Global biogeochemical cycles

10 important questions on Global biogeochemical cycles

Ocean acidification is minimal why does it matter?

Soils are used to acid changes, oceanic ecosystems are not used to it

What is the ratio of carbon in the ocean compared to the atmosphere?

50 times more in the ocean

What is the most important process determining the exchange of carbon between oceans and atmosphere?

The chemical equilibrium of dissolved CO2, bicarbonate (HCO3-) and carbonate (CO3^2- in the ocean)
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What is the solubility pump?

Its based on that cold water can hold more CO2
--> because cold surface water sinks at the poles, more co2 is in deep ocean --> keeps the co2 concentration of the atmosphere lower than the average of the ocean

What is the biological pump?

The biological pump is the sinking of organic matter to the deeper ocean

How much of the organic matter sinks to the deeper ocean?

5-20% sinks out of the euphotic zone

What is marine photsyntheses and biological pump estimated effect on atmospheric co2 concentration?

Estimated to keep the concentration at 30% of what it would be in their absence

What is the airborne fraction ?

The relative amount of carbon that remains in the atmosphere

What are the sinks of emitted carbon?

About 47% air/atmosphere
31% land/soil
26% ocean

per year*

What factors influence the airborne fraction?

Rate of emissions
rate of uptake and the maximum amount of storage in the sinks

land: co2 fertilisation effect, soil respiration, n deposition fertilisation , forest regrowth etc

ocean: CO2 solubility (remperature, salinity), ocean currents, stratification, winds, biological activity etc

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

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