Water + Carbon 2 Flashcards
Give a key connection between carbon and water within the atmosphere
Absorption of carbon in rainwater - facilitates key process and affects the magnitude of stores and transfers
What is carbonation
Acid rain huts carbonate rocks (limestone, chalk) and converts calcium carbonate into calcium bicarbonate (soluble)
The dissolved carbon is then carried away by rivers to oceans where its used for shell growth and ultimately burned
Give a water cycle feedback loop and the human consequences
Ice
Give two feedback loo[ps of warmer temperatures in the Arctic on carbon cycle
Higher temperatures have increased the growing season for plants, increasing the absorption of carbon from the atmosphere
Higher temperatures has melted permafrost. On melting, organic matter in the permafrost starts to decompose - releasing CO2 into atmosphere
More carbon is stored in the permafrost than the…………
Atmosphere
Give the mountain thermostat feedback loop (negative)
Warmer climates, tree roots grow faster and deeper (aided by decomposition of leaf litter - decomposers more effective in warm, moist conditions)
Enables acidic water to react with carbonates - increasing rate of weathering
By sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere to facilitate weathering - there is a subsequent lowering of global temperatures
This self-regulating process maintains the global temperature balance
Give some evidence of climate change
Global temperature shave increased significantly since 1860
Arctic ice is melting faster than any time since record began
Frozen peat bogs in Siberia are thawing
The amount of ice melting in Greenland each summer has risen by 30% since 1975
Give son evidence that we’ve passed the tipping point
2005 - Guardian reported that a frozen peat bog the size of France and Germany had begun melting, despite remaining frozen for thousands of years (positive feedback)
2006 - Independent reported that Arctic Ice was melting so fast that the area was becoming continually warmer - melted to such an extent that failed to re-freeze during winter periods (positive feedback)
Professor Burke stated that atmospheric CO2 had surpassed 400ppm that is beloved to be the threshold at which climate change can be contained
Give some evidence that e are at the tipping point
2007 - Arctic sea ice was 20% smaller than at any time since records began
In Greenland snow was melting 25-30 days longer than normal
Sea ice continues to melt
Give some evidence that the tipping point is still some way off
Conservative estimates show that the Greenland Ice sheet could take 300 years to melt + changes to global temperatures affecting the Amazon rainforests and Arctic ice sheet are at least 100 years away
Solutions could eb found to diminish the effects fo climate change and spur humanity to make the necessary changes to reduce emissions
Define a resilient system
Any movement from the equilibrium position is quickly reversed by negative feedback
Define a metastable system
Small movements form the stable position will easily reverse, but a larger movement may push the system behind a threshold point - to a new but very different stable state
Give the 3 aspects of the carbon cycle
Gasses - CO2 and methane in the atmosphere, oceans s and sedimentary rocks
Calcium carbonate in carbonate rocks, oceans and the shells of sea creatures + hydrocarbons
Bio-molecules found in living creatures
Give 3 factors which affect how much carbon its stored in trees
Trees with large leaves will maximise photosynthesis
Young trees growing fast store much carbon, long lived trees take hundreds of years to store maximum carbon
Some tree species are very efficient carbon stores ( Just 1% Amazon’s 16,000 tree species store 50% its carbon)
How does farming affect the carbon cycle
Intensive farming reduces carbon stores and increases flows form the biosphere to atmosphere + hydrosphere
Better land management can achieve carbon neutrality/negative budget by:
- Lowering CO2 emissions with reduced fossil fuel consumption
- Increased CO2 flows into plants and soil organic material
