202lec 11 Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect 202 Summer 2008 Presentation

8/8/2019 202lec 11 Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect 202 Summer 2008 Presentation

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Biogeochemical Cycles 20 essential inorganic elements for living

organisms.

Unlike energy - essentially no input of

inorganic nutrients

Essential elements present in finite amounts

recycled from dead tissue and wastes


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Earths ecosystems are maintained by a

constant influx of energy

Solar

Energy Autotroph Herbivore Carnivore

Respiratory Loss

Transformation Loss of Energy


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Biogeochemical Cycles

Cycling of chemical elements

between living and non-living

portions of the earths ecosystems

Biotic

Abiotic

Uptake

Decomposition

Respiration

Excretion


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Abiotic Reservoirs for Essential

Elements

Lithosphere (bedrock and soil)

Atmosphere

Hydrosphere (especially the

ocean)


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Carbon Cycle

Where do we find carbon?

Air (carbon dioxide)

Dissolved in water:

Carbonic acid

Carbonate and bicarbonate ions Rocks and soil:

e.g. limestone calcium carbonate

Fossil fuel deposits:

Coal, oil, natural gas

Living organisms - organic molecules:

Carbohydrates, proteins, fats)


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Relative amounts of carbon in Reservoirs

and living and dead Tissues

Atmosphere = 1

Living organisms = 0.66

Decaying Organic Matter = 6.7 Fossil Fuels =14.3

Ocean Waters = 50

Carbonate Sediments (limestone) = 29,000,000


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Types of Reservoirs Active Reservoirs

Storage Reservoirs


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Active Reservoirs for Carbon

Atmosphere

C

arbon dioxide Hydrosphere

Carbon dioxide

Bicarbonate ionsCarbonate ions


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Storage Reservoirs forC

arbon

Carbonate rocks

limestone Fossil fuels

Coal

OilNatural Gas


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Chemicals move from one abiotic

Reservoir to another

AtmosphereCO2

Carbonic acid Bicarbonate ion Carbonate ion

+ Calcium

Calcium CarbonateSedimentary

Rock

(Limestone)

Volcanic

Activity

Hydrosphere


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The Carbon Cycle

Atmosphere contains0.037% (370 ppm) carbon dioxide

@720 trillion kg Carbon

Annually in photosynthesis

@120 trillion kg of carbon

1/6 of atmosphericC

O2


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Why photosynthesis does not deplete

atmospheric CO2

Rapid recycling (high Mobility)

Biotic and Abiotic

Oceans stabilize atmospheric concentration

Release from storage reservoirs


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Reason 1: There is great mobility of carbon

Photosynthesis removes CO2 from the atmosphere

Solar Energy

CO2 + H2O carbohydrate + oxygen

Chlorophyll

120

trillion kg


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Reason 1: There is great mobility of carbon

Respiration/Decomposition returns CO2 to the

atmosphere

Carbohydrate + Oxygen CO2 + H2O

Plants 60 trillion kg

heterotrophs (decomposers) 60 trillion kg


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Balance between photosynthesis and

respiration

Plants remove 120 trillion kg ofCarbon

Photosynthesis

Respiration returns 120 trillion kg of

Carbon

Plant respiration 60 trillion kg ofCarbon

Heterotrophic respiration 60 trillion kg of

Carbon


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Seasonal Variation in

atmospheric carbon dioxide

Conc.

carbon

dioxide

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Maximum Photosynthesis

Month


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Ocean Help Stabilize Levels of

Atmospheric CO2


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Oceans help stabilize Levels of

Atmospheric CO2

Ocean AtmosphereEquilibrium

Ocean Atmosphere

Ocean Atmosphere


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Aquatic/Atmospheric Reservoirs

30 to 50% of Atmospheric carbon dioxide

in the ocean in a few years

Currently a Net flux of carbon into ocean

Carbon Dioxide Net

Flux 2 trillion kg Atmosphere

OC

EAN

107 trillion kg

105 trillion kg


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3. Release from storage Reservoirs:

Fossil Deposits

Fossil fuels

Coal, oil and natural gas

Carboniferous - 345-280 million YBP

Carbonate rock

Shells of marine animals

Limestone and Dolomite

Slow exchangeCarbon locked up for millions of years


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Amounts in the Storage Pools

Compared to the Atmosphere(Atmosphere = 1)

Fossil Fuels (14.3)

Carbonate Sediments (29,000,000)


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How Does Carbon Get From the

Storage Reservoirs to the Active

Reservoirs?

Burning of fossil fuels

Subduction and volcanic activity


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Plate Tectonics


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PlateTectonics


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Plate tectonics Plate tectonics

Move apartSlide past

Override (subduction)


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CO2


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Changes in atmospheric carbon

dioxide

In the past 150 years, there has been asubstantial increase in atmospheric carbon

dioxide


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Increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide


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Estimates of Carbon Reservoirs

Trillion kg of carbon Soil Organic Carbon 1,500

Litter 100

Live Biomass 650

Total 2,250

Atmosphere 720 Soil + litter + live biomass (2,250 ) is 3Xs

the atmosphere (720)


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Forests as Carbon Sinks

Tree

Carbon

dioxide

PhotosynthesisCarbon is stored in the

plants tissues (roots, stems,

and leaves)

Carbon is incorporated

into the soil

Decomposer

respiration

Plant respiration

Carbon

dioxide


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Young Forests and Mature

ForestsGross Primary

Production

Respiration

Carbon Net Primary

Production

YOUNG MATURE


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Young Forests and Mature Forests

Gross Primary

Production

Respiration

Carbon

Biomass

YOUNG MATURE

Carbon Removed fromthe atmosphere


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Forests as carbons sinks (Mature Vs. Young

Forests)

Young forests

Accumulate more carbon than they give off in

respiration

Represent smaller carbon sinks Mature forests

Approximate balance between photosynthesis

and respiration

Larger sinks for carbon


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Cutting and Burning Forest returns large

amounts of carbon to the atmosphere

What happens when forests

are converted to cropland?


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Reasons for increased carbon dioxide

Industry

Fossil fuel burning 6.9-7.0 trillion kg of

carbon (77%)

Deforestation 1.8-2.0 trillion kg of carbon (22%)

mostly in tropical regions of the world

Consequences?


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Greenhouse EffectGreenhouse

Glass

Energy AbsorbedCarbon dioxide lets Shortwave radiation pass through

0.1-7.0 microns

long-wave

radiation is

absorbed

8-12 microns

Solar

Radiation


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Greenhouse Gases

Earth

In coming

radiation

Carbon dioxide

Energy absorbed by carbon dioxide is

radiated in all directions.

Some of this energy is absorbed by the earth

causing the greenhouse effect.

CO2 is essentially

transparent tosolar energy


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Greenhouse Gases

Gas % Rel. Efficiency

Contribution

CO2 65% 1

Methane (CH4) 20% 21

Nitrous Oxide (N2O) 5% 270

CFCs >5% 15,000

CFC = Chlorofluorcarbons


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Greenhouse Gases

Gas Atmospheric Conc. (ppm)

CO2 370

CFCs 0.000225

Methane* 1.6

Nitrous Oxide 0.31


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Methane Production (20% Global

Warming)

Natural Sources (40%) Decomposition of detritis

Human Sources (60%)

Land fills

Natural Gas Management

Livestock Production

Ruminant 25-500 liters/day Manure Management

37% of human sources

2% of global warming


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1996 (C02 from fossil fuels, cement production, gas flaring)

RANK NATION CO2 TOT * CO2/ CAP**

1 UNITEDS

TATES

OF AMERICA 1446777 5.3

72 CHINA (MAINLAND) 917997 0.76

3 RUSSIAN FEDERATION 431090 2.91

4 JAPAN 318686 2.54

5 INDIA 272212 0.29

6 GERMANY 235050 2.877 UNITED KINGDOM 152015 2.59

8 CANADA 111723 3.76

9 REPUBLIC OF KOREA 111370 2.46

10 ITALY (INCLUDING SAN MARINO) 110052 1.92

11 UKRAINE 108431 2.10

12 FRANCE (INCLUDING MONACO) 98750 1.69

13 POLAND 97375 2.52

14 MEXICO 95007 1.02

Total* = 1,000 metric tons of carbon, metric tons per capita**


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Changes in Carbon dioxide

Emissions


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China surpassed USAs emissions in 2006by 8%, Chinas CO2 emissions are now

estimated to be about 14% higher thanthose from the USA


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Current Total CO2 Emissions (2007)

Five Leading Nations

Country Total (%)China 24

USA 21

EU-15 15India 8

Russian Federation 6%

Total 71%


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Per capita Emission Top Five Country Capita (metric tons)

USA 19.4

Russia 11.8

EU-15 8.6

China 5.1

India 1.8


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China Lacks Technology to Curb

Emissions


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How much CO2 does the

earths atmosphere

accumulate each year?


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Global Carbon Emissions

Breakdown Giga tons (Trillion tons)

Global Emissions: 8.7-9.1

Fossil fuels: 6.9-7.0 (77%)

Land-use change (deforestation): 1.8-2.0 (22%)Other (cement production, gas flaring): 0.1 (1%)

Global Absorption:8.7-9.1

Remains in atmosphere:4.5

Absorbed by oceans:2.3

Absorbed by vegetation:1.9-2.3


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In er Glacial

CO2

2000 1800 1000120014001600

Year AD

he Indus rial Revolu ionCaused a

Drama ic Rise in CO2


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W ld T


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World Temperature


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Changes in World Climate

Five of the six warmest years in

meteorological history occurred in this

century

Nineteen of warmest years in global

meteorological history occurred in the

past 20 years 2006 5th warmest year

2007 2nd warmest year


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Departure from World Warming Trend in 1992 and 1993


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Trends in world temperature Increasing temperature interrupted 1992 &

1993

Eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines

Sulfur dioxide

two-year cooling trend

sulfur dioxide - nucleus for water droplets to form

Increase low cloudiness

cause world temperatures to cool

warming resumed in 1994


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Some consequences of global

warming?

Some parts of the world become cooler.

Loss of biological diversity

Plant growth faster with less water loss

Patterns of world crop yields change

Insect damage to crops increase

Human tropical diseases may spread Sea level rises

Climate less predictable


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Unexpected Climatic Change

Some parts of the world may

become markedly cooler!!Ocean Conveyor Belt


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Loss of pollinators

L f Bi di it


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Loss of Biodiversity

Hummingbirds pollinate flowers in mountains

Wintering birds migrate at a precise photoperiod Cannot rely on local climate

Arrive when plants are in flower

Flowering plants

Specialized for hummingbirds

Flower controlled by temp.

Global warming means earlier flowering Pollinators arrive too late

Cascading interactions:

Pollinators have no resources Plants set no seeds

Herbivores and seed predators decline

Predators decline

Wh t th P ibl C


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What are the Possible Consequences

of Global Warming?


Loss of migration routes due to habitat destruction

Encouragement of aggressive, exotic

species


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Polar Bears

Decline in polar bears

20,000 25,000 Polar bears are now Federally listed

An endangered species is one that is in

danger of extinction throughout all or a

significant portion of its range. Athreatened species is one that is likely

to become endangered in the foreseeable

future.


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Effect of elevated CO2 on plant growth

Generally plants

Higher photosynthesis as CO2 increases

Lose less water

Negative effects

Higher temperature and drought

CO2 H2O

Crop Yields


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Crop Yields

Generally increased crop yields

Worlds three major crops:

Rice, corn and wheat

Tropical regions

Higher temperatures and reduced moisture

Likely will decrease crop yields

Overall no expected change world wide

Local Change ?

S f l b l


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Some consequences of global

warming?

Some parts of the world become cooler.


Plant growth faster with less water loss Patterns of world crop yields change

Insect damage to crops increase

Human tropical diseases may spread Sea level rises

Climate less predictable

l


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Insect Damage to plants may

increase due to global warming

Warmer temperatures

Increase insect metabolism

Plants will grow faster

Less nitrogen per unit of plant tissue

Insects eat more plant to obtain nitrogen

Insect pests of crops

Spread into new areas European corn borer

Europe and North America


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Tropical human diseases may spread northward

Malaria

Dengue Fever Break bone fever

Four related Viral disease transmitted by

mosquitoes

Symptoms: Rash, fever,

Joints ache (Break bone fever)


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Dengue hemorrhagic fever

Prior immunity: People infect by

more than one strain of virus

Bleeding breaks through the skin

(hemorrhagic disease) small blood

vessels (capillaries)

5% of cases fatal


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Hemmorhagic Disease


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Vectors


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Asian Tiger Mosquito

Now found in

Peoria, IllinoisAedes aegypti

Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger

mosquito) -


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Transmitted by anopheles mosquito occurs

every where but Antarctica


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C f i i l l


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Consequences of rising sea level

Estuary systems Quality of coastal fresh water

Coastal settlements threatened

include, Tokyo, Los Angeles,Cairo, New York , Shanghia,

Bangkok


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Melting of land ice will contribute to Sea Rise

Why will onlymelting of land icecontribute to sealevel rise?

Where is most ofthe land ice?

Antarctica

Greenland

West Antarctica ice

sheet 6 meters

Climate will be less predictable and climatic


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Climate will be less predictable and climatic

extremes will increase

Will climate change increase severity or frequencyof major storms, including hurricanes

Some evidence relates frequency of severe hurricanes

to global warming

U.S. NOAA (National Ocean and Atmospheric

Administration)

Steady increase in precipitation derived from extreme

one-day precipitation events

Insurance companies are paying out more money

because of unexpected disastrous storms

Kyoto Protocol


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Kyoto Protocol

Adopted on 12 December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan

(UNFCCC)

Terms for implementation

55 parties to United Nations FrameworkConvention

on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 1992 Earth Summit

At least of 55% of 1990 CO2 emissions

Effective February 16, 2005

178 signatories (as of April 2008)

61.6% of emissions


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Kyoto Protocol USA

President Clinton

President Bush

Carbon credits

Companies with excess emission purchase

credits from companies with excess allowances

Green companies: plant trees to absorb excesscarbon dioxide and sell carbon credits to

companies with excess allowance.

Carbon emission from fossil fuel burning


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Carbon emission from fossil fuel burningSelected Total Per capita Tons/$ Growth

Countries (million tons) (tons) GNP* 1990-94

USA 1,371 5.26 210 4.4%

China 835 0.71 330 13.0

Russia 455 3.08 590 -24.1

Japan 299 2.39 110 0.1

United Kingdom 153 2.62 150 -0.3

Poland 89 2.31 460 -4.5

South Korea 88 1.98 200 43.7

* tons per million dollars


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Planting Trees

In the tropics:

one trees is planted for every 10 cut

Africa one planted for every 29 cut

World wide we would have to plant 1,000

trees per person annually

USA --we would have plant 4,500 treesper person, at 1,200 trees/acre this is 3.75

acres per year

Documents

202lec 11 Carbon Cycle and Greenhouse Effect 202 Summer 2008 Presentation