Lecture 24

Question 1

Global Ecology

Answer 1

• Elements move among geologic, atmospheric, oceanic, and biological pools at a global scale -> Carbon main focus
• Earth is warming because of anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gasses
• Dr. Taylor calls this lecture fuck you mind your own business
• Share atmosphere and an ocean (keep this in mind)

Question 2

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

Answer 2

• Global cycling of carbon ( C ), nitrogen (N), phosphorus(P) emphasized because opf biological importance
• Roles in human alteration of the global environment
• Marine biota-> surface ocean waters-> atmosphere

Question 3

Carbon Pools Located In

Answer 3

• Rocks
• Atmosphere
• Surface ocean waters
• Benthic sediments
• Marine biota
• Solis
• Vegetation
• Deep ocean water
• Every single pool affects another all dependent on carbon diffusion

Question 4

Carbon

Answer 4

• critical for energy transfer and biomass

Question 5

Pool or resivoir

Answer 5

• Amount of an element in a component of the biosphere
• Movement among these pools is over weeks to decades

Question 6

Flux

Answer 6

• rate of movement of an element between pools

Question 7

Atmosphere Through Diffusion Will

Answer 7

• have carbon going from surface ocean waters to marine biota then deep ocean waters

Question 8

4 Major Pools

Answer 8

• Ocean
  - Dissolves CO2
  - But think of the deep oceans
• Atmosphere
• Vegetation and soils
• Rocks and sediments
• 3 fluxes were unbalanced creating patterns of precipitation (atmosphere, forest and fauna, soils)

Question 9

Anthropogenic

Answer 9

• Release of C to the atmosphere
• Before mid-nineteenth century deforestation was the main flux
• Removing forest canopy warms the soli
• Increases rates of decomposition and respiration
• Burning trees release CO2 and small amounts of CO and CH4

Question 10

In the 20th Century Major Deforestation

Answer 10

• Shifted from the mid-latitudes to the tropics
• Caused from terrestrial pool results from land use change
• Mostly from deforestation (20%)
• From burning fossil fuels (80%)

Question 11

Since Mid 19th Century

Answer 11

• CO2 concentrations have increased at a rate faster than at any other time in the past 400,00 years
• Methane is 4x the impact as greenhouse gas than CO2

Question 12

Emissions of CO2

Answer 12

• more than doubled from 1970-2011

Question 13

Athabasca Oil Sands

Answer 13

• once a source of oil, economic growth and environmental concern

Question 14

Fossil Fuels

Answer 14

• Apart of slow carbon cycle/deep carbon soil
• Further extent of the pools and flux’s carbon going through the mantle cause of subduction zone
• Deep ocean waters carbon can enter the sedimentary & soil flux

Question 15

Simplified Global Carbon Cycle

Answer 15

• Deep cycle/slow cycle can divide rocks and sediments and soils as two

Question 16

Climate Change

Answer 16

• Refers to a directional change in climate over at least three decades
• Know the difference between weather and climate
• Weather is local and what you can see out of your window
• When you look out your window and see the first snowfall and the freezing of the local pond you are witnessing the weather

Question 17

Climate Change is a Much Broader Scale

Answer 17

• For example, a storm is not caused by climate change; however, extreme occurrences occur more frequently, suggesting climate change

Question 18

What is the Reason for Polar Ice Caps Melting

Answer 18

• climate change
• leading cause to polar bears disappearance

Question 19

Conveyer Belt Surface Water

Answer 19

• Sinks into ocean depths and travels
• Possibility of carbon being able to be stored through this conveyor belt system

Question 20

Ocean Acidification

Answer 20

• Atmospheric CO2 affects the ocean pH by diffusing in and forming Carbonic acid
• Destroy base of food chain will destroy the entire ecosystem
• Ocean environments changing very dramatically
• Leading problem currently

Question 21

1985-2010

Answer 21

• Noticeable drop in the pH level in ocean water
• Concerning because organisms, plants, algae, animals, etc. that have calcium carbonate skeletons aren’t being able to form with the presence of carbonic acid