This diagram of the fast carbon cycle shows the movement of carbon between land, atmosphere, soil and oceans in billions of tons of carbon per year. Yellow numbers are natural fluxes, red are human contributions in billions of tons of carbon per year. White numbers indicate stored carbon. The atmospheric net carbon increase is the result of
Responses
A photosynthesis.photosynthesis.
B human emissions.human emissions.
C air-sea gas exchange.air-sea gas exchange.
D respiration and decomposition.respiration and decomposition.
Question 2
Today oceans are CO2 sinks, and represent the largest active carbon sink on Earth, absorbing more than a quarter of the carbon dioxide that humans put into the air. As we humans burn fossil fuels, increase urbanization and decrease forests on Earth, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels go up while the oceans absorb carbon dioxide to stay in balance. Yet as we experience a rise in average global temperatures, we also experience a rise in ocean temperatures. Hypothesize how this might influence the oceans' carbon concentrations.
Responses
A More CO2 in the atmosphere will lead to even higher temperatures.More CO 2 in the atmosphere will lead to even higher temperatures.
B As ocean water temp
eratures rise, the oceans will release more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
C The rise in ocean temperatures will cause a decrease in carbon dioxide absorption, leading to higher atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
D The rise in ocean temperatures will have no effect on the oceans' carbon concentrations.