Understanding Biogeochemical Cycles and Carbon Dynamics

Biogeochemical cycles

Processes ensuring chemical elements' availability to organisms.

Human impact

Influences sustainability of ecosystems through cycles.

Stores

Equilibrium points of chemical elements in cycles.

Sinks

Net accumulation areas for chemical elements.

Sources

Net release areas for chemical elements.

Organic stores

Carbon reservoirs in organisms and fossil fuels.

Inorganic stores

Carbon reservoirs in atmosphere, soils, and oceans.

Equilibrium

Balance between absorption and release in stores.

Residence time

Average duration carbon remains in a store.

Fossil fuels

Carbon stores formed from ancient carbon sinks.

Carbon flows

Movement of carbon via various biological processes.

Photosynthesis

Process converting carbon dioxide into biomass.

Cellular respiration

Process releasing carbon dioxide from organisms.

Carbon sequestration

Capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Young forest

Acts as a carbon sink through photosynthesis.

Mature forest

Functions as a carbon store over time.

Forest destruction

Acts as a carbon source when burned.

Agricultural systems

Can be carbon stores, sources, or sinks.

Ocean acidification

Decrease in pH due to excess dissolved carbon.

Calcium carbonate deposition

Process affected by ocean acidification in marine life.

Low-carbon technologies

Methods to reduce carbon emissions and impacts.

Carbon capture

Techniques to reduce atmospheric carbon levels.