Carbon sequestration
- Created by: luigi64
- Created on: 12-03-20 09:09
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- Biological processes sequestering carbon
- Oceanic pump
- Biological pump
- Phytoplankton sequester CO2 from ocean surfaces via photosynthesis
- Carbonate shells move into deep ocean water through the carbonate pump + action of the thermohaline circulation
- Phytoplankton sequester CO2 from ocean surfaces via photosynthesis
- Physical pump
- Carbon compounds are moved by upwelling / downwelling currents and thermohaline current
- Downwelling occurs where colder denser water sinks. Cold water (polar regions) absorbs more CO2 from atmosphere because of this (accumulated CO2 at surface in taken down) (conc. is 10% higher in deep sea)
- Warm tropical waters release CO2 / Cold polar waters intake CO2
- Gulf Stream moves waters from tropics to poles
- Warm tropical waters release CO2 / Cold polar waters intake CO2
- Downwelling occurs where colder denser water sinks. Cold water (polar regions) absorbs more CO2 from atmosphere because of this (accumulated CO2 at surface in taken down) (conc. is 10% higher in deep sea)
- Carbon compounds are moved by upwelling / downwelling currents and thermohaline current
- Carbonate pump
- Relies on inorganic sedimentation
- When marine organisms die shells and skeletons rich in CaCO3 dissolve
- Relies on inorganic sedimentation
- Biological pump
- Terrestrial sequestration
- Variation of Carbon fluxes within ecosystems on two timescales:
- Diurnally: during day, CO2 is taken in via photosynthesis (positive flux) The reverse applies at night - CO2 is released (respiration occurs not photosynthesis)
- Seasonally: during winter, CO2 conc. increase - low levels of plant growth. During spring CO2 conc. falls increased plant growth until the onset of autumn.
- Primary producers sequester carbon - photosynthesis - carbon enters the food chains of terrestrial ecosystems.
- Animals consume plant matter, carbon in plant becomes part of diet. Respiration returns some of the carbon back to the atmosphere.
- Micro-organisms feed on waste material (animals and plants). Decomposition
is faster in tropical climates (higher rainfall, temperatures + oxygen levels). 95% of a tree’s biomass consists of CO2
- When plants and animals die + their remains fall to the ground, carbon is released into the soil.
- Micro-organisms feed on waste material (animals and plants). Decomposition
is faster in tropical climates (higher rainfall, temperatures + oxygen levels). 95% of a tree’s biomass consists of CO2
- Animals consume plant matter, carbon in plant becomes part of diet. Respiration returns some of the carbon back to the atmosphere.
- Variation of Carbon fluxes within ecosystems on two timescales:
- Biological carbon
- Soils = largest land carbon stores. Stored as dead organic matter - store between 20% and 30% of global carbon.
- Soil carbon factors
- Climate : dictates rate of plant growth / decomposition(both increase with temperature and rainfall)
- Soil type : clay protects carbon from decomposition(clay-rich soils have higher carbon content)
- Vegetation cover : affects supply of dead organic matter (most in tropical rainforests and least in tundra)
- Land use : cultivation / other forms of soil disturbance increase the rate of carbon loss
- Oceanic pump
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