Carbon Stores

• Carbon unit of measurement: gigatonnes. 1 gigatonne = 1 billion tonnes. Flux of carbon within the cycle is measures in gigatonnes per year.
• Where is carbon: bio-molecules; methane gas; CO2; hyrdrocarbons.
• Store: Fossil fuels, long term stores, are used for heat/electric, they release carbon when burned
• Stores, Atmosphere: amount has increased, caused enhanced greenhouse effect
• Stores, Marine Sediments and sedimentary rocks: largest carbon store, long term store
• Store, Terrestrial Plants: plants can store carbon, deforestation releaces the stored carbon, photosynthesis transfers carbon into glucose and water.
• Store, Ocean: carbon is absorbed directly from the air, river water discharges carbon carried in solution. Oceans have absorbed more carbon in air due to industrial revolution.
• Store, Soil and organic matter: carbon can remain here long term. Deforestation and land use change can release the stored carbon very quickly.
• Soil organic carbon - is the carbon component of soil
• COP 26: UN, took place in glasgow. COP, since 1990s followed Kyoto Protocol - 'legally binding obligations for HICs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions'. Led to 2015 paris agreement, focusing on mitigation, adaptation and finance.
• Most of the carbon stored in vegetation is in the rainforest. Very little stored in desert areas. Europe tends to have high stores. The main factors influencing this is temperature and rainfall.