LT: To examine the effects of climate change in terms of the carbon stored in ice, oceans and the biosphere

Most of the Earth's carbon is stored in rocks, but this is largely unavailable in the natural carbon cycle owing to its very slow
rate of movement. The rest of the carbon is stored:

* in the atmosphere (2%)

* in the biomass (5%)
* in fossil fuels (8%)
* in oceans (85%)
Carbon moves through the environment in network of stores and flows known as the carbon cycle.

Before the Industrial Revolution, the main changes to the carbon cycle were infrequent events such as volcanic eruptions, sea
floor spreading and meteorite impacts. Human activity, in particular the burning of fossil fuels, has moved some of the carbon
that was buried deep underground into the atmosphere.

The Carbon Cycle

Major stores within the carbon cycle include the atmosphere, the oceans, ice sheets, living organisms and dead organic matter,
carbonate rocks, and fossil fuel reserves.

Flows within the carbon cycle begin with the primary production of carbon, much of which is done by living organisms through
photosynthesis. Plants convert carbon dioxide into organic carbon compounds, which are ultimately converted back into carbon
dioxide by respiration and by the activities of soil bacteria when the plant dies and decomposes.

Task 1: Watch this video about the carbon cycle and add to the table below to show the processes which add and take away
carbon from the atmosphere

Process What or whom? Adding CO2/ taking away CO2 from

the atmosphere?
 Respiration Animals, Marine Organisms and Plants Adding CO2

Combustion Factories and burning of fossil fuels Adding CO2

Decomposition Dead Animals and Plants Adding CO2

Slash/Burn Burning and cutting down forests and trees Adding CO2
(Combustion)

Diffusion Carbon in water is released Adding CO2

Photosynthesis Plants and trees Taking away CO2

Backward Diffusion Coldwater, Marine animals with Shells (Clams), Taking away CO2
Sedimentary Rocks

Consumption/Food Chain Eating of plants and animals Neither (Moves Carbon Around)

The effects of changing levels of carbon in ice, oceans and biosphere due to climate change

Task 2: Use the following resources to:

* Describe the changes that are occurring
* Explain the effects they are creating

Resources
Textbook (p441-443)
‘Carbon release climate change effects’ article on classroom
Carbon cycle
Ocean Acidification video
Deforestation and climate change video
Carbon cycle and global warming video

Describe the changes - What changes are Explain the effects - what are the short term and
occurring? long term effects?

Ice
It is estimated that 1,672 billion tonnes of carbon
are currently trapped in the earth’s permafrost.
This compares with 850 gigatonnes of
carbon in the atmosphere. When permafrost
thaws, the organic matter within it begins
to decay. The decay occurs as bacteria and
microbes consume the dead matter, releasing
carbon dioxide or methane
Temperature increases of up to 3C° have been
observed in permafrost zones, causing
permafrost to melt. This releases carbon dioxide and
methane into the atmosphere that
adds to the enhanced greenhouse effect, fuelling
further increases in temperatures over time.

Oceans Before the industrial period, the Earth’s Increased carbon in oceans acidifies the water,
atmosphere contained 578 Pg of Carbon, however endangering marine life.
now the atmosphere contains around 766 Pg of
 Carbon.
The ocean contains about 38,000 - 40,000 Pg
around 50 times more than what the atmosphere
has.
About 30% of the carbon dioxide that humans
have put into the atmosphere has diffused into the
oceans.
With less carbonate shell building organisms end up
with thinner shells.
With the ocean water being more acidic it dissolves
calcium carbonate thus making it more likely that the
shells of marine organisms are likely to be weakened.
Warmer oceans may also decrease the abundance of
phytoplankton.

Since 1750, the ocean pH has dropped by around

0.1, a 30% change in acidity.

The excess carbon that dissolves and becomes

carbonic acid, the carbonic acid reacts with
carbonate to form bicarbonate.

Biosphere Terrestrial plants have absorbed approximately 25 Doubling carbon dioxide, plant growth increases by
percent of the carbon dioxide that humans have 12-76 percent, providing there are no other limiting
released into the atmosphere. factors such as shortage of water

When farmland is abandoned, the vegetation may By preventing wildfires, humans prevent carbon from
revert to forest. entering the atmosphere and allow carbon to build up
in plants instead

Sometimes Forests, convert carbon dioxide
through photosynthesis into biomass.
Forest soils store large amounts of carbon.
Deforestation leads to the release of carbon from
trees and soils to the atmosphere.
In many tropical areas, the use of fire to create new
farmland is releasing considerable amounts of carbon
into the atmosphere
Modern farming practises also influence the carbon
cycle.

Climate change is disrupting the carbon cycle by affecting the balance of carbon stored in the lithosphere, hydrosphere
and atmosphere. Human activities are causing more carbon to be stored in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide
Task 3: Explain how climate change is affecting the amount of carbon stored in ice [4]
Climate change is melting permafrost which contains large deposits of carbon. The warming of these environments will lead to an
increase in methane Co2 emissions depending on the amount of oxygen present. Temperature increase could lead to a 45-65
percent increase in the release of methane over time. The decrease in snow reduces the reflectivity of the surface, increasing the
absorption of solar radiation. As permafrost melts, its stored carbon is released into the atmosphere in the form of methane
which could lead to a rise in air temperature.