Physical and Human Factors affecting the Water and Carbon Cycle in the Arctic Tundra
- Created by: AlexMaltby
- Created on: 08-03-22 20:48
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- Physical and Human factors affecting the carbon and water cycle in the Arctic
- Human
- Oil and Gas Production
- North Slope of Alaska significant oil reservoirs
- Industry there driven by US demand for lower imports
- 1/4 of US oil production
- Impact on Water and Carbon Cycle
- Permafrost melting has become widespread because:
- Construction of infrastructure,settlements, installations diffuses heat to environment
- dust deposition along roadsides creates darkened snow, increasing solar absorption
- removal of vegetation cover insulating permafrost
- Releases methane and CO2, 24-114k tonnes/ year and 7-40mil tonnes/year loss respectively
- Also caused by gas flaring and oil spillages
- Destruction or degradation of tundra veg leads to thawed soils
- increased run off, overland flow
- drainage networks disrupted by gravel pads, roads
- Permafrost melting has become widespread because:
- Management strategies
- Insulated ice and gravel pads
- Elevated buildings and pipelines
- Drilling laterally
- Computer technology
- Refrigerated supports
- Oil and Gas Production
- Physical
- Water Cycle
- Influenced by temp, relief, rock permeability
- Temps below freezing = water stored as ground ice
- Summer months cause surface flows of water
- poor drainage because of frozen soils
- Summer months cause surface flows of water
- Precipitation sparse
- Permeability low owing to permafrost and crystalline rocks which dominate geology
- ancient rock surface has been reduced to gentle undulating plain
- minimal relief impedes drainage
- Carbon Cycle
- Carbon is mainly stored as partly decomposed plant remains frozen in permafrost
- Low temp, water availability and nutrient limit plant growth
- Low temp and water logging slow decomposition and respiration and flow to atmosphere
- geology exerts little influence on the cycle due to permafrost impermeability
- Water Cycle
- Human
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