The carbon cycle Flashcards
What are transfers in the carbon cycle?
-Photosynthesis
-Respirstion
-Combustion
-Decomposition
-Diffusion
-Weathering and erosion
-Burial and compaction
-Carbon sequestration
What is photosynthesis?
Living organisms covert carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water from the soil into oxygen and glucose using light energy
What is respiration?
Occurs when plants and animals convert oxygen and glucose into energy which it then produces the waste products of water and co2
What is combustion?
When fossil fuels and organic matter such as trees are burnt and emit co2 into the atmosphere
What is decomposition?
When living organisms die, they are broken down by decomposes which respire returning co2 back to the atmosphere
What is diffusion?
The oceans can absorb co2 from the atmosphere, which has increased ocean acidity by 30% since preindustrial times
What is weathering and erosion in the carbon cycle?
Rocks eroded on land or broken down by carbonation weathering.
What is burial and compaction in the carbon cycle?
When shelled marine organisms die, their shell fragments fall to the ocean floor and become compacted over time to form limestone and is compacted overtime
What is carbon sequestration?
Transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to other stores and can be both natural and artificial
Advantages of carbon sequestration?
-Can be fitted to existing coal power stations
-Captures 90% of co2 produced
- Potential to capture half the worlds Co2
Disadvantages of carbon sequestration?
-High cost
-Increases energy demand of power stations
-May not be space to fit it in existing power stations
What is a sere?
A sere is a stage of a vegetation succession and can relate to specific environments
What is a vegetation succession?
Occurs when a plant community develops and becomes more complex over time
What is the climatic climax?
The final stage of the sere where environmental equilibrium is achieved
What are the main carbon stores?
-Marine sediments and sedimentary rocks
-Oceans
-Fossil fuel deposits
-Soil organic matter
-Atmosphere
-Terrestrial plants
What is the main store of carbon?
Lithosphere
What is the carbon sink?
Any store which takes in more carbon than it emits
What is the carbon budget?
The amount of carbon stored and transferred within the carbon cycle
What are natural processes in the carbon cycle?
-Wildfires = transfer carbon through burning, can encourage the growth of plants in the long term
-Volcanic activity = carbon stored within the earth is released during volcanic eruptions
What are the human impacts of the carbon cycle?
-Fossil fuel use = Combustion transfers CO2 to the atmosphere from a long term carbon sink
-Deforestation = Often used to clear land, releases carbon stored in plants using slash and burn techniques
-Farming practises = releases co2 as animals respire and farming machinery
What is the carbon source ?
A store that emits more carbon that it absorbs
What is the enhanced greenhouse effects?
The enhanced greenhouse effect is the process that is currently causing global warming as high levels of greenhouse gases are being produced by humans, by tapping radiation from the sun, causing global warming and climate change.
Who is the enhanced greenhouse effect caused by?
Humans
Who is the greenhouse effect caused by?
Natural process
What is the impact of the carbon cycle on regional climates?
-Tropical rainforests: High rates of photosynthesis and respiration in forests lead to a greater humidity, cloud cover and precipitation
-Deforestation reduces photosynthesis and respiration
Oceans: Warmer oceans cause more plankton growth and through plankton chemical production, causes clouds to potentially form
What positive feedback is there in the carbon cycle?
-Wildfires are more likely in hotter and dryer climates, which releases co2, which turns into the warming effect
-Ice reflects radiation from the sun, reducing surface warming, as sea temps rise, ice melts, the warming effect occurs, = less ice to reflect radiation
What negative feedback is there in the carbon cycle?
-Increased photosynthesis by plants rising global temps allows vegetation grow in new areas, new vegetation absorbs co2, decreasing the warming effect
-Phytoplankton photosynthesis to gain energy and warmer oceans cause the production of chemical by plankton which causes cloud formation- this decreases warming by the sun
What are the relationships between the water cycle and the carbon cycle?
-Rain that forms over intact tropical rainforests may fall over deforested land due to wind, causing erosion, with the soil and ash flowing into rivers, increasing the carbon content or rivers, the water leaves the rainforest cycle as an output through streamflow
-Reduced rainfall in forest, less evapotranspiration in the deforested area, causing drought periods and rainforests go deterioiate
-Deforestation of peat lands and the digging of drainage channels reduces water storage
How to mitigate climate change through global intervention?
-The paris agreement - climate deal
Aim to limit global temps to 2°c above pre industrial levels
-Support for developing countries
-Public interaction and awareness schemes
-Meet every 5 years to improve goals
How to mitigate climate change and regional intervention?
-EU 20-20-20
20% reduction in green house gases and commitment to 20% of energy coming from renewable sources and 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020
-EU has suggested it will increase its emissions reductions to 30%
How to mitigate climate change on a national intervention?
Climate Change act 2008 UK
Legally binding target for the UK to reduce GHG emissions by 80% of 1990 levels by 2050 with a target of 26% by 2020 which has increased to 34%
-Created national carbon budgets and the independent committee on climate change
How to mitigate climate change on a local scale?
-Improving home insulation
-Recycling
-Using energy more wisely and use if smart meters and using public transport or car sharing schemes
