geography - carbon and water cycle

what is a system

a collection of interrelated part that work together in a environment

have imputs and outputs

changes of storage in a system

Equilibrium in systems

balance imput and output

closed systems

only energy is transfered in / out

open systems

energy and matter can be transferred between the system and its surroundings

Imputs examples

precipitation

leaf fall

seeds from other systems carried by leafs and birds

outputs examples

water soaking thru soil or leaves

evaporation

seed dispersal

flow/transphers examples

photosynthesis

infiltration

transperation

stores and componants

water

soil

plants

negative feedback

a cyclical sequence of events that that dampens or neutralises the effects on the system

positive feedback

a cyclical sequence of events that magnifies or increases the effects on a system

what r the 4 major physical systems carbon and water stores on or close to the earths surface

geosphere

- lithosphere

- hydrosphere

- cryosphere

- atmosphere

stores in the global carbon cycle

atmosphere

soil

surface oceans

deep oceans

transpheres in global carbon cycles

respiration

photosynthesis

burning

isolated system

no exchange of energy or matter

main stores of water

ocean water

fresh water

sheets and glaceirs

what type of system is a closed system

closed system

Examples of cryospheric water?

sea ice

ice sheets

ice caps

what is a drainage basin

an area around a river which the river receives water and subsequently drains it

infiltration

water enters/filters into the soil

interception

when water is caught by tree and plants before it gets to the soil

stem flow

Water lands on plants and runs down their stems

Overland flow

Anywhere water flows over the land surface

through flow

movement of water through soil

transpiration

water vapor comes from leaves

Evapotranspiration

water rises as vapor from the ground and released thru leaves

ground water

underground water that is held in the soil and in pervious rocks

soil water

water held between soil molecules

ground water flow

water held deep in the ground

percolation

water enters permeable rocks

surface storage

lakes ponds and puddles

ground water storage

water that is stored in the ground bedrock

physical features that effect river discharge

topography

geology and soil type

vegatation

drainage basin

antecedent soil moisture

percipitation type

percipitaion density

human features that effect river discharge

land use

agriculture

construction

river regimes

the variability in discharge thruout the yr in responce to presipitaion temp, evt and drainage basin characteristics

factors effecting hydrographs

steep sides

circluar shape of basin

drainage density(more streams and rivers)

urbanisation- impermeable surfaces

Eutropification

water pollution from nitrogen and phosphorus compounds causing algal blooms that block sunlight and so the plants and stuff decompose and respire decreasing oxygen levells and killing fish

carbon sink

absorbs more carbon then it releases

carbon source

release more carbon than it stores

carbon transfers

process that transphers carbon between stores eg photosynthesis

main carbon stores

Marine sediments and sedimentary rocks

Oceans

Fossil fuel deposits

Soil organic matter

Atmosphere

Terrestrial plants

What is the largest carbon store and its amount in billion metric tonnes?

Marine sediments and sedimentary rocks - 100,000

How much carbon do oceans absorb directly from the air in billion metric tonnes?

38,000

What is the amount of carbon in fossil fuel deposits in billion metric tonnes?

4,000

How much carbon is stored in soil organic matter in billion metric tonnes?

1,500

What is the amount of carbon in the atmosphere in billion metric tonnes?

750

How much carbon do terrestrial plants store in billion metric tonnes?

560

what are fluxes

changes in carbon stores

main carbon transphers

photosynthesis

respiration

decomposition

combustion

whethering

carbon sequestration

3 types of decomposition

physical

chemical

biological

what is carbon sequestration

the removal of carbon from acvive cycles by natural or artifical transpher and burial in a long term store