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Earth’s Life Support System 2024 > OCR A Level ELSS - Entire Course 4 > Flashcards

OCR A Level ELSS - Entire Course 4 Flashcards

1
Q

biological weathering

A

the breakdown of rocks through the chemical and physical action of living organisms, e.g. burrowing, tree roots

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2
Q

chelation

A

a type of chemical weathering by acids derived from rainwater and dead organic matter

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3
Q

canopy

A

the uppermost layer of treetops and branches in a forest or woodland ecosystem

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4
Q

biodiversity

A

the number of different plant, animal, fungi etc species in a given area

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5
Q

downwelling

A

the sinking of dense, salty (or cold) water in the oceans

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6
Q

upwelling

A

The movement of deep, cold, and nutrient-rich water to the surface

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7
Q

food chain

A

a series of organism through which food energy moves before it is completely expended

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8
Q

lithification

A

the transformation of sediments into rock (usually by compression and/or heating)

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9
Q

orographic effect

A

changes to air flow due to the topography of the land e.g. mountains forcing air to rise

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10
Q

absolute humidity

A

the mass of water vapour in a given volume of air

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11
Q

relative humidity

A

the mass of water vapour in a given volume of air as a ratio of the mass needed to saturate it

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12
Q

biomass

A

A measure of the total dry mass of organisms in a given area

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13
Q

porous rock

A

rocks which contain pores or air spaces between mineral particles, where water can be stored

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14
Q

nutrient cycle

A

the continuous movement of nutrients between stores (soil, biomass and litter)

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15
Q

shifting cultivation

A

A form of subsistence agriculture in which people shift activity from one field to another

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16
Q

commercial farming

A

agriculture on an industrial scale operated by large companies using heavy machinery

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17
Q

commercial logging

A

forestry on an industrial scale operated by large companies using heavy machinery

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18
Q

commercial mining

A

Mining on an industrial scale operated by large companies using heavy machinery

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19
Q

monoculture

A

the cultivation of a single crop in a given area.

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20
Q

small scale agroforestry

A

use of small areas of forest to grow crops, raise animals and harvest raw materials, considered to be sustainable

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21
Q

tree line

A

the latitudinal and altitudinal limit of tree growth.

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22
Q

heat balance

A

the difference between solar inputs of energy to the Earth-atmosphere system and energy outputs from terrestrial radiation and gases in the atmosphere. Currently inputs exceed outputs and the global climate responds by warming

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23
Q

active layer

A

the upper layer of permanently frozen soil that thaws briefly during the summer

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24
Q

dynamic equilibrium

A

a system displaying unrepeated average states through time

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25
Q

negative feedback

A

an automatic response to change in an ecosystem which restores equilibrium

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26
Q

water table

A

the upper surface of the zone of saturation in permeable rocks and soil

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27
Q

water abstraction

A

removing water from a store e.g. aquifer

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28
Q

syncline

A

a downfolded, basin-like geological structure

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29
Q

artesian pressure

A

the pressure in an aquifer that, when tapped, pushes the water above the level of the aquifer, sometimes to the surface.

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30
Q

artesian aquifer

A

Confined aquifer containing groundwater that will flow upward through a well w/o a pump due to pressure

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31
Q

potentiometric surface

A

an imaginary surface that defines the theoretical level to which water would rise in a confined aquifer

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32
Q

carbon capture and storage

A

CCS - The process of trapping carbon dioxide produced by burning fossil fuels or any other chemical and storing it

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33
Q

positive feedback

A

an automatic response to change in a system which generates further change

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34
Q

greenhouse gas

A

gases in the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor, and ozone which are involved in the greenhouse effect.

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35
Q

carbon fertilisation

A

rising CO₂ levels in the atmosphere which increase photosynthesis and stimulate plant growth

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36
Q

diurnal change

A

daily cycle of change

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37
Q

seasonal change

A

annual cycle of change related to the seasons

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38
Q

net primary productivity

A

the rate at which plants accumulate energy in the form of organic matter taking into account the energy used in respiration (kg/m²/year)

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39
Q

photoperiod

A

length of day, i.e. from sunrise to sunset

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40
Q

glacial

A

a prolonged cold climatic phase lasting for tens of thousands of years and causing continental glaciation in middle and high latitudes

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41
Q

inter-glacial

A

a period of climatic warming (lasting c. 10,000 years) between glacials

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42
Q

cryosphere

A

referring to all water that is temporarily frozen in polar ice caps, snow, permafrost, and glaciers

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43
Q

wetland

A

an area of land that is covered with a shallow layer of water during some or all of the year

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44
Q

afforestation

A

Planting seeds or trees to make a forest on land that has not been a forest recently, or which has never been a forest.

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45
Q

reforestation

A

the replanting of previously degraded forest land

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46
Q

desertification

A

the reduction in agricultural capacity due to overexploitation or resources and natural processes such as drought. Only in extreme cases does this result in desert-like conditions

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47
Q

land degredation

A

the deterioration of land suitability for agriculture by soil erosion, desertification and salinisation

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48
Q

overcultivation

A

cultivation which, given environmental resources, is not sustainable in the long term and is evidenced by declining yields, soil exhustion and soil erosion

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49
Q

overgrazing

A

excessive grazing of land by livestock which destroys or degrades pasture and is not sustainable

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50
Q

cap and trade

A

Market-based system of emissions control whereby individual businesses can buy and sell emission credits even while the total level of industry emission is capped at some level

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51
Q

carbon credit

A

a permit that allows an organisation to emit a specified amount of greenhouse gases, also called an emission permit

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52
Q

carbon offset

A

A voluntary payment made to compensate for greenhouse gas emissions

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53
Q

What is a System?

A

-A model (A simplification of reality)

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54
Q

Where are Systems most commonly used?

A

-In Physical Geography

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55
Q

What does a system involve?

A

-a set of things related to each other- connected together to form a working unit

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56
Q

What is an Input?

A

-Addition of matter and/or energy

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57
Q

What is an example of an input?

A

-Energy from the sun in hydrological cycle

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58
Q

What is an output?

A

-Loss of matter and/org energy

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59
Q

What is an example of an output?

A

-Loss of water through evaporation from rivers in hydrological cycle

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60
Q

What is a flow?

A

-Movement of matter and/or energy from one store/component to another

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61
Q

What is an example of a flow?

A

-Water moved from the surface (store) to groundwater store, through infiltration in hydrological cycle

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62
Q

What do all systems have?

A

-series of stores/components that have flows (connections) between them which transfer energy and/or matter
-lies between a boundary

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63
Q

What is an Isolated System?

A

-Very rare in nature
-No interactions with anything outside the system boundary

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64
Q

What is an example of an Isolated System?

A

-Laboratory Experiments- enclosed and artificially controlled environment

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65
Q

What is a Closed System?

A

-Transfers energy but not matter across boundary to the surrounding environment

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66
Q

What is an example of a Closed System?

A

-The Earth

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67
Q

What is an Open System?

A

-Transfers both energy and matter across its boundary to the surrounding environment

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68
Q

What is an example of an Open System?

A

-Drainage Basin

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69
Q

What do Open Systems do?

A

-Adjust themselves to flows of energy and/or matter by modifying the interrelationships between different elements of the system so inputs and outputs are in balance

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70
Q

What is a Dynamic Equilibrium?

A

-Adjusting to balance inputs and outputs

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71
Q

What does Feedback mean?

A

-occurs when one element of a system changes due to outside influences

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72
Q

What is Positive Feedback?

A

-Change causes a snowball effect within the system

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73
Q

What is an example of Positive Feedback?

A

-Water cycle- sea levels rising- ice sheets melt more- further increase sea levels

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74
Q

What is Negative Feedback?

A

-Change reverses the effect of it

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75
Q

What is an example of Negative Feedback?

A

-Water cycle- increased sea surface temp- more evaporation- more cloud cover- reduce sunlight- reduces surface temps

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76
Q

What is water on Earth stored in?

A

-A cascading physical system

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77
Q

What is Hydrosphere?

A

-All the water on or close to the Earth’s surface

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78
Q

What is an example of Hydrosphere?

A
  • Oceans, Seas, Rivers, Lakes, Aquifers, Soil, Clouds, Ice
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79
Q

What is Hydrosphere made up of?

A

-Atmosphere
-Cryosphere
-Lithosphere

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80
Q

What state is Atmosphere?

A

-Gaseous

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81
Q

What state is Cryosphere?

A

-Solid- eg sea ice, ice sheet, ice caps

82
Q

What state is Lithosphere?

A

-Liquid- eg on surface, in ground, soil

83
Q

What is biological water known as?

A

-Terrestrial Water

84
Q

How many % of freshwater can potentially be used?

A

-To drink etc- 2.5%

85
Q

What is groundwater in aquifers stored in?

A

-Permeable Rock

86
Q

What % of all freshwater is stored in rocks deep below the surface and forms large underground reservoirs known as AQUIFERS?

A

-30%

87
Q

What are Aquifers found in?

A

-Porous Rock (Contains air pockets/pores)
-Permeable Rock (Allows water to pass through it) -EG- Chalk and Sandstone

88
Q

What is the upper boundary of an Aquifer called?

A

-The Water Table

89
Q

What does the water table do?

A

-can rise or fall depending on the amount of water recharging it from above (more or less rain) or being abstracted from people digging wells into the Aquifer.

90
Q

What is the generally agreed amount of water in the Hydrosphere?

A

1.338 X 10(9) km2

91
Q

What do the figures of the Oceanic vary from?

A
  • 1,320,000,000 to 1,370,000,000 km3
    -Average Depth of- 3,682m
92
Q

How much of the planet’s surface do Oceans cover?

A

-72%

93
Q

What are Oceans divided into?

A

-Several principal oceans and smaller seas

94
Q

What icesheets contain more than 99% of freshwater ice on Earth?

A

-Antarctic and Greenland

95
Q

Where is the world’s largest freshwater wetland system?

A

-The Pantanal of South America

96
Q

What is Groundwater?

A

-Water that collects underground in pore spaces of rock

97
Q

On a Global Scale what system in the Hydrological cycle?

A

-Closed System- doesn’t lose energy or matter from our atmosphere and into space

98
Q

Why is it a Dynamic Equilibrium?

A

-Because the amount of water in the cycle is always the same (it’s in balance)

99
Q

On a Drainage Basin Scale what system in the Hydrological cycle?

A

-Open System- energy and matter can transfer across its boundary (watershed) into another river system

100
Q

What is a Drainage Basin?

A

-area of land occupied by a river system

101
Q

What are examples of Inputs?

A

-Precipitation
-Sun’s energy

102
Q

What are examples of Outputs?

A

-Transpiration
-Evaporation
-River Discharge

103
Q

What are examples of Stores?

A

-Interception
-Vegetation Storage
-Channel Storage
-Ground Water Storage

104
Q

What are examples of Flows/Transfers?

A

-Base Flow (slow)
-Condensation
-Channel Flow
-Groundwater Flow (v slow)
-Infiltration
-Interflow (medium)
-Percolation
-Stem flow
-Surface runoff
-Throughfall
-Throughflow (fast)

105
Q

What is Precipitation?

A

-All forms of moisture that reach the Earth’s surface (rain, snow, dew)

106
Q

What is Transpiration?

A

-The loss of water from vegetation through pores (stomata) on their surfaces

107
Q

What is Evaporation?

A

-The transformation of water droplets into water vapour by heating

108
Q

What is Evaportranspiration?

A

-The loss of water from a drainage basin into the atmosphere from surface of vegetation

109
Q

What is Surface Storage?

A

-The total volume of water held on the Earth’s surface in lakes, ponds and puddles. These are collections of water on the Earth’s surface as small as puddles, and as big as lakes.

110
Q

What is Interception?

A

-Precipitation that is prevented from falling onto the soil surface by the layer of vegetation.
-During prolonged heavy rainfall- the capacity of the plant surface may be exceeded and water will drip off leaves and branches (throughfall) and run along branches and stems (stemflow)

111
Q

What is Vegetation Storage?

A

-Precipitation that is held within vegetation after being absorbed from their surface or through their root system.

112
Q

What is Groundwater Storage?

A

-The storage of water underground in permeable and rock strata, commonly Aquifers.

113
Q

What is Soil Storage?

A

-This is the precipitation that has infiltrated the soil and filled the pore spaces to be held there.

114
Q

What is Percolation?

A

-The gravity flow of water with the soil and rock.

115
Q

What is Condensation?

A

-The transformation of water vapor into water droplets by cooling.

116
Q

What is Infiltration?

A

-The downward movement of water into soil surface.

117
Q

What is Overland Flow/Surface Runoff?

A

-The movement of water over the surface of the land, usually when the ground is saturated or frozen or when precipitation is too intense for infiltration to occur.

118
Q

What is Channel Flow?

A

-The movement of water across the surface of the ground within the confines of a river channel.

119
Q

What is Throughflow?

A

-The movement of water downslope within the soil layer.

120
Q

What is Groundwater Flow?

A

-The deeper movement of water through the underlying rock strata.

121
Q

What is Throughfall?

A

-The precipitation that reaches the ground directly through gaps in the vegetation canopy, and drips from leaves, twigs and stems.

122
Q

What is Stemflow?

A

-The precipitation that is intercepted by the canopy that reaches the ground by flowing down stems, stalks and tree trunks.

123
Q

What is a Water Shed?

A

-The boundary that marks the edge of the drainage basin, usually a ridge of higher land.

124
Q

What is a Drainage Basin?

A

-The area of land occupied by the main river and its tributaries.

125
Q

What is Climate Change meaning?

A

-A third of Earth was covered in ice- 18,000 years ago last ice age reached peak(thickest and maximum)
-cryospheric store increased (sea levels fell)
-3 million years ago- cryospheric stores melted and rose sea levels by 50m

126
Q

How are Clouds Formed?

A

1-Water around us in form of tiny gas particles (water vapor) + tiny particles floating around in the air (salt and dust) called aerosols.- so small with a diameter of about a hundredth of a mm.
2-The water vapor and aerosols are constantly bumping into each other- the air is cooled, some water vapor sticks to the aerosols when collide=Condensation.
3-Clouds then form when the air is saturated+ can’t hold anymore water vapor, warmer air is more wv it can hold. Air rises, cools, reducing temp and so can’t hold as much water vapor, so condensation occurs. Height dew point is reached+cloud formed= condensation level
4-Tiny water droplets group together, grow heavy and gravity pulls them down as raindrops- air cold enough, ice crystals can remain frozen and grow large enough to fall as snow, sleet, freezing rain or hail
5-Bigger water droplets form around the aerosol particles+ start sticking together with other droplets forming clouds.
6-Clouds- either composed of ice or water droplets, depending on height of cloud+temp of atmosphere. Droplets are so small they can remain liquid at temps as low as -30. Temps below -30 ice crystals

127
Q

What is Condensation Level?

A

-The height that dew point is reached and a cloud is formed.

128
Q

What is Convectional Rain?

A

-Heavy Rain- summer time
-Formed in vertical motion due to the instability of the atmosphere. Heating from the sun causing atmosphere to be unstable. Ground warms up, moisture in the ground evaporates, rises, the hot ground heats the air above it, the water vapor rises and cools condenses in clouds and eventually it rains.

129
Q

What is Relief Rain?

A

-On the hills
-Produced as a result of clouds are formed from the Topography or shape of the land. High ground moist air is forced upwards, producing clouds and potentially precipitation.
Likely to occur in Mountainous areas close to prevailing winds.

130
Q

What is Frontal Rain?

A

-Cold goes over hot
-When two air masses meet- a cold air mass meets a warm air mass they don’t mix because they have different densities. The warm less dense air is pushed up over the cold dense air creating the ‘Front’. The warm less dense air cools, the water vapor condenses into water and falls as droplets.

131
Q

What is Evaporation?

A

-When energy from solar radiation hits the surface of water or land and causes liquid water to evaporate from a liquid to a gas (Water vapor)

132
Q

What does Evaporation depend on?

A

-Amount of solar radiation
-Availability of water
-Humidity of air (more humid-slower evaporation)
-Temperature of air (warmer-more vapor held than cold)

133
Q

What is Condensation?

A

-As air cools- it holds less water vapor, when reaches dew point temp, the state changes from vapor to liquid.
Water molecules condense on nuclei (particles of dust,smoke) or a surface below dew point.
If the surface is below freezing then water vapor changes directly to solid to form hoar frost.

134
Q

What is Accumulation?

A

-Increase in volume of an ice mass

135
Q

What is Ablation?

A

-Loss of volume in an ice mass

136
Q

What happens in the Cryospheric process?

A

-Snow falls as precipitation, builds up in layers- compress under their own weight to form ice
-Changes in temperatures causes more or less snow to fall- as well as fluctuations in ice mass.

137
Q

What does Evaporation and Condensation affect?

A

-Atmospheric

138
Q

What do Clouds affect?

A

-Rivers, streams and soils (terrestrial stores)

139
Q

What does Precipitation affect?

A

-Terrestrial stores- rivers and streams

140
Q

What does Cryosphere affect?

A

-Heat

141
Q

What does the Climate affect?

A

-Oceanic+ Cryospheric

142
Q

What does a Storm/Flood Hydrograph show?

A

-the change in a river’s discharge over a short period of time, usually a rainstorm

143
Q

What is River Discharge?

A

-The volume of water passing a given point at a given time, measure in cubic metres per second (or cumecs)

144
Q

How is River Discharge calculated?

A

-cross sectional area X rivers mean (average) velocity

145
Q

What is the Rising Limb?

A

-The rising flood water in the river

146
Q

What is the Peak Discharge?

A

-The maximum discharge in a river

147
Q

What is the Receeding Limb?

A

-Falling flood water in the river

148
Q

What is Log Time?

A

-The difference between the peak of the rainstorm and the peak flow of the river

149
Q

What is Base Flow?

A

-Normal river level without rainstorm

150
Q

What are some Human Factors that affect the hydrograph?

A

-Urban Area- Shorter lag time, Increased Peak discharge- concrete, tarmac buildings channel water to gutter and drainage systems quickly- water reaches sewers+water systems quicker
-Rural Area-Arable- Longer lag time, Gentle Rising Limb- Encourages infiltration, takes up water in roots, Interception of crops=lower peak discharge
-Rural Area-Pasture- Higher peak discharge, steep rising limb- less grass/vegetation-more water in river + compressed soil from cows means impermeable soil so water runs off and into river

151
Q

What are some Physical Factors that affect the hydrograph?

A

-Impermeable Rock- H RD, S RL- water can’t percolate into the rock, so will run off into river very quickly
-Permeable Rock-L RD, Gentle RL- Percolation can take place, so water can be absorbed into rock so less runs off
-Steep slopes- S RL, S LT, H PD- running quicker, water gets into river quicker
-Gentle Slopes- G RL, L LT, Low PD- lower gradient so water takes longer to get to river
-Thick Forest- Lower PD, G RL- Forest intercepts the rain less surface run off going into the river
-Sparse Vegetation- S RL, H PD- Less interception, more surface run off going into river
-Porous Soil- L PD, G RL- Infiltrated into soil, takes longer to get to river , less surface run off less river water
-Non-Porous Soil- H PD, S RL- surface run off takes water to river quicker, less soil infiltrated into soil
-Saturated Soil- S RL, H PD, G RL- soil saturated with water do has to run off surface as cant infiltrate so takes longer
-Small Drainage Basin- S LT, Lower PD- Rain doesn’t have to travel as far
-Large Drainage Basin- L LT, H PD- More distance to travel, more tributaries carrying more water

152
Q

What are the parts of a hydrograph?

A

-y axis- discharge (m3/s) on L, rainfaill in mm on R
-x axis- hours from start of rain storm
-Rising limb
-Peak discharge
-Discharge in m3/s
-Receeding limb

153
Q

What is the hydrograph usually like for Summer?

A

-lower rainfall= lower river discharge (surface+soil stores decreases)
-short thunderstorms sometimes- surface run off decreases+ river discharge decr rapidly
(Steep RL, High PD, Steep RL)
Conventional rain

154
Q

What is the hydrograph usually like for Winter?

A

-higher rainfall=increase in river discharge
-constant rainfall=gentle receeding limb- takes longer for river to empty
(Steep RL, High PD, Gentle RL)
Frontal rain

155
Q

What is the hydrograph usually like for Spring?

A

-usually low rainfall, no sudden inc in rainfall- spread over months so water enters+ leaves river slowly
(Gentle RL, Low PD, Gentle RL)
Frontal rain

156
Q

What is the hydrograph usually like for Autumn?

A

-same as winter
(higher rainfall= inc river discharge- constant= gentle Re L
(Steep RL, High PD, Gentle RL)

157
Q

What is a case study for flooding?

A
  • BOSCASTLE
    North Coast of Cornwall

PHYSCIAL CAUSES-
-valley, impermeable slate- heavy rainfall, saturated ground, upstream landscape, steep sided valley- so travelled quickly
-conc water at bottom with narrow space- river channel couldnt hold water= flood

HUMAN CAUSES-
-no flood control, no emergency drainage, old sewer+drainage systems, no prep in place, structures obstructed river increasing spread of floodwater

FACTS- 60mm rain in 2hours, 10ft water+40mph, 120 saved in 7hr, £10m on regeneration

158
Q

What is affecting the water cycle?

A

-Rapid pop growth+ incr rates of consumption

159
Q

How does agriculture affect the water cycle?

A

-Irrigation- artificial watering of land, arable.
(Drip- stem flow- direct water to roots, veg takes in water) (Spray- cheaper, uses more water, hose pipes to spray water onto land)
-Abstraction- take water from river, lakes, res, gw stores and re-direct onto land

160
Q

What is over-abstraction?

A

-Taking too much water, leads to issues eg salinisation.

161
Q

What is Salinisation?

A

-Salt gets into groundwater stores

162
Q

What are pesticides/ Fertilisers?

A

-Pesticides- kill bugs
-Fertilisers- artificial nutrients- help plant grow

163
Q

What is Leaching?

A

-Too much water fed onto land, saturate soil, wash out nutrients+ chemicals from saturation

164
Q

What is Contamination?

A

-Nutrients+Chemicals get into bodies of water (stores/flows), contaminate it

165
Q

What is Eutrophioation?

A

-Poison equatic life- kills fish from reduction of oxygen in water

166
Q

What is water abstraction?

A

-Irrigation- water abstracted from somewhere
-Depletion of aquifers (underground water=lower)
-Salt water- into aquifer, contaminate gw if water table falls below sea levels
-Low flow level in ground surface rivers= ecosystems affected

167
Q

What is deforestation?

A

-reduced interception rates from less veg cover
-new veg grows- fewer leaves, shallow root=less interception
-less water evaporates from surface to return to atmosh
-more water from surface runoff+ channel flow
-bigger impacts when 50-100% of drainage basin= deforested

168
Q

What is soil/land drainage?

A
  • to reduce soil moisture so infiltration can occur
    -where more water in soil
    East Anglia- submerged
    -Drainage ditches, deep drains- move water rapid
    -Low table- change infiltration+evap
169
Q

London Basin Water Abstraction case study?

A

-demand for water increased, groundwater was important- drill aquifer, abstract water from chalk=lower groundwater levels- so removed from Thanet Sands
- decreased chalk abstraction= gw levels recover- could cause flood- could use for water supply

170
Q

Deforestation?

A

-even though forests important- still high, lose primary forests to less biodivserse plantations+ secondary forests.
-Lose veg- reduce interception rates, more surface run off and channel flow= flood risks- Bangladesh from deforestation- inc flood downstream- increase surface run off+river discharge- less interception so flood water builds.
(8.5% inc in trop defores)

171
Q

Wycoller Beck investigation?

A

-Inc river discharge, decr slope angle, decr infiltraion rate as move downstream

172
Q

What is the carbon cycle?

A

-Global distribution+ size of major stores of carbon

173
Q

Major Stores of Carbon?

A

-Lithosphere- Earth’s crust+upper part of mantle- hard+rigid outer layers
-Hydrosphere- Oceanic stores of carbon- water+living org matt+dissolved org matt
-Biosphere- Terrestrial biosphere- land based sources- living veg, plant, soil hummus, peat, animals
-Atmosphere- Atmospheric- greenhouse gas, anthropogenic CO2

174
Q

Lithosphere?

A

-thick crust
-upper- chem reactions w atmos, hydros +biosph (pedosphere- soil forms)
-carbon-org(veg litter, org matt, humic subs from soil)+inorg (fossil fuels- coal, oil, nat gas, carbonate) forms

175
Q

Hydrosphere?

A

-37-40,000 GTC
-into 3 cats
-surface layer- (euphotic)- sun penetrate= photsynthesis- 900GTC
-intermediate (twilight- deep-37,100 GTC
-living org matt (fish, bacteria)-700 GTC (organisms die- sink into deep water,decay= CO2 released into deep water- some mat=carbon rich sediments- mill yrs-chem+phys processes turn them into rock

176
Q

Biosphere?

A

-est 3,170 GTC
-carbon amount varies
- biggest store= S America- in 5 stores
1-living veg
2-plant litter
3-soil+soil hummus
4-peat
5-animals

177
Q

Atmosphere?

A

-Carbon always present
-High value-7,000 ppm
-0.04% atmosphere
-Hawaii- increasing
-atmospheric CO2- increased overtime

178
Q

Cryosphere?

A

-Polar ice sheets, mountain glaciers
-store org cabon- local+distinct sources- releases to downstream environments
Antartic ice sheet- stores most of org cabon

179
Q

What factors affect changes in magnitude (size) of carbon stores over time+space? (flows+transfers in carbon cycle)?

A

-Photosynthesis
-Combustion
-Respiration
-Decomposition
-Weathering
-Carbon sequestration in oceans+sediments

180
Q

How does photosynthesis affect size of carbon stores?

A

-plant use sun’s light energy-produce carbs as glucose- green=chlorophyll
-LE converts CO2 into starch
-CO2+ Water (with LE) =Glucose +Oxygen
-Marine plants- phytoplankton- C into org matt-SLE, with CO2+water=carbs(energy)- CO2+water+sunlight=Ch2O+O2

181
Q

How does combustion affect size of carbon store?

A

-Org matt- burned in oxygen presence= Co2, water+energy- co2- returns carbon stored in rocks
-veg/fossil f- carbon, hydro, maybe oxygen- other elements combin w oxygen= pollutant molecules- sulfur
- BIOMASS Comb- burn living/dead veg- human+ natural- consumes carbon, emits into atmosphere- kills tree, new trees grow- store carbon- old decompose- emit carbon- org soil stores carbon

182
Q

How does respiration affect size of carbon stores?

A

-chem process in cells- plants+ans
-convert glucose for energy (growth, repair, move- some is biomass)- return CO2 to atmosphere- animals+ bact get energy from biomass
-ox from atmosp+ carbs= release stored energy= O2+CH2O=energy, H20, CO2
-opp to photosyn

183
Q

How does carbon sequestration in oceans and sediments affect size of carbon stores?

A

-transfer carbon from atmos to plants, soils, rocks+ oceans
-natural+ human
Carbon capture+ storage- tech capture of carbon from power stations- changing farm practices
-OCEANS- take 1/3 carbon from human act
SEDIMENTS-bury carbon in sediments- shrimp, scampi

184
Q

How does decomposition affect size of carbon stores?

A

-Orgs die- decomposers consume them+carbon from bodies return to atmosphere as CO2- some org matter- in soil
-Phys, Chem+Bio mechs- break org matt
-Ans, wind, plants-fragmentation
-leach, transport water=phys
-oxidation+condensation=chem
-feed+digest- enzymes=bio
-important elements are recycled to soil- available

185
Q

How does Weathering affect size of carbon stores?

A

-breakdown/ decay of rocks- phys, bio+chem
-CO2- absorbed by rainwater= mildly acidic carbonic acid- chem reacts- rock dissolves- goes to oceans- used for marine orgs
-phys- temp, wind, rain, waves
-bio- ans, plants- burrow rocks, roots grow- people on paths
-chem-rainwater= acidic- calcium carb reacts

186
Q

Human causes of change in carbon cycle?

A

-HYDROCARBON FUEL EXTRACTION+BURNING-more carbon from gas, coal, oil- extract fossil fuels (remains of orgs)- burn, release CO2= enhanced greenhouse effect
-CHANGING FARMING PRACTICES-pop growth, diet changes, more wealth= more agri production- Arable- carbon when plough soil (humus org carbon store)- pastoral incr arable- fed grain- deforestation for space, so less carbon storage+more released into atmos- transport, refrig+pack= energy, so carbon combusted
-DEFORESTATION- perm loss of forest cover- release CO2 into atmos- convert for agri+urban EG- AMAZON RAINFOREST- absorbs CO2- store C, release O- event emit> than absorbs- due to deforstation
-LAND USE CHANGES (URBANISATION)- more people= more deforestation- more food etc

187
Q

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?

A

-increase in emissions of CO2 speeds up natural greenhouse effect process

188
Q

How do we analyse graphs?

A

-T=trend
-E=examples
-A=anomlies
-M-manipulate

189
Q

What are the natural/physical causes of changes in the carbon cycle?

A

-NATURAL CLIMATE CHANGE- Quaternary geog period- fluctuations between warm (interglacial)+ cold (glacial) periods- higher temp+higher CO2- CO2 triggers higher temp+ temp change impacts CO2= mirror each other (Temp inc=inc CO2, inc CO2=inc temp)
TEMP CHANGES- COLD= chem weathering- hold more CO2- diff forest cove, less decomp, less flows into oce- stop C transfer- WARM=perm melt- carbon released- GlobalW- +feedback
-WILDFIRES+VOLCANOES-
WILDFIRES=natural (lightening)/ human- smoke, release CO2- from carbon sink to source
VOLCANOES= return CO2 into Atmos- held for m yrs, >than human act

190
Q

What is the Yellowstone Supervolcano?

A

-blanket US in ‘nuclear winter’ if erupts- contains large C- damage Earth if 1 go release

191
Q

What are CO2 concentrations from ice cones?

A

-Drill ice sheets- analyse cone- snow turns to ice w air bubbles (preserves atmos samples- analyse cones- changes in atmos gas conc+ glacial- interglacial cycles!)

192
Q

What is the carbon budget?

A
  • Max amount of carbon that can be released into the atmosphere while keeping a reasonable chance of staying below a given temp rise (Gtc- gigatonnes of carbon)/(GtCO2- carbon dioxide)
    -IPCC introduced
193
Q

What is Spearman’s Rank?

A

-most common stat test
-assume no distribution in data
-find correlation between 2V

194
Q

What are the strengths of Spearman’s Rank?

A

-Sig of data shown
-prove/dis correlation
-further analysis
-Not assume norm distrib

195
Q

What are the weaknesses of Spearman’s Rank?

A

-Difficult
-Complicated Formula
-Misinterpreted
-2 data sets needed

196
Q

Human interventions in carbon cycle- to influence carbon transfers+ mitigate climate c impacts?

A

-ADAPTATION- ways to cope with changes occuring from cc- to lower our vulnerability (EG-flood defences/drought resist crops)
-MITIGATION- take action to reduce cause of problem to minimize effects

197
Q

What are some international agreements?

A

-RIO- HICs to stabilize carbon emissions
-KYOTO- pollution mitigation+ schemes to reduce emissions- separate targets- USA never signed- biggest polluters (would damage their ec)+ CHINA- now big polluters, some countries allowed to inc emissions (ICELAND)= carbon credits- major polluters bought credits
-COPENHAGEN- reduce global emissions- inc in temp below 2d
-PARIS- 195 countries-goals to reduce C emissions- CHINA- clean energy, US+EU- cut CO2 + reduce deforestation=Amazon carbon sink to absorb C- with plans=temp hit 2.7 by 2100.

198
Q

How is carbon capture and sequestration used to reduce carbon + climate change?

A

HUMAN-
-technology to capture co2 emissions from coal-fired power stations+industry
-transport gas to site-store+prevent enter atmosphere- reduce C by upto 19%
BUT- v expensive
EG- QUEST, CANADA- capture, transport (pipeline+injected) store CO2 underground- 1st 2yr- 2m tonnes of Co2
DRAX- no profit/cash, so stopped- but could’ve trapped 90% C emissions.
NATURAL- peat bogs-stop veg decay

199
Q

How is changing agricultural practices used to reduce carbon+ climate change?

A

-14% ems- from agric
- Deforestation-inc to 25% ems
-Agronomy- inc yields+ C ems

200
Q

How is managing transport used to reduce carbon+ cc effects on carbon cylce?

A

-NY COUNCIL- footpaths, better pub transport, cycle paths, encourage walking=reduce traffic, congestion, less CO2.
-PARIS- ban cars- some free pub transport, walk or bike=reduce CO2, less cong, cleaner air
-FREIBURG- bike route, trams, cheap pub transport, high fees for cars, cheaper housing, free pub transport= reduce emissions, congestion=cleaner air

201
Q

How to answer an evaluate 20M Q?

A

-Advantages
-Disadvantages
-Intro- define what talking about, mention methods etc, explain what things in Q are
-Main- each method- what is, s+w, link to Q- egs, stats
-Conclusion- summary main points, S outweigh W?

Earth’s Life Support System 2024 (12 decks)

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