water and carbon cycle Flashcards
(170 cards)
1
Q
what are systems composed of?
A
- inputs (matter/energy added to system).
- outputs(matter/energy leaves system)
- stores (matter/energy builds up in a system)
- flows (matter/energy moves in system)
- boundaries (limits to the system)
2
Q
what are open systems?
A
when system receive inputs and transfers outputs of energy or matter
3
Q
what are closed systems?
A
energy inputs equal outputs
4
Q
what is dynamic equilibrium?
A
inputs equal outputs despite changing conditions
5
Q
what does positive feedback do?
A
takes away from dynamic equilibrium
6
Q
what does negative feedback do?
A
brings back to dynamic equilibrium.
7
Q
on a local scale are water and carbon cycles open or closed?
A
open
8
Q
what system are the water and carbon cycle on a global scale?
A
closed
9
Q
in a local drainage basin how may water get lost and gained?
A
- evapotranspiration/ runoff
- precipitation
10
Q
what are the 3 types of rainfall?
A
convectional
relief
frontal
11
Q
what is. convectional rainfall
A
warm air rise
condenses at high altitudes
falls as rain
12
Q
what is relief rainfall?
A
warm air forced upward by barrier (mountain) causing it to condense. at higher altitudes and fall as rain
13
Q
what is frontal rainfall?
A
warm air rises overcool air, condenses at higher altitudes and falls as rain
14
Q
what is frontal rainfall?
A
warm air rises overcool air, condenses at higher altitudes and falls as rain
15
Q
when does evapotranspiration occur?
A
when water is heated by the sun causing it to become a gas and rise into atmosphere.
16
Q
when does transpiration occur?
A
in plants whiney respire through their leaves, releasing water they absorb through their roots, which then evaporates due to heating by the sun
17
Q
stem flow as an output
A
all water that enters a drainage basin will either leave through the atmosphere, or through streams which drain the basin. may flowing tributaries.
18
Q
what is infiltration?
A
process of water moving from above ground to soil
19
Q
what is infiltration capacity?
A
how quickly infiltration occurs
20
Q
infiltration as a flow?
A
grass crops/ tree roots create passages for water to flow into soil.
21
Q
what is percolation?
A
water moves from ground or soil into porous rocks and rock fractures
22
Q
what is the percolation rate dependant on?
A
fractures that may be present in the rock and permeability of rock
23
Q
what is through flow?
A
water moves through soil and into streams and rivers
24
Q
what is speed of flow dependant on?
A
type of soil soils with smaller pore
have a slower flow rate . Sandy soils drain quickly
larger pore spaces
25
surface run off as a flow?
water flows above ground as sheet flow or in rills
26
what is ground watre flow?
water moves through rocks
27
stemflow as a flow
- Flow of water that has been intercepted by plants or trees, down a stem, leaf, branch
or other part of a plant - Fast.
28
stores in the water cycle?
- soil water
- groundwater
- river channel
- interception(water intercepted by plants)
- surface storage
29
what is the water table?
upper level where pores and fractures in the ground become saturated
30
what is the water balance used for
to express the process of water storage and transfer in a drainage basin system
31
what is the formula for water balance?
precipitation=total runoff + evapotranspiration+/-(change in) storage
32
the water cycle is impacted on a local scale by? human factors
- deforestation (less interception by trees so surface run off increases)
- agriculture (pastoral farming, animals trample ground reducing infiltration)
- urbanisation (impermeable surfaces reduce infiltration but increase surface runoff reducing lag time)
33
the water cycle is impacted on a local; scale by? physical factors
-storm events (large rainfall saturates ground to its field capacity, no ,more infiltration, more surface run off )
-seasonal changes (spring - more vege more interception
summer-less rain more impermeable surfaces
autumn-less vege less intercep, more rainfall
winter-frozen ground impermeable, less run off due to snow )
34
what is the soil water budget?
annual balance between inputs and outputs in water cycle and impact on soil water availability
35
what is the soil water budget dependant on?
type, depth and permeability of the soil and bedrock
36
what is field capacity
max possible amount of storage of water in soil
37
seasonal variation of the soil water budget autumn?
greater input from precip than output from evapotranspiration
38
seasonal variation of the soil water budget winter?
evapotranspiration from plants/ trees reaches minimum precip continue to refill soil water stores
39
seasonal variation of the soil water budget spring?
potential evapotranspiration increase as temp increases and plants photosynthesis more
40
seasonal variation of the soil water budget summer ?
utilisation of soil water as evapotranspiration and rainfall minimum. output from evapotranspiration greater input from
precipitation so the soil water stores are depleting
41
what is the largest store of global water?
oceans (97%)
42
what percentage of stores are fresh water? of which? what % is ground water?
2.5% , 69% glaciers, ice caps and ice sheets and 30% ground water
43
surface water and other fresh water stores account t for % of global; stores
1%
44
what are other surface and freshwater stores?
permafrost, lakes, swamps,, marshes, rivers, living organisms
45
water can be stored in what 4 areas?
- hydrosphere- any
- lithosphere- crust and upper mantel
- cryosphere- any water frozen
- atmosphere- water vapor
46
what are aquifers?
underground water stores
47
how long can shallow underground aquifers store water for?
200 years
48
how long can deeper fossil aquifers hold water for?
10,000 yrs
49
how long can glaciers hold water for?
20-100 yrs
50
how long can lakes hold water for?
50-100 yrs
51
seasonal snow and rivers hold water for how long?
2-6 months
52
how long does soil water hold for?
1-2 months
53
what is the global atmospheric circulation model?
determines cloud formation and rainfall
54
what is ITZC
inter-tropical convergence zone
55
what is the low pressure Zone on the equator called?
ITZC
56
what is the zone partly responsible for?
monsoons due to heavy rainfall
57
why does this zone move?
sun position changes
58
what are the names of the cells that cause unstable whether in the UK?
FERREL AND HADLEY CELLS
59
what effect do droughts have on the water cycle over time?
cause major stores to be depleted. more common due to climate change
60
how often does 'the El Nino effect' occur? what does it cause?
2-7 yrs
warm temps
(increase due to climate change)
61
how often does 'the El Nina effect' occur? what does this cause?
2-7 yrs
| cooler temps
62
what effect does the cyrospheric process have on the water cycle over time?
almost all of worlds glaciers are shrinking, sea level rise (if all melt rise sea levels by 60m)
63
what effect does water abstraction have on the water cycle?
reduces vol of water un surface stores
| abstraction from aquifers as output greater than inputs= decline in global long term water stores
64
what is a flood hydrograph used to represent?
rainfall for the drainage basin of a river and the discharge of same river
65
what is discharge on flood hydrograph?
vol of water passing through cross section of river (made up of base flow and storm flow)
66
what does rising limb represent on flood hydrograph?
discharge increasing
67
what does falling limb represent on flood hydrograph?
discharge decreasing
68
what does lag time represent on flood hydrograph?
time between peak rainfall and peak discharge
69
what does base flow represent on flood hydrograph?
level of groundwater flow
70
what does stormflow represent on flood hydrograph?
comprised of overland flow and throughflow
71
what bankfull discharge mean?
maximum capacity of a river, if exceed burst and flood
72
what are the characteristics of a flashy hydrograph?
short lag time
high peak discharge,
high flood risk
steep rising and falling limb
73
what are the characteristics of a subdued hydrograph?
long lag time
gradually rising and falling limb
lower flood risk
low peak discharge
74
natural features that create a flashy hydrograph?
- high rainfall intensity (higher discharge potential= more likely for soil to reach its field capacity)
- high drainage density (tributaries to main river, increasing speed of drainage and decreasing lag time)
75
human features that would create a flashy hydrograph?
- urbanisation (impermeable surfaces, reduced infiltration)
| - deforestation (water reaches ground quicker. more runoff)
76
what do transfers in the crabon cycle aim to do?
causes changes over time
77
what do transfers in the carbon cycle aim to do?
causes changes over time
78
when does photosynthesis occur?
when chlorophyll in leaves of plants react with co2 to create carbohydrate glucose.
79
what is the photosynthesis formula?
co2+h20 --> light energy --> o2+glucose
80
when does respiration occur?
when plants and animals convert O2 and glucose into energy produces waste of water and co2
81
chemical formula for respiration?
O2 + glucose --> co2 + h20
82
overall plants absorb more co2 than they emit what is this known as?
plants are net CO2 absorbers and net oxygen producers
83
what is combustion?
when fossil fuels and organic matter are burnt, emit CO2
84
what is decomposition?
when living organisms die and are broken down by decomposers which respire, returning CO2
85
by what percentage has the oceans acidity raised by? due to what?
- 30%
| - diffusion
86
what is the biggest carbon store?
the sea
87
what type of weathering erodes rocks?
carbonation
88
when does carbonation weathering occur?
when CO2 in teh air mixes with rainwater to create carbonic acid which aids erosion
89
what does marine organisms use carbon for?
to build their shells
90
what is carbon sequestration?
storage of carbon over a prolonged period of time in a carbon store
91
what are the two types of storing carbon?
natural and artificial
92
how are factories using carbon sequestration?
in form of carbon capture and storage.
93
what is carbon capture and storage
CO2 is captured and transported via pipelines to depleted gas fields and saline aquifers
94
name 4 advantages of carbon capture and sequestration?
- can be fitted to existing coal power stations
- capture 90% of CO2 produced
- demand for CO2 means already pipelines
- potential capture half worlds CO2 emissions
95
name 4 disadvantages of carbon sequestration
- high cost
- increases energy demand of power stations
- may not be space to fit to old ps
- economically viable
96
the carbon cycle on a local scale happens in where?
a plant or sere
97
what is a sere?
a stage of vegetation succession
98
when does vegetation succession occur?
plant communities develop and become more complex over time
99
what is the climatic climax?
final stage of teh sere where the enviromnetal equilibrium is achieved
100
example of a sere?
woodland
101
what enviroment is the lithosere?
bare rock
102
what is the halosere?
salty envir
103
what is the hydrosere?
freshwater
104
what is a carbon sink? example?
any store which takes in more carbon than it emits
| INTACT tropical rainforest
105
what is carbon source? example
any store that emits more carbon than it stores
| DAMAGED tropical rainforest
106
name two things carbon emissions have come from 1750-2012
coal (673 Gt)
| oil (496 Gt)
107
name 3 places are carbon has gone to?
atmosphere (879)
ocean (590)
land (528)
108
name three main carbon stores?
- sedimentary rock (lithosphere) - 66,000-100,00 million billion metric tones of carbon
ean
109
name three main carbon stores?
- sedimentary rock (lithosphere) - 66,000-100,00 million billion metric tones of carbon
ean
110
what forests have seen an n increase in carbon sequestration in recent years? due to?
NON TROPICAL FORESTS
| due to conversion of agricultural land and plantations to new forests.
111
Rate of forest loss has decreased from what 1990 to what 2010/5?
9. 5 million hectares
| 5. 5 million hectares
112
what country has the most carbon stored on land and the most extensive deforested area
BRAZIL
113
what country has the largest amount of afforested area.
CHINA
114
what does NNP stand for and what does it mean?
Net Primary Productivity
| refers to amount of carbon absorbed by forests
115
what 2 natural processes cause changes over time in carbon cycle?
- wildfires
| - volcanic activity
116
how do wildfires affect the carbon cycle?
- transfer carbon form biosphere to atmosphere, burning can encourage the growth of plants long term
117
how does volcanic activity affect the carbon cycle?
carbon stored in earth is released during eruptions, contribute a relatively low proportion of CO2, lower photosynthesis rates
118
name 4 human impacts of carbon cycle?
- fossil fuel use
- deforestation
- changes in magnitude of carbon stores
- carbon budget
119
name 3 human impacts of carbon cycle?
- fossil fuel use
- deforestation
- changes in magnitude of carbon stores
120
how does the use of fossil fuels affected the carbon cycle?
- combustion transfers CO2 from a long term carbon sink
121
how does deforestation affect the carbon cycle?
- often used to clear land for housing, rapidly releases carbon stored in plants using slash and burn techniques
122
how does human activity affect changes to the magnitude of carbon stores over time therefore carbon cycle?
- human activity causes unprecedented flux in levels of CO2 result of fossil fuel combustion
123
what is the enhanced green house effect?
process that is currently causing global warming as abnormally high levels of greenhouse gases being produced by humans, trapping radiation form sun
124
what is the difference between the greenhouse effect and the enhanced greenhouse effect?
enhanced greenhouse effect is caused by humans the greenhouse effect is a natural process
125
what does radiating forces refer to?
difference between incoming solar radiation absorbed by earth and energy radiated back out into space
126
what is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas? what percentage to radiative forcing?
CO2
127
increase in global temp due to alteration of carbon cycle will have significant impacts on what cycle?
water cycle- increases evapotranspiration
128
what impact does increase in global climate have on seasons?
summer storms more likely
decrease rainfall in summer
increase winter rainfall
129
name 4 causes of the enhanced greenhouse effect?
- land use change- 1/10 carbon release (farming 70% deforestation in amazon due to cattle ranching)
- fertilisers (rice padi fields)
- deforestation (deforestation20% of all global greenhouse emissions, reduces carbon sequestration and land becomes a carbon source rather sink)
- urbanisation 97% of all human caused CO2. cement 7% og global CO2 emissions
130
what does the Vostok ice core data from Antarctica suggest?
that in the past temperature change has occurred before CO2 levels have risen
131
what was the explanation they had for global warming?
variations of the earths orbit cause periods of time where we experience a greater heating effect from the sun. this causes glaciers to melt and increases flow of carbon cycle.
132
what is there theory an example of? feedback
POSITIVE, quantity of fresh water flowing into oceans increase, temp fluctuations between earths two hemispheres. as oceans become warmer they release more CO2 . temp rise
133
over what % of warming is cause by a rise in atmospheric CO2
90%
134
what is an issue with this ice data conculation?
the results are not widely agreed on, any systematic error would affect the overall conclusions of the study
135
what do 97% of climate scientists agree on?
GW over the last 100 yrs is v likely to be due to human activity
136
who are the IPCC and what do they say?
International Panel on Climate Change, say its virtually certain that humans are to blame for 'unequivocal' global warming
137
what impact does the carbon cycle have on tropical rainforests?
- high rates of photosynthesis and respiration leads to greater humidity, cloud cover and precipitation.
- deforestation reduces photosynthesis and respiration, further reducing humidity and cloud cover and decreasing precipitation
138
what impact does climate change have on oceans?
- warmer oceans cause more plankton growth and through plankton chemical production, cause clouds to potentially form
- warm oceans store less CO2, as carbon sequestration is dependant on cooler oceans. means higher temps could lessen effects of oceans as Carbon sink. WARMWE oceans are classed as CO2 sources= POSITIVE FEEDBACK
139
what is a feedback loop?
type of chain reaction, where one process leads to another process, leading to another, so on =.
140
what is negative feedback?
- process that occus is counteracted by an opposing process, causeing the effects to chanel eachother out and nothing to change
141
what is positive feedback?
a process occurs, which causes another process to occur, which starts a chain reaction that heightens the first process
142
name three positive feedback loops of the Carbon cycle?
- wildfires (hot dry climate, created by global warming- releases large CO2- increases warming effect)
- Ice reflects radiation from sun reducing surface warming. sea temp rise, ice melts, warming is amplified as no ice to reflect radiation
- high temp= thawing permafrost releasing CO2 & METHANE permafrost= frozen ground stays at 0 degrees for 2 yrs.
143
name 3 negative feedback loops of the carbon cycle?
- increased photosynthesis by plant and rising temp allows vege to grow in new areas (melted permafrost areas) new vege absorbs CO2 decreasing warming effect
- high temp and more CO2 cause a greater carbon fertilisation in plants, absorbs more CO2. reduces CO2 in atmos rates of warming and carbon fertilisation decrease
- higher CO2 plankton to grow (feed of co2). CO2 taken in through photosynthesis and levels decrease= plankton decrease
144
what is a moorland (peatland)?
expense of waterlogged, acidic soil and peat (decayed organic matter).
145
what does waterlogged ground do to reduce plant growth?
stops oxygen
146
what are moorlands a major store of ?
CO2 (biggest terrestrial carbon store)
147
many moorlands have been drained of large channels which means?
no longer submerges
148
what are moorlands often converted into?
highly productive farmland or plantations in tropical areas due to fertile soils. incraeses flood risk
149
what has this caused?
increases flood risk as surface storage is reduced by draining morrland and streamflow in sincreasd by digging grainage ditches.
150
what is the impact on the carbon cycle after turning moorland into farmland?
- moorland drained
- water table is lowered affect flows in water cycle
- dry peat degrades easily
151
what is the natural rainforest water cycle?
- precipitation cycle
- 75% intercepted by trees.
- 35% stem flow reaches ground, infiltrates soil (35% used by plants, transpiration)
- 25% evaporates
152
what is teh deforested rainforest water cycle?
- precipitation occurs
- most reaches ground immediately, high surface run off, increasing flood risk
- less evaporation, so atmosphere less humid and less rainfall
153
what is the natural rainforest carbon cycle?
- trees suited to humid conditions , promotes photosynthesis
- absorb large amounts of O2, CARBON SINK
- decomposition and respiration releases CO2 back into atmosphere and soil, where carbon stored
154
what is the deforested rainforest carbon cycle
- lack of trees so photosynthesis reduced
- fires to clear land leads CO2 released into atmosphere. forests carbon SOURCE not sink
- lack of life
- low rates of decomp
155
rain thar forms ovre intact tropical rainforests may fall over deforested land, causing soil erosion, what can then happen?
if soil and ash flows into rivers increases carbon contents of rivers.
156
how does water leave the rainforest cycle?
output through streamflow due to reduced interception and increased surface runoff
157
Alternatively there is reduced rainfall in the intact forest as?
less evapotranspiration on deforested areas
158
what does this cause?
drought periods and the intact rainforest to deteriorate
159
what does deforestation on peatland and teh digging of drainage channels reduce?
water storage
160
the organic peat matter is no longer preserves underwater what happens?,m
decomposes quickly, releasing co2 into atmosphere
161
what increases decomposition in rainforest cycle?
weathering and erosion increase
162
blocking drainage ditches in peatlands rainforests helps restore natural environment how?
increasing soil water storage and decreasing runoff, raises water table and decrease flood risk
163
rises in the water table ensure what?
steady water supply, better quality as filtered in wetlands
164
why is carbon storage increased?
peat is made up of crabon and water.
165
how can mitigation help climate change
- setting targets to reduce greenhouse gases
- switching to renewable sources of energy
- carbon capture or carbon sequestration
166
global intervention- Paris climate agreement?
- aim to limit increase of global temp by 2 degrees above pre industrial levels
- support developing countries
- meet every 5 years to review goal
167
regional intervention- EU 20-20-20?
- 20% reduction in GHG and commitment to 20% of energy coming from renewable sources and 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020
- increase its emissons reduction to 30%
168
national intervention- climate change act 2008 UK
legally binding target for UK reduce GHG emissions by 80% of 1990 levels by 2050, target of 26% by 2020 increased to 34%
169
local scale
- improve home insulation
- recycling
- smart meters
170
regional intervention- EU 20-20-20?
- 20% reduction in GHG and commitment to 20% of energy coming from renewable sources and 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020
- increase its emissions reduction to 30%
