ELSS L16 - Changes in the carbon cycle
- Created by: Hadley023
- Created on: 08-11-18 10:40
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- Changes in the carbon cycle
- Diurnal
- During the daytime, CO2 flows from the atmosphere into vegetation.
- Respiration exceeds p'synth at night, vegetation loses CO2 to the atmosphere.
- At night = CO2 increases. During the day = CO2 decreases.
- There is more light during the day to allow for p'synth.
- These changes can be observed with phytoplankton in the oceans.
- Seasonal
- Monthly changes in the Net Primary Productivity.
- Mid to high latitudes - day length and temps drive seasonal change.
- There are variations in light and temp through summer to winter.
- In the winter, there is a net flux of CO2 back into the atmosphere.
- Algal blooms are a results of the increase in phytoplankton activity between spring and summer.
- In the tropics, water availability is the main driver.
- Ocean phytoplankton are stimulated in photosynthetic activity by rising water temps, more intense sunlight and lengthening photoperiod.
- Long-term
- Glacial and interglacials. There is marked reduction in CO2 during glacial periods.
- Tundra will sequester huge amounts of carbon in permafrost.
- Tundra replaces forests and grassland replaces tropical rainforests.
- The carbon pool in vegetation shrinks during glacial periods as ice sheets advance and occupy large areas of the continent.
- Overall slowing of the carbon flux. Smaller amounts of CO2 returned to the atmosphere by decomp.
- Carbon stored in the soils below the ice will no longer be exchanged within the atmosphere.
- Diurnal
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