The Carbon Cycle and Energy Security Flashcards
Describe a Pg
The unit is used to measure carbon, one petagram also known as a gigatonne is equal to 1 billion tonnes
Define fluxes
Movements of organic compounds
Define reservoir turnover
The rate at whig carbon enters and leaves a store is measured by the mass of carbon in any store divided by the exchange flux
Name the two long term carbon stores
Crustal/terrestrial geological and oceanic (deep )
Name the 4 short term carbon stores
Terrestrial soil
Oceanic (surface )
Atmospheric
Terrestrial ecosystem
Define anthracite
It is the hardest coal. It has the most carbon and hence a higher energy content
Describe lignite coal
A soft coal, with low carbon levels and energy potential, these are the major global source of energy supplies but emit more CO2 than hard coals
Define Thermohaline Circulation
The global system of surface and deep water ocean currents is driven by temperature (thermo) and salinity (haline) differences between areas of oceans.
Define carbon cycle pumps
the processes operating in oceans to circulate and store carbon. There are three sorts biological, carbonate and physical.
Define the MEA Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
The UN MEA was the first major global audit of the heath of ecosystems in 2005, highlighting their degradation (the loss of natural productivity through overuse and destruction)
Define biomass
Organic matter used as fuel, especially in power stations for the formation of energy
Define biofuel
A fuel derived immediately from living matter , such as agricultural crops, forestry, fishery products or various waste.
Define land converison
Any change from natural ecosystems to an alternative use it usually reduces carbon and water stores and soil health
Define GIS, Geographical Information System
Maps with layers of information are an important tool in analysing place characteristics
Define ocean acidification
The decrease in the pH of the Earth’s oceans caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Define critical threshold
An abrupt change in an ecological state. Small environmental changes can trigger significant responses. Negative and positive feedback loops reinforce or undermine changes once an alternative stable state has become established.
Define Inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ)
A concentration of warm air that produces rainfall as part of a global circulation system (the Hadley cell). It moves north and south across the equator seasonally. Small shifts in its location can cause drought.
Define arctic barometer
A barometer measures pressure . The Arctic is already showing is already showing pressure on its natural systems from anthropogenic influences
Define Mitigation
Involves the reduction or prevention of GHG emissions by new technologies and low carbon energies (renewables, nuclear) becoming more energy efficient , or changing attitudes and behaviour
Name the four stores of carbon
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Lithosphere
Biosphere
How is carbon present in the lithosphere?
Carbonates are in limestone and fossil fuels
What is the reservoir turnover rate of the geological carbon cycle?
at least 100000 years
Name 4 ways in which carbon fluxes in the geological carbon cycle
Volcanic emissions
Chemical weathering
Erosion
Sediment formation of sea floor
Name two long term stores of carbon
Crustal/ terrestrial geological
Oceanic (deep)
Name 4 short term stores of carbon
Terrestrial soil
Oceanic (surface)
Atmospheric
Terrestrial ecosystem
Describe how and how long carbon is cycled by soil
Microorganisms breakdown organic matter into CO2.
This can take days or decades depending on the climate
Describe how and how long it takes for carbon is cycled by the oceanic surface
CO2 gas can dissolve in the ocean or be broken down by biological processes (phytoplankton)
Both of these processes happen rapidly
Describe how and how long it takes for carbon is cycled by the atmosphere
CO2 and CH4 store carbon for up to 100 years. It can be dissolved, or broken down by biological processes
Describe how and how long it takes for carbon is cycled by terrestrial ecosystems
C02 is taken from the atmosphere by plant photosynthesis carbon is stored organically in trees rapid interchange with atmosphere over seconds/ minutes
Name the 5 key processes in the geological carbon cycle
Mechanical, chemical and biological weathering Decomposition Transportation Sedimentation Metamorphosis
Why are geological fluxes so important?
These are small on an annual basis but without them the carbon stored in rocks would accumulate and remain there forever eventually depleting the sources of CO2 that are vital to life forms
How old are fossil fuels?
300 million years
How is limestone created in oceans?
Carbon containing rock is precipitated onto the ocean floor, form layers, cemented on the floor and lithified on limestone.
How were fossils created?
300 million years ago, remains of organic material sank to the bottom of rivers and seas. They were then covered in silt and mud. They then decayed anaerobically. Heat and pressure was exerted on the material so that the layers of organic carbon became oil, coal or gas.
Nam ethe amounts of carbon moved through the annual cycle by geological, anthropogenic and ecosystem processes
Geological: 10^14 grams ofcarbon
Anthropogenic: 10^15 grams of carbon
Ecosystem: 10^17 grams of carbon
Where does volcanic out gassing occur?
Ocean ridges and subduction zones
Explain the ways in which chemical weathering contributes to the carbon cycle
Atmospheric CO2 reacts with rain to create acid rain which erodes surface and dissolves carbon into component ions.
Ions are transported to rivers (usually as calcite)
Deposition and burial turns the calcite ions into limestone
Carbon can be released from the geological cycle in various ways.
Name an isolated magma hotspot
Kilauea, Hawaii
Name a tectonic collision zone volcano location
Etna, Sicily
