Comprehensive Earth System and Climate Change: Biosphere, Carbon Cycle, and Mitigation Strategies

How is the biosphere structured?

The biosphere is structured in various layers that include ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms.

How is energy distributed throughout the biosphere?

Energy is distributed through food webs and trophic levels, with primary producers at the base.

What is a community in ecological terms?

A community is a group of interacting species living in a common location.

What does diversity mean in ecology?

Diversity refers to the variety of species within a community.

How do scientists estimate diversity?

Scientists estimate diversity using metrics such as species richness and evenness.

How is diversity distributed on Earth?

Diversity is not evenly distributed; it varies by region, often higher in tropical areas.

What are the major reservoirs in the carbon cycle?

The major reservoirs include the atmosphere, oceans, terrestrial biosphere, and fossil fuels.

What are the major fluxes in the carbon cycle?

Major fluxes include photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, and combustion.

Which carbon reservoir is the largest?

The ocean is the largest reservoir of carbon.

How does carbon dioxide function as a greenhouse gas?

Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere, contributing to the greenhouse effect.

What is the impact of human activity on the carbon cycle?

Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels, increase carbon dioxide levels and disrupt the carbon cycle.

How does carbon move between the atmosphere and the ocean?

Carbon moves through processes like diffusion and biological uptake.

What is the relationship between dissolved CO2 and seawater pH?

Increased dissolved CO2 lowers the pH of seawater, causing acidification.

What is ocean acidification?

Ocean acidification is the decrease in pH of ocean waters due to increased CO2 absorption.

What are the impacts of acidification on biological organisms?

Acidification affects calcifying organisms, disrupting food webs and fisheries.

How are fossil fuels formed?

Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of ancient organisms subjected to heat and pressure.

How do humans convert fossil fuels into energy?

Humans burn fossil fuels to release stored chemical energy for electricity and transportation.

What are the disadvantages of relying on fossil fuels?

Disadvantages include greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, and resource depletion.

What does it mean for an energy source to be non-renewable?

Non-renewable energy sources cannot be replenished in a short time frame.

What are the local environmental impacts of fossil fuel extraction?

Impacts include habitat destruction, water contamination, and air pollution.

What is the relationship between fossil fuel combustion and climate change?

Combustion releases CO2, contributing to global warming and climate change.

What are the six types of alternative energy?

Solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, biomass, and nuclear.

How is energy from solar converted to useful energy?

Solar energy is converted to electricity using photovoltaic cells.

What are the advantages of renewable energy sources?

Advantages include sustainability, lower emissions, and reduced environmental impact.

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather refers to short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate is the long-term average.

What drives climate change?

Factors include greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and natural phenomena.

What are positive feedbacks in climate change?

Positive feedbacks amplify changes, such as melting ice reducing albedo.

What are proxies in climate science?

Proxies are indirect measures used to infer past climate conditions.

What evidence shows Earth's climate has changed significantly?

Evidence includes temperature records, ice core samples, and sea level rise.

What is the role of human activities in climate change?

Human activities are a major driver of recent climate change, primarily through emissions.

What changes are predicted by climate models?

Predictions include increased temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and more extreme weather.

What is the difference between mitigation and adaptation?

Mitigation involves reducing emissions, while adaptation involves adjusting to climate impacts.

What are some adaptation efforts to reduce carbon emissions?

Efforts include improving energy efficiency, developing sustainable infrastructure, and enhancing public transport.

What type of energy production was determined to be the safest in 2011?

Nuclear power

What is an example of positive feedback on our climate system?

Longer fire seasons

Which of the following is not a consensus projection from global climate models?

Less rain in high latitudes

What is the largest challenge associated with using Nuclear power as an alternative energy source?

Waste disposal

Which country has the highest cumulative CO2 emissions?

China

What was the primary source of energy prior to the Industrial Revolution?

Biofuels

What is adaptation in response to climate change?

A reactive response on a local scale

How is carbon dioxide (CO2) removed from the atmosphere on geologic time scales?

Through chemical weathering

Which of the following is not an anthropogenically driven part of the climate system?

Milankovitch cycles

What best describes Earth's global energy balance?

Sunlight in = Infrared radiation out

Which country is currently the largest CO2 emitter?

China

Which of the following is not used as proxy data?

Rainfall amounts

What is a positive feedback?

A process in which an initial change will bring about an additional change in the same direction.

Which type of plate tectonic setting would probably be associated with the lowest level of natural CO2 emissions?

Transform boundary

True or False: If global average temperatures rise, then the average concentration of water vapor in the atmosphere will decrease.

False

What happens to the amount of water vapor needed to saturate air with increasing temperature?

It increases

What type of feedback loop is the sweating response to body temperature?

A negative feedback loop

What condition causes seawater to sink from the surface to the deep ocean?

Cold and has high salinity

What is NOT an impact of excessive groundwater withdrawal?

Changing the porosity of the bedrock

The formation of fossil fuels represents a carbon flux from the ___ to the ___.

Biosphere; Geosphere

Interactions between predator and prey in a community represent what type of feedback?

Negative

Why do corals become bleached as sea temperatures rise?

Higher temperatures cause the symbiotic algae in the corals to leave the coral

What is an example of habitat tracking in the biosphere?

Grizzly bear populations expanding towards the poles as temperatures warm

What is the biosphere?

All life on Earth and the environments that support it.

What is a community?

Different species interacting in the same area.

What is species richness?

Number of species in a community.

Where is biodiversity highest?

Near the equator.

What is the largest carbon reservoir?

The geosphere.

What happens when CO₂ increases in the ocean?

pH decreases (more acidic).

What is the main human addition to the carbon cycle?

Fossil fuel combustion.

How do fossil fuels form?

Buried organic matter compressed over millions of years.

What is a climate proxy?

Natural record used to infer past climate (ice cores, sediment cores).

What does 'mitigation' mean?

Reducing emissions to prevent climate change.

What does 'adaptation' mean?

Adjusting to impacts of climate change.