Water and Carbon Cycle Quiz

Water and Carbon Cycle

• Positive Feedback: Effects of an action are amplified by a secondary effect.

• Negative Feedback: Effects of an action are nullified by knock-on effects, returning the system to balance.

• 5 Major Subsystems: Hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and cryosphere.

• Open System: Matter and energy can be transferred from the system to the environment (e.g., drainage basin).

• Closed System: Energy transfers occur but not matter.

• Dynamic Equilibrium: Tendency towards a natural state of balance within a changing system.

• Hydrosphere: Water on or near Earth's surface (97% oceanic). Inputs include precipitation and runoff; outputs include evaporation.

• Cryosphere: Portions of Earth's surface where water is solid (1.7% of water). Includes ice sheets, ice caps, glaciers, and permafrost.

• Lithosphere: Solid outer layer of the Earth's crust and upper mantle (1.7% of water), storing water for longest durations.

• Atmosphere: 0.01% of Earth's water, primarily water vapor.

Other Key Concepts

• Biosphere: Part of Earth where life exists (land, water, and air).

• Cryospheric Change: Growth and reduction in size of the cryosphere due to warming or cooling periods. Feedback loops influence ice melt and water levels.

• P-factors (Steepness/Vegetation): Natural land uses increase interception, root uptake, and evapotranspiration = decreased surface runoff and flooding. Steep sides correlate with faster overland flow and flashy hydrographs.

• H-factors (Deforestation/Urbanisation): Deforestation reduces interception and evapotranspiration rates, leading to increased surface runoff and flashy hydrographs. Urbanization results in less infiltration and increased, fast-flowing overland flow.

• Infiltration: Downward movement of water into the soil.

• Infiltration Rate: Speed at which soil absorbs water.

• Infiltration Capacity: Maximum rate at which soil can absorb water.

• Evapotranspiration: Combined process of evaporation and plant transpiration.

• Condensation: Change from gas (water vapor) to liquid (water).

• Evaporation: Conversion of liquid water to water vapor due to solar energy.

• Drainage Basin: Area that supplies a river with water (separated by a water shed).

• Percolation: Downward movement of water due to gravity.

• Throughflow: Water flowing horizontally through the top soil layer.

• Throughfall: Rainfall that falls directly onto the ground without interception.

• Interception: Process where water is prevented from reaching the ground surface by vegetation.

• Natural Features of River Exe: The area is 82% woodland and grassland, which increases interception, root uptake, and evapotranspiration.

• Exmoor Mires Project: Aim to restore peatlands to improve water storage and reduce flood risk. Improved water quality and biodiversity. Increased water table.

• Wimbleball Reservoir: Construction (1979) regulated water levels, reduced flood/drought risks.

• Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ): Area where warm, moist air rises close to the equator and results in high pressure.

• Global Atmospheric Circulation (GAC): Large-scale air movement redistributing thermal energy across the earth. Winds are created by atmospheric pressure differences.

• Corolis Effect: Bending of air currents due to Earth's rotation. Relates to climate patterns (pressure, wind).

• Soil Water Balance: Relationship between inputs (precipitation) and outputs (evapotranspiration and discharge), which can be positive, negative, or balanced.

• Decomposition: Breakdown of organic matter by organisms. This releases CO2 back into the atmosphere.

• Combustion: Burning of organic matter, releasing CO2.

• Dissolution: Carbon dissolves in the oceans. Cold water absorbs more CO2 compared to warm water.

• Sequestration: Capture and storage of carbon in rocks or other natural systems.

• Weathering: Breakdown of rocks by chemical or physical processes.

• Burial and Compaction: Over time, organic matter is buried under sediment, eventually forming hydrocarbons such as coal and oil (lithosphere).

• Carbon Stores: Locations where carbon is stored (lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, biomass).

• Fluxes: Rate at which carbon flows between stores.

• Differences between Weathering and Erosion: Weathering is the breakdown of rocks, while erosion involves the transportation of sediment.

• Gaia Hypothesis: Living matter (plants, animals) regulates life-sustaining conditions on earth.

• Global Distribution of Carbon: High levels especially in forests in South America.

• Net Primary Productivity: Measurement of ecological activity in an area.

• Lithosphere (carbon): Locations containing inorganic (fossil fuels) or organic (litter, humus) forms of carbon.

• Hydrosphere (carbon): Carbon is stored in water bodies (ocean) through various processes.

• Biosphere (carbon): Carbon is stored in living organisms from plants to plankton

• Climate Climax: Natural stage where environment is stable and fully developed (e.g., forest).

• Halosere: Succession in saline environments.

• Psammosere: Succession on sand dunes / environments in sandy areas

• Hydrosere: Succession in water environments.

• Pioneer species: First organisms to colonize a barren area.

• Dominant species: Most abundant species in a community.

• Plagioclimax: Human impact has prevented a climax community from developing (e.g., deforestation).

• Polyclimax: Many factors effect community development, rather than just climate variables.

• Deforestation (positive and negative): Reduces global warming due to albedo in certain examples, while negative effects are primarily linked to ecosystem destruction, soil erosion, and increased risk of flooding.

• Arctic Circle: Warming trends impact permafrost thaw which leads to co2 and methane emissions.

• Hockey Stick Graph: Climate change illustrated using graph showing warming trend in recent times.

• Land Use Change (carbon): Impacts on carbon cycles by converting sinks to sources.

• Livestock Sector: Significant methane emissions from livestock (enteric fermentation and rice paddies).

• Methane Sources: Cattle enteric fermentation (digestion), rice paddies, and other sources (manure, fossil fuels).

• Nitrous Oxide Sources: Fertilizers, manure, industrial processes.

• Impact of Increased Agriculture: Negative impacts (soil erosion, ecosystem loss) and positive (Increased food production)

• Impact of Arctic Warming: Thawing permafrost leads to release of stored CO2 and methane, creating a positive feedback loop accelerating warming.

• How Does Desertification Occur Due To Farming? Overuse of land (cultivation, irrigation, grazing) on marginal land. Water usage, reduced water tables due to irrigation may lead to desertification.

• Wetlands: Stores considerable carbon and act as important sinks for carbon.

• Fossil Fuels (Hydrocarbons): Stored carbon, released as CO2 through combustion impacting carbon cycle.

• Impact of Urbanisation on Carbon Cycle: Concrete and other materials hinder plant growth and photosynthesis, changing natural carbon sinks to sources. This releases additional CO2 into the atmosphere.

Test your knowledge on the water and carbon cycles with this quiz! Explore concepts such as positive and negative feedback, the major subsystems involved, and the differences between open and closed systems. Challenge yourself to understand the dynamic equilibrium of these essential processes.