arthropogenic factors leading to enhanced greenhouse effect

Question 1

deforestation

Answer 1

removal of trees -> for construction/mining/grazing of animals -> lesser trees to take in CO2 during photosynthesis + CO2 released durign clearance -> increase in CO2 conc in the atm
decay of organic matter -> Carbon released into the soil -> carbon accumulates in teh soil -> soil exposed to sunlight -> increase temp of soil -> oxidation of carbon at faster rate -> CO2 produced at a faster rate

btwn 2000-2010, 52 km2 of forest was lost every year
greatest loss of forests in south america for agriculture, and commericial activities

Question 2

changing use of landscape

Answer 2

1. agriculture
   - cattle -> release waste gases -> contains methane
   - tractors -> burn fossil fuels for energy -> releases ghg
   - inorganic fertilisers -> mixed with rainwater/when soil is ploughed -> releases nitrous oxides -> ghg
   - organic matter decomposes -> releases methane

methane from cow account for more than 30% of argentina’s ghg emissions

2. industrial use
   - manufacturing products -> CO2 released
   machienry -> birn fossil fuels for energy

manufacturing a mobile phone emits 60kg of CO2 equivalent

3. urbanisation
   - electricity -> burn fossil fuels for energy -> power household appliances
   - transportation -> burn fossil fuels for energy -> car ->increased release of ghg
   - construction -> building ionfrastructure -> machinery -> burn fossil fuels for energy -> construction material

large fossil fuels consumers -> china, USA, canada
from 2009-2010, global carbon emissions increased by 5.6% to 30.6 billion tonnes