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HOW ARE THE CARBON AND WATER CYCLES LINKED - Coggle Diagram
HOW ARE THE CARBON AND WATER CYCLES LINKED
Impact of human activity
Rising demand for water creates shortages
Over pumping of aquifers leads to incursions of salt water unfit for drinking
Deforestation reduces evapotranspiration and precipitation and increases run off
Exploitation of coal/oil/natural gas removes carbon from stores, transferring it to the atmosphere
Additional carbon is released during deforestation and acidification
Impact of climate change
Increases evaporation and water vapour, greenhouse gases raise temperatures
Increased precipitation, higher run-off and flood risk
Water vapour releases latent heat, more energy and more extreme weather
Melting glaciers , water storage in cryosphere and permafrost shrinks
Increased decomposition releases carbon
Tropical environments become arid
Acidification of the ocean reduces photosynthesis and ocean storage ability
How are they interdependent
Atmosphere
Atmospheric C02 produces greenhouse effect
Photosynthesis uses C02
Plants extract and transport water
Water evaporates from oceans
Oceans
C02 inputs are greater than outputs, increased acidity.
C02 solubility and low surface temperature causes glaciers to melt, sea level rise
Vegetation
Water availability influences photosynthesis and transpiration
Temperature and rainfall affect decomposition and C02 release
Cryosphere
C02 levels affect greenhouse affect and melting
Melting exposes land to more solar radiation causing higher temperatures, exposed organic material leads to oxidation and decomposition releasing C02
Management strategies
Water cycle
Forestry
UN and world bank fund programs to protect rainforests- financial incentives to restore forests
REDD fund over 50 partner countries in Africa Asia and South America
WWF supported Brazil and the amazon, amazon regional prortected areas cover 128 million acres
75% decrease in deforestation 2000-2012 in the amazon basin
Stabilises regional water cycle and offsets 1.4 billion tonnes of carbon a year
Supports indigenous communities and promotes eco tourism
Water allocations
Improving management to minimise water losses via evaporation e.g drip irrigation and via run-off e.g terracing
Storage reservoirs can help reduce waste
Colorado basin divides resources between downstream states (California, Arizona and New Mexico)
Not implemented by LIDCs
Drainage basin planning
Adopting integrated or holistic management approach to accommodate demands- reducing runoff, increasing storage
EU water directive framework and river basin districts have been defined. Each with its own plan and target
Runoff is controlled by aforestation and reducing artificial drainage and extremely permeable surfaces
Storage is improved by restoring wetland, groundwater maintenance and limiting abstraction
Carbon cycle
Wetland restoration
Freshwater and saltwater marshes contain 35% of terrestrial C02. Pressure on wetland environments has caused a loss of biodiversity and transferred C02 into the atmosphere
400 ha of farmland in Cambridgeshire is being converted back to wetland
European Union habitats directive- restoring 500 ha by 2020
Recreates waterlogged conditions but reduces farmland
Aforestation
Planting trees in deforested areas protects from loggers and farmers
UN REDD scheme places monetary value on forest conservation in china between 2000-2009 30km2 was planted
Reduces atmospheric c02, soil erosion and flood risks. Increases biodiversity
Agricultural practises
Land, crop and livestock management. Soil conservation, oxidation reduction, reducing run-off, inhibit CH4 production
Polyculture, growing crops without ploughing soil with heavy machinery, leaves crop Resh-i due, improving animal feed and controlling manure decomposition
International agreements
Legally binding agreements to reduce C02 emissions, poorer countries believe the global reduction in C02 is the responsibility of richer countries
Paris 2015 agreement promises to keep emissions below 60% of 2010 levels by 2050 and keep global warming below 2 degrees
Richer countries transfer funds and technology to assist poorer countries
Cap and trade
Offers market based approach to limit C02, businesses are allocated a C02 emissions quota which if they meet they receive carbon credits which can be traded on international markets.
Carbon offsets are awarded for aforestation or renewable energy schemes
If countries exceed their quota they have to buy more credits and they are fined