Carbon Cycle Transfers

at a plant level

tree’s wood acts as store, 50% carbon

photosynthesis removes CO2 from atmosphere

respiration by tree and microbes in soil return CO2 to atmosphere

decomposition of leaf litter/tree death returns carbon to atmospshere or soil

combustion from wildfires release carbon stored in tree

seres

a stage in the succession of vegetation in an ecosystem

lithosere

vegetation succession that occurs on bare rock

hydrosere

occurs in freshwater

halosere

occurs in salt-rich conditions (salt marshes)

psammosere

occurs in sandy areas (sand dunes)

when is the final stage of a sere reached

when environmental equilibrium is reached, further succession stops

climatic climax community

the end nature of the vegetation found, mostly due to climatic conditions

halosere carbon transfer - oceans

oceans can be carbon sink, store and transfer

transfers of carbon cycle

photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, combustion, burial and compaction, sequestration, weathering

weathering

chemical weathering - carbonation

Co2 combines with water vapour, producing weak carbonic acid making precipitation slightly acidic

calcium carbonate in rocks reacts with acidic water, forming calcium bicarbonate, soluble percolating water

burial and compaction

occeans absorb carbon from atmosphere, goes into shells and skeletons marine creatures, die and sink to bottom, build up layers, compact creating sedimentary rock

sequestration

natural sequestration, carbon removed from atmosphere and stored in liquid or solid form

carbon capture and storage, technological process capturing CO2 from industrial sources, separated, treated and transported to a long-term storage location