The Carbon Cycle Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is meant by carbon sequestration?
The process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored in stores such as vegetation, soils and oceans
examples of fast carbon flows
Combustion, Respiration, Photosynthesis, decomposition
Example of a Slow carbon flow
Carbon sequestration, takes millions of years for carbon to be sequestered in sedimentary rock.
Carbon flows at spatial scales
Plant scale - Photosynthesis and respiration are the main flows of carbon
Ecosystems scale - Decomposition and combustion also occur here
Continental Scale - All carbon flows including sequestration occur here
Natural processes that can affect the carbon cycle
Wildfires - Can massively reduce amount of vegetation available for storage, and combustion releases large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere
In the long-term wildfires can encourage plant growth.
Volcanic activity - Carbon stored in the earth can be released through magma into the atmosphere.
Human impacts on the carbon cycle
Deforestation - Clearance for development, logging, agriculture removes stores that are carbon sinks available.
Hydrocarbon Extraction - Extracting and burning of fossil fuels releases co2 into atmosphere, without human intervention it would be stored in the lithosphere
Land Use Changes - Vegetation is removed, Concrete production releases lots of co2 into atmosphere.
What is the carbon budget
The balance between carbon inputs and outputs, helps determine whether a subsystem is a carbon sink or carbon source,
What is a carbon source
Emits more carbon than it takes in
What is a carbon Sink
Takes in more carbon than it emits
How does the carbon cycle affect the atmosphere and climate
The cycle affects the amount of gases containing carbon in the atmosphere. These are greenhouse gases, they trap some of the suns energy, helping keep heat in and keeping the planet warm.
