Please enable JavaScript.

Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.

Life Cycles (Carbon Cycle: Importance (Fast Cycle (C circulates most…

- - - - Carbonate rocks e.g. limestone
      - Atmosphere
      - Sea floor sediments
      - Oceans
      - Biosphere
    - - Proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids
  - - - CO2 diffuses from atmosphere to oceans
      - Marine orgs. make their shells + skeletons by fixing dissolved C w Ca = CaCO3
      - Remains of orgs. accumulate on ocean floor over millions of years
      - Heat + pressure convert them to C-rich sed. rocks
      - Sedimentary rocks
        
        Typical residence times = 150 million years
        
        Some are subducted into upper mantle at plate boundaries + vented into atmosphere in volcanic eruptions
        
        Some exposed at/near surface by erosion/tectonic movements are chemically weathered
    - - Partly decomposed D.O.M. is buried beneath younger seds. = carbonaceous rocks e.g. coal, ligmite, oil + gas
      - The fossil fuels act as C-sinks that endure for millions of years
  - - - Atmosphere
      - Oceans
      - Biosphere
      - Soils
    - - Plants
      - Phytoplankton
    - - Phytosynthesis
      - Respiration
      - Decomposition
    - - Atmospheric CO2 dissolves in ocean surface waters while oceans ventilate CO2 back into atmosphere
      - Indv. C atoms are stored by natural sequestration for 350 years in the oceans
- - - - Oceans moderate temperatures by absorbing, storing + slowly release heat
      - Clouds - comprised of water particles + ice crystals - reflect 1/5 of incoming solar radiation = decreased surface temps.
      - Water vapour + other greenhouse gases absorb long-wavelength radion - helps maintains global temps. almost 15 degrees higher than they would otherwise be
  - - - Phtosynthesis
        
        Leaves; combines CO2, sunlight + water = glucose + starches
      - Respiration
        
        Glucose + O2 = energy; release CO2 + H20
      - Transpiration
        
        Water evaporates from leaf surfaces - cools plants
      - Maintains rigidity + transports mineral nutrients
    - - Generates glectricity
      - Irrigates crops
      - Provides recreational facilities
      - Satisfies public demand e.g. drinking water + sewage disposal
      - Industry demands e.g. food m.f.
- - - - Atmosphere
      - Oceans
      - Land
      - Biosphere
    - - 3 main stores:
        
        Atmosphere, Oceans, Land
      - Oceans are largest store; atmosphere is smallest
      - Processes:
        
        Precipitation
        
        Evapotransp.
        
        Runoff
        
        Groundwater
    - - LT storage in sed. rocks holds 99.9% of all C
      - Most C in circulation moves quickly between:
        
        Atmosphre, Oceans, Biosphere
      - Processes:
        
        Photosynthesis, respiration, oxidation (decomposition + combustion), weathering
    - - Systems - groups of objects and the relationships that bind them together
      - Globally they are closed systems driven by the Sun's energy
      - Only energy - not matter - can cross the boundaries
      - At small scales, the systems are open