ELSS Flashcards
(31 cards)
what is a drainage basin
area of land drained by river and tributaries
inputs of drainage basin
Precipiation
Rain, hail, sleet or snow
inputs of drainage basin - water cycle
Condenstation
water vapour turning to liquid
store in water basin
Vegatation store
Vegetation cover intercepts precipitation and a store is held on leaves and branches
water store
soil moisture/ soil storage
pore spaces between soil particles fill with air and water, amount of pore space varies in different soils - clay 40-60% sand 20-45%
water basin store
Groundwater store
water stored underground in permeable porous rocks
water basin stores
channel store
volume of water in river channel
stores of water basin
stemflow
water flows down stems of plants and trees
flows of water basin
infiltration
vertical movement of water into soil.
flows of water basin
surface run off
water flowing of surface which cannot infiltrate soil
flows of water basin
channel flow
flow of water in rivers
flows of water basin
throughFALL
water moving from vegetation to ground
throughFLOW
lateral movement of water down a slope into river channel
flows in water basin
perculation
downward movement of water into underground stores
flows in water basin
groundwater flow
downward and lateral movement of water within saturated rock
Evapotranspiration
combined loss of water at the surface through evapouration and transpiration by plants.
outputs of water basin
Leakage
loss from groundwater stores
outputs of water basin
Run-off
movement of water across the land surface
process of carbon cycle
precipitation
CO2 dissovels in rainwater to form weak carbonic acid, rising concentrations of CO2 in atmosphere from anhtropegenic emissions have increased acidity of rainfall and led to increased acidity of ocean surface waters
process of carbon cycle
Photosynthesis
Plants create energy from sunlight and CO2 with water to create carbohydrates.
process of carbon cycle
seqeustion of carbon - photosynthesis
carbon stores for long periods of time because trees have long lifespan and take long to decompose, vegatation also sequest carbon.
process of carbon cycle
respiration
plants and animals release CO2 back in atmosphere, microscopic organisms in soild release CO2 from same process
process of carbon cycle
Decomposition
decomposition occurs due to fungi and bacteria returning CO2 to atmosphere. GHG released as by product, other soluble organic compounds released.
process of carbon cycle
Combustion
when Fossil fuels burned they contain carbon captured by living organisms, main by-product is CO2