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earth's life support system 2 (carbon stores (sedimentary rocks = 69%…
earth's life support system 2
carbon stores
sedimentary rocks = 69%
oceans = 27%
fossil fuels = 3%
soils/peat = 1%
atmosphere = 0.5%
land plants = 0.4%
carbon within oceans
39,000 GT of carbon is stored in the ocean, the ocean is the 2nd largest store of carbon
the colder the ocean, the more carbon is diffused
the ocean is a carbon store, by the process of diffusion the ocean absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. also phytoplankton can sequester carbon dioxide by photosynthesis
lots of carbon stored in the deep ocean + little carbon is stored within the shallow ocean.
carbon remains trapped in the ocean floor and in sediments for a long time and the flux is slow. carbon is stored for a short-time in the shallowest part of the oceans by plankton, marine biota. in this case the flux is faster
the atmosphere as a carbon store
the atmosphere is the 5th largest carbon store
high levels of carbon in the northern hemisphere and there are lower levels of carbon in the southern hemisphere
lower levels of carbon in the south this is because of the lower land, spaces meaning there are more oceans which is a carbon sink. there are less levels of carbon in the atmosphere due to absorption from plants
decomposition - cells and bodies of plants + animals decay by action of soil bacteria + fungi, who extract energy and release carbon dioxide to the atmosphere
fossilation - the decomposition of sediments, usually in a body of water. carbon can be trapped during the process
biological pump
phytoplankton float near the ocean surface and photosynthesis occurs
other marine organisms eat the plankton / or alternatively the plankton will simply die
dead plankton will decompose on the ocean floor and turn into sediments which will form rocks. this process if called lithification
physical pump
diffusion occurs
down-welling of cold water occurs
carbon rich water rises (up-welling) = warmer water
warm oceans diffuse more carbon