carbon stores in different biomes
- Created by: tzindoga
- Created on: 13-11-18 11:42
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- carbon stores in different biomes
- Tropical rainforest carbon storage
- found on and around the equator between 10 degrees north and 10 degrees south
- factors affecting plant growth
- competition for light and water
- given rise to five layers of vegetation
- under-canopy
- field layer
- continuous canopy
- shrub
- emergent trees
- given rise to five layers of vegetation
- physical factors
- temperature
- average temperatures 25 degrees and 30 degrees
- light
- sun's rays concentrated
- results in all year growth and carbon sequestration
- sun's rays concentrated
- precipitation
- high and constant rainfall combined with warm temperatures provide optimum conditions for terrestrial plant growth and biomass carbon storage
- temperature
- plants evergreen & trees have large leaves that maximise transpiration and growth
- C storage in animals is relatively high because of large habitats provided for plant sand animals
- competition for light and water
- carbon storage and flows
- 550 GtC stored in rainforest
- trees store 180 tonnes per hectare above ground and 40 tonnes per hectare in the roots
- soil carbon store = around 100 tonnes per hectare
- exchange between atmosphere, biosphere & soil are rapid
- warm humid conditions lead to rapid decomposition and quick release of CO2
- litter store is a small biome
- warm humid conditions lead to rapid decomposition and quick release of CO2
- heavy rainfall
- soils are leached and only retain limited amounts of organic carbon in the form of humus
- Temperate grassland carbon storage
- found between 30 degrees and 50 degrees north of the equator
- lack of rainfall is a major limiting factor preventing the growth
- carbon storage and flows
- store 2-10 tonnes of carbon per hectare
- mainly stored below ground
- exchange of carbon varies according to season
- winter, grass dies back to their roots and photosynthesis ceases
- spring, soil begins to warm
- store 2-10 tonnes of carbon per hectare
- soil carbon store 100-200 tonnes of carbon
- ecosystem carbon storage
- total carbon stored in terrestrial biomes is around 3000 GtC
- carbon stored in biomass of trees but a thick layer on the forest floor can also store significant amounts
- coniferous forest stores more carbon than tropical rainforest globally because it's distributed across a greater area
- biomass of tropical rainforest is greater than that of coniferous forest but doesn't cover a greater land area
- green plants
- stores 20% of earths carbon
- in grasslands, biomass consists of root systems
- animals
- small role in carbon cycle
- litter
- fresh, undecomposed plant debris
- leaf tissue account for 70% of litter in forests
- soil
- humus = black substance that remains in the soil after organic litter has decomposed
- Tropical rainforest carbon storage
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