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Carbon at a variety of scales Flashcards Preview

Geography-- Water and Carbon Cycle > Carbon at a variety of scales > Flashcards

Flashcards in Carbon at a variety of scales Deck (15)
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1

(on a local scale) trees act as ...

biological sequestrators (storing carbon in stems and leaves)

2

explain the carbon cycle of a tree

coverts atmospheric co2 into organic molecules (vital for growth) through photosynthesis. co2 then descends through the root of the tree and is released into the soil through root cell respiration and the death of roots. co2 is also marginally released through plant respiration and when leaf litter falls and decomposes. decomposed leaf litter can also sink into soil- carbon stored in leaves transferred to soil

3

what is a 'sere'

is a vegetation succession (a sequence of changes) that relate to a specific environment

4

lithosere definition

vegetation succession that occurs on bare rock

5

hydrosere definition

water/pond

6

halosere definition

salt marsh

7

psamosere definition

coastal/ sand dunes

8

first stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere

rock is exposed for the first time (eg after glacial retreat, tectonic uplift)

9

second stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (weathering)

rock is slowly weathered and carbon can be released (dissolved in water)-- links to the water cycle as it gets transferred to other stores

10

third stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (vegetation)

vegetation (eg lichen and moss) starts to grow on bare rock and carbon exchange (photosynthesis) occurs

11

fourth stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (soil)

as organic matter (leaf litter) is added to broken rock, a soil develops= wider range of plants

12

fifth stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (why soil is important)

soil is very important as it can absorb and store carbon over long periods

13

sixth stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere (why more carbon is better)

more carbon in soil = different habitats established and range of wildlife

14

seventh (final) stage of vegetation succession in the lithosere

is reached when environmental equilibrium is achieved --- climatic climax

15

carbon cycle at a continental scale (long-- talk about weathering, oceans, tectonic uplift, volcanoes, etc)

acid rain reacts with minerals--slowly dissolves through chemical weathering--carbon left in water--carried by surface water to ocean--settles in the form of calcium carbonate--used by shells and corals (coral respiring released co2)-- dead ones sink and become buried--turned to limestone--tectonic uplift exposes limestone--tectonic forces mean oceanic plate subducts beneath continental--deposits then subject to convection currents--rise back to surface through volcanic eruptions--co2 released back into atmosphere where it is dissolved in water. GOES BACK TO BEGINNING

Decks in Geography-- Water and Carbon Cycle Class (16):

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