Movement of Carbon - Oceanic Carbon Pumps

Question 1

The temperature of the water and how much carbon it can dissolve creates what?

Answer 1

Negative correlation.

Leads to vertical deep mixing.

Question 2

What is vertical deep mixing?

Answer 2

Describes movement of carbon dioxide.
Occurs when warm water in oceanic surface currents its carried from the warm tropics to cold polar regions.
Water is cooled and it becomes dense here sinking to below surface.
Cold water then returns to surface and warms up again. Losing carbon dioxide to atmosphere.

Question 3

What does the vertical deep mixing ensure?

Answer 3

Carbon dioxide is constantly being exchanged between ocean and atmosphere.
It acts as carbon pump.

Question 4

What is a biological pump?

Answer 4

When living things in ocean move carbon from atmosphere into water and then into rocks.

Question 5

How else do living organisms impact carbon cycle in ocean?

Answer 5

Carbon gets incorporated into organisms as organic matter or calcium carbonate.
Die, decay, release Co2.
Form carbon rich sediments.

Question 6

When sediment is is turned into rocks, what happens?

Answer 6

Carbon is locked up for millions of years.