Carbon Cycle 4

Question 1

What is the process by which primary producers sequester carbon?

Answer 1

Photosynthesis

Primary producers, such as plants, take carbon from the atmosphere to photosynthesize.

Question 2

What do all living things do in relation to carbon?

Answer 2

• Release carbon
• Intake carbon

This reflects the carbon cycle in ecosystems.

Question 3

What factors does vegetation growth depend on?

Answer 3

• Water
• Nutrients
• Sunlight

These factors are essential for photosynthesis and plant health.

Question 4

When consumers eat plants, what is carbon converted into?

Answer 4

• Fats
• Proteins

This conversion is part of the food chain and energy transfer.

Question 5

What do micro-organisms feed on?

Answer 5

Waste material from animals and plants

They play a crucial role in decomposition.

Question 6

Which type of remains decomposes faster: animal and plant remains or wood?

Answer 6

Animal and plant remains

Decomposition rates vary based on material composition.

Question 7

Decomposition is faster in which type of climates?

Answer 7

Tropical climates

High rainfall, temperatures, and oxygen levels accelerate decomposition.

Question 8

What percentage of a tree’s biomass consists of CO₂?

Answer 8

95%

This carbon is sequestered and converted to cellulose.

Question 9

The amount of carbon stored in trees depends on the balance of what two processes?

Answer 9

• Respiration
• Photosynthesis

This balance determines overall carbon storage in trees.

Question 10

What do carbon fluxes due to terrestrial organisms vary with?

Answer 10

Different organisms and environmental conditions

This variability affects the carbon cycle.

Question 11

What are the diurnal carbon fluxes during the day and night?

Answer 11

• Day: Positive flux from atmosphere to ecosystem
• Night: Negative flux from atmosphere to ecosystem

Diurnal fluxes refer to the daily variations in carbon movement between the atmosphere and ecosystems.

Question 12

How do seasonal carbon fluxes change in the northern hemisphere during winter and spring?

Answer 12

• Winter: High atmospheric CO₂ concentrations due to plant decay
• Spring: CO₂ levels begin to drop as plants grow

Seasonal changes in carbon fluxes are influenced by plant life cycles.

Question 13

What is one of the carbon stores that is currently changing?

Answer 13

Trees

Trees are significant carbon stores and their status is affected by various environmental factors.

Question 14

What percentage of the world’s carbon is stored in soils?

Answer 14

20-30%

The amount of CO₂ sequestered or emitted depends on local conditions.

Question 15

Which types of soils are the most important stores of carbon?

Answer 15

Arid and semi-arid soils

These soils play a crucial role in carbon storage.

Question 16

What happens to carbon when a plant loses it to the ground?

Answer 16

Some carbon will transfer to the soil

Soil microbes break down plants and release carbon to the atmosphere.

Question 17

What is the most long-term process of carbon storage in soil?

Answer 17

Formation of Humus

Humus has a dark and rich color and contains 60% carbon.

Question 18

Name three factors affecting soil capacity to store organic carbon.

Answer 18

• Climate
• Soil type
• Use of soils

Each factor influences the amount of carbon that can be held in the soil.

Question 19

How does climate affect soil carbon storage?

Answer 19

Affects the rate of plant growth and microbial activity

Decomposition occurs at a fast rate in places with higher temperatures and rainfall.

Question 20

Which soil type contains more carbon: clay-rich soils or sandy soils?

Answer 20

Clay-rich soils

They are more effective at storing carbon compared to sandy soils.

Question 21

How does land use affect soil carbon storage?

Answer 21

Can affect how much carbon can be held

Cultivation and disturbance impact soil’s carbon storage capacity.

Question 22

What is the Natural Greenhouse Effect?

Answer 22

A temperature control system relying on greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

It helps maintain Earth’s temperature by trapping some infrared radiation.

Question 23

What type of radiation is primarily responsible for warming the Earth?

Answer 23

Incoming shortwave solar radiation

This radiation passes through the atmosphere and warms the Earth’s surface.

Question 24

What happens to most of the infrared radiation (IR) emitted by the Earth?

Answer 24

Most escapes to outer space

This allows the Earth to cool, but some is trapped by greenhouse gases.

Question 25

What is the effect of increasing levels of **CO₂** on the atmosphere?

Answer 25

Increases the amount of heat retained ## Footnote This causes the atmosphere and Earth's surface to heat up.

Question 26

What percentage of carbon is reflected by clouds and gases in the atmosphere?

Answer 26

Around 31% ## Footnote The remaining 69% is absorbed by the Earth's surface and oceans.

Question 27

What percentage of surface absorption is reradiated to space as **longwave radiation**?

Answer 27

69% ## Footnote A large proportion of this longwave radiation is radiated back to the Earth by clouds and greenhouse gases.