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Geography, carbon exchanges - Coggle Diagram
Geography, carbon exchanges
Photosynthesis
how the stores are affected:
- using the suns energy, CO2 from the atmosphere + water, green plants + marine phytoplankton convert light energy to chemical energy (glucose) through the process of photosynthesis
- plants use energy in the form of glucose to maintain growth, reproduction + other life processes.
- releases CO2 to the atmosphere in respiration
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the flux of carbon from the atmosphere --> terrestrial biomass (land, plants + phytoplankton) via photosynthesis
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combustion (natural and fossil fuel): occurs when organic material reacts or burns in the presence of oxygen.
how the stores are affected:
- long, cold winters slow the decomposition of forest litter which builds up on forest floor.
- fire shifts this log jam, freeing carbon and nutrient previously inaccessibly to forest trees
- opens up forest canopy, creating new habitats and increasing biodiversity
- affected by human activity, deliberate firing of forests for land cultivation or improve quality of grazing
- combustion of fossil fuels: consumption continues to grow despite efforts
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magnitude of process (burning of fossil fuels): - transfers nearly 10 GT a year from geological store to the atmosphere, oceans + biosphere
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weathering: in situ breakdown of rocks at or near the earths surface by chemical, physical + biological processes
how the stores are affected: most weathering involves rainwater which contains dissolved CO2, derived from the soil as well as the atmosphere.
- rainwater is a weak carbonic acid, slowly dissolves limestone + chalk in a process --> carbonation
- process most effective beneath a soil cover because the higher concentration of CO2 soil = highly acidic
carbonation: releases carbon from limestones to streams, rivers, oceans and the atmosphere.
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magnitude of process:
- chemical weathering = 0.3bn tonnes of carbon atmosphere --> oceans every year
- physical; weathering by freeze-thaw breaks rocks down into smaller particles, involves no chemical changes - increases area exposed to chemical attack
- biological weathering by chelation, contribute to rock breakdown
precipitation
how the stores are affected:
- atmospheric CO2 dissolves in rainwater to form weak carbonic acid.
- rising concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere, due to anthropocentric emissions, increased acidity of rainfall
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