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Biology IB HL - 4.3 Carbon Cycling Part 4
This deck covers key concepts related to carbon cycling, including global carbon fluxes, factors affecting carbon exchange, and the impact of natural and human activities on carbon dioxide concentrations.
How are global carbon fluxes measured?
Global carbon fluxes are very large and are therefore measured in gigatonnes (1 gigatonne of carbon = 1 billion metric tonnes)
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Key Terms
Term
Definition
How are global carbon fluxes measured?
Global carbon fluxes are very large and are therefore measured in gigatonnes (1 gigatonne of carbon = 1 billion metric tonnes)
Are carbon flux calculations accurate?
Because carbon fluxes are large and based on measurements from many different sources, estimates have large uncertainties
What does estimating carbon fluxes require?
Estimating carbon fluxes requires an understanding of the factors that can affect the exchange of carbon between different sinks
What are some of the main causes for flux changes?
Some of the main causes for flux change include climate conditions, natural events and human activity
When will rates of photosynthesis be higher?
Rates of photosynthesis will likely be higher in summer seasons, as there is more direct sunlight and longer days
How do oceanic temperatures affect CO2?
Oceanic temperatures also determine how much carbon is stored as dissolved CO2 or as hydrogen bicarbonate ions
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| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
How are global carbon fluxes measured? | Global carbon fluxes are very large and are therefore measured in gigatonnes (1 gigatonne of carbon = 1 billion metric tonnes) |
Are carbon flux calculations accurate? | Because carbon fluxes are large and based on measurements from many different sources, estimates have large uncertainties |
What does estimating carbon fluxes require? | Estimating carbon fluxes requires an understanding of the factors that can affect the exchange of carbon between different sinks |
What are some of the main causes for flux changes? | Some of the main causes for flux change include climate conditions, natural events and human activity |
When will rates of photosynthesis be higher? | Rates of photosynthesis will likely be higher in summer seasons, as there is more direct sunlight and longer days |
How do oceanic temperatures affect CO2? | Oceanic temperatures also determine how much carbon is stored as dissolved CO2 or as hydrogen bicarbonate ions |
How do climate events change carbon flux? | Climate events like El Nino and La Nina will change the rate of carbon flux between ocean and atmosphere |
How does the melting of polar ice caps affect carbon fluxes? | Melting of polar ice caps will result in the decomposition of frozen detritus |
What two natural events can affect CO2 concentrations? | Forest fires | volcanic eruptions |
How do forest fires affect CO2 concentration? | Forest fires can release high levels of carbon dioxide when plants burn (loss of trees also reduces photosynthetic carbon uptake) |
How do volcanic eruptions affect carbon dioxide concentration? | Volcanic eruptions can release carbon compounds from the Earth’s crust into the atmosphere |
What 3 human activities affect carbon dioxide concentration? | Clearing of trees | ruminant livestock | fossil fuels |
How does clearing of trees affect CO2 concentration? | Clearing of trees for agricultural purposes (deforestation) will reduce the removal of atmospheric CO2 via photosynthesis |
How does increased number of ruminant livestock affect CO2 concentration? | Increased numbers of ruminant livestock (e.g. cows) will produce higher levels of methane |
Who has measured atmospheric CO2 concentrations and where? | Atmospheric CO2 concentrations have been measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory (in Hawaii) since 1958 by Charles Keeling |
(findings from Charles Keeling) How often do CO2 levels fluctuate? | CO2 levels fluctuate annually (lower in the summer months when long days and more light increase photosynthetic rates) |
(findings from Charles Keeling) What will global CO2 patterns conform to and why? | Global CO2 trends will conform to northern hemisphere patterns as it contains more of the planet’s land mass (i.e. more trees) |
(findings from Charles Keeling) How are CO2 levels changing? | CO2 levels are steadily increasing year on year since the industrial revolution (due to increased burning of fossil fuels) |
How are CO2 levels now? | Atmospheric CO2 levels are currently at the highest levels recorded since measurements began |
Why may different monitoring stations have different trends in CO2? | Different monitoring stations may have slightly different trends due to seasonal variations and the distribution of local vegetation |