biological procceses

• 3 pumps that move carbon from the atmosphere to surface of waters, and deep oceans?

  • Biological Pump
  • Carbonate Pump
  • Physical Pump
• biological pump is phytoplankton absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere on the ocean surface by the process of photosynthesis

  phytoplankton are bottom of the food chain so creatures feed off each other transferring the carbon up

  when marine animals die they fall to ocean floor where the carbon is now stored deep in the ocean
• carbonate pump is chemical weathering causing carbon dioxide dissolved in the water to form calcium carbonate, which some marine organisms like corals use to make shells

  when the organisms die they sink to the bottom of the ocean and create sediment rich in calcium carbonate (sedimentation)
• physical pump explains that cold water has a greater ability to hold carbon dioxide than warm water as its denser than warm water so sinks, and is held under pressure by weight of water above it

  means there is a higher concentration of carbon dioxide in deep water
• thermohaline circulation is part of the physical pump and moves warmer water on the surface into cooler areas in the world - as the warm water cools, it absorbs more carbon dioxide and sinks which is known as downwelling
• upwelling occurs to balance the thermohaline circulation which forces cold water to the surface and carbon dioxide is released into atmosphere or absorbed by phytoplankton
• carbon can be sequestered into plants and soils and this is done via photosynthesis and respiration
• carbon can also be stored as dead organic matter that can return to atmosphere many years later via biological decomposition