Carbon Cycle

• Biological pump

  Sequestration via phytoplankton into surface waters of 10Gt per year and release by consumers into the water and dead phytoplankton to the bottom of the ocean which transports the 10Gt per year to deep oceans
• Carbonate pump

  Marine organisms use calcium carbonate to form shells and skeletons. These either dissolve in the ocean or sink to the bottom to form limestone where they add carbon to the sea bed store of 1750 Gt
• Physical pump

  Ocean circulation of water including upwelling of warm water and downwelling of cold water. Includes the thermohaline circulation or Arctic Conveyor. Downwelling takes 96Gt to the intermediate and deep oceans. Upwelling brings 105.6 Gt from deep and intermediate ocean.
• Acidification


  The gradual reduction of pH of the oceans, due to dissolving carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
• Afforestation 


  Planting trees and vegetation in the aim of increasing forest cover
• Carbon capture and storage (CCS)


  The capture of carbon dioxide emissions directly from the factory, pumped into disused mines rather than being released into the atmosphere
• Biofuel


  Burning crops and vegetation for electricity and heat
• Carbon fluxes


  The movement of carbon between stores
• Carbon neutral


  A process that has no net addition of carbon dioxide to the environment
• Carbon stores 


  Places where carbon accumulates for a period of time such as rocks and plants
• Residence time


  Time carbon is in a store
• Choke points 


  Points in the logistics of energy and fuel that are prone to restriction
• Combustion


  The process of burning a substance, in the presence of oxygen, to release energy
• Decomposition 


  The breakdown of matter, often by a decomposer which releases carbon dioxide through their own respiration
• Energy mix


  The composition of a countries energy sources
• Energy security 


  The ownership and full control of a country's energy source, production and transportation
• Energy pathway 


  The movement of energy from its extraction or source, through pipes, freight logistics or cabling
• Energy players 


  Key companies and individuals who own, distribute and sell energy and energy sources
• Enhanced greenhouse effect (definition)

  The build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, reducing the amount of solar radiation reflected into space
• Nuclear fusion


  The process of joining atomic nuclei together, to produce energy
• OPEC


  oil and petroleum exporting countries. An organisation that supports and coordinates fossil fuel exporting countries
• Outgassing


  The release of dissolved carbon dioxide

  Eg at plate boundaries, warming the oceans
• Photosynthesis


  The process of converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. All plants and some organisms rely on this process to survive
• Phytoplankton 


  Small organisms that rely on photosynthesis to survive, so intake carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
• Primary energy 


  The initial source of energy, as it is naturally found. This could be natural ores, water, crops or radioactive material
• Respiration


  Process of converting glucose and oxygen to carbon dioxide and water
• Sequestration


  The transfer of carbon from the atmosphere to stores elsewhere
• Thermohaline circulation 


  The movement of volumes of seawater from cold deep water to warm surface water
• Carbon sink


  Any store that takes in more carbon than it emits

  Eg a tropical rainfores
• Carbon sink


  Any store that takes in more carbon than it emits Eg a tropical rainforest
• Carbon source 


  Amy store that emits more carbon than it stores
• Natural carbon cycle


  Movement and storage of carbon between the land, ocean and the atmosphere
• 3 forms of carbon

  Organic

  Inorganic

  Gaseous
• Inorganic carbon 


  Found in rocks as bicarbonate and carbonates
• Organic carbon 


  Found in plant material and living organisms
• Gaseous carbon 


  Found as carbon dioxide and methane
• 4 main stores of carbon

  Atmosphere

  Hydrosphere

  Lithosphere

  Biosphere
• How much carbon is stored in marine sediments and sedimentary rocks

  100,000 peta grams
• How much carbon is stored in oceans

  38000 peta grams

  37100 in deep oceans

  900 in surface oceans
• How much carbon is stored in fossil fuel deposits

  4000 peta grams