshire, Eng -> cost £3.2 mil
. focused on catchment and management
. Soakaways -> porous chambers used to drain surface water
. estab construct of Large Wood Debris (LWD) dams
-> cost £55 -500 to build each
-> 129 dams in Pickering -> ‘leaky’ frameworks = flood storage + passage of fish not affected
. plant riparian woodland = up roughness = up lag time
-> 19 ha in Pickering + 10 ha on river Seven
. estab no-burn buffer -> 10m zone
-> buring heather = up run-off cos ground smoother
. plant farm woodland = less run-off and up lag time
