D4.3 Climate Change and Review of Carbon Cycle Kognity

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to the carbon cycle, sinks/sources, climate change, and related topics from the lecture notes.

Carbon sink

An environment that absorbs more CO2 from the atmosphere than it releases (e.g., forests, oceans, soils).

Carbon source

A location or process that releases more CO2 into the atmosphere than it absorbs (e.g., burning fossil fuels, respiration, fires).

Flux (carbon flux)

The rate or pathway of carbon transfer between reservoirs in the carbon cycle.

Carbon cycle

The movement and exchange of carbon among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.

Carbon reservoir

Any place where carbon is stored (e.g., atmosphere, oceans, soil, biomass, rocks).

Photosynthesis

Process by which autotrophs convert CO2 and water into organic matter using light energy, removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

Cellular respiration

Process by which organisms break down organic compounds to release energy, releasing CO2 back to the atmosphere.

Keeling Curve

Long-term record of atmospheric CO2 concentration showing a rising trend since 1958.

Mauna Loa Observatory

Hawaii site where CO2 measurements began the Keeling Curve.

Direct emissions

CO2 released directly from sources such as power plants, vehicles, or factories.

Remote sensing

Satellite-based methods to measure greenhouse gas concentrations globally.

Forest carbon sink

Forests that absorb CO2 via photosynthesis and store carbon in biomass and soil.

Ocean carbon sink

The ocean absorbs atmospheric CO2, storing it as dissolved carbon, organic matter, and sediments.

Carbon flux (example)

Rate of carbon transfer between reservoirs, such as atmosphere to biosphere or oceans.

Fossil fuels

Coals, oils, and natural gas; burning releases CO2 stored in the Earth's crust for millions of years.

Deforestation

Removal or loss of forests, reducing carbon sequestration and increasing atmospheric CO2.

Albedo

Reflectivity of a surface; melting ice lowers albedo, increasing heat absorption and warming.

Positive feedback

A process that amplifies an initial change, such as warming triggering more warming (e.g., outgassing, peat decomposition, albedo loss).

Tipping point

A critical threshold where a system undergoes significant, potentially irreversible change.

Boreal forest (taiga)

Northern forests that store large amounts of carbon but are vulnerable to warming and fires.

Permafrost thaw

Melting of permanently frozen ground that releases carbon-rich material, including methane.

Methane (CH4)

Potent greenhouse gas released from enteric fermentation, rice paddies, landfills, and fossil-fuel extraction.

Ocean acidification

Lowering of seawater pH as CO2 dissolves to form carbonic acid, affecting calcifying organisms.

Calcification

Process by which corals and shell-forming organisms build calcium carbonate skeletons; hindered by acidification.

Coral bleaching

Stress-induced loss of symbiotic algae from corals, reducing energy supply and potentially killing corals.

Afforestation

Planting trees on non-forested land to create new forests and increase CO2 uptake.

Reforestation

Regeneration or replacement of forests after disturbance; can be natural or planted.

Peatland

Waterlogged wetlands rich in partially decomposed organic matter that store large amounts of carbon.

Peat formation

Natural accumulation of partially decomposed plant material forming peat; slow carbon sequestration.

Carbon sequestration

Capture and long-term storage of atmospheric CO2 through natural or technological means.

Blue carbon

Carbon stored in coastal ecosystems like mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses.

Direct Air Capture (DAC)

Technology to remove CO2 directly from ambient air for storage or use.

Carbon capture and storage (CCS)

Capture of CO2 from emission sources and storage underground to prevent release.

BECCS

Bioenergy with CCS; biomass energy with carbon capture and storage, potentially negative emissions.

Upwelling

Upward movement of deep, nutrient-rich waters to the surface, fueling marine ecosystems.

Nutrient upwelling

Deep waters rich in nutrients rising to the surface, supported by ocean currents.

Ips typographus

European spruce bark beetle; warmer temperatures accelerate its life cycle, increasing beetle outbreaks.

Photoperiod

Length of day/night that cues timing of phenological events in organisms.

Phenology

Timing of biological events (flowering, leaf-out, migration) and their relation to seasons.

Coral reef calcification

Process by which corals build calcium carbonate skeletons, hindered by ocean acidification.