carbon cycle and climate change. Carbon is everywhere on Earth and is constantly flowing between reservoirs. As we continue to increase our CO2 emissions through human activities, we are disrupting the carbon cycle creating more severe consequences. Using the data from your lab portfolio below, discuss why one carbon reservoir has changed from the pre-industrial era to today. What caused these changes?
One carbon reservoir that has significantly changed from the pre-industrial era to today is the atmosphere. In the pre-industrial era, the concentration of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere was around 280 parts per million (ppm), but today it has surpassed 400 ppm. This increase in atmospheric CO2 levels is primarily due to human activities, such as the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas), deforestation, and industrial processes.
When fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Deforestation also contributes to the rise in atmospheric CO2 levels as trees play a crucial role in absorbing CO2 through photosynthesis. Industrial processes, particularly those in the manufacturing and cement industries, also release significant amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere.
These human activities have disrupted the natural balance of the carbon cycle by releasing large amounts of CO2 faster than natural processes can absorb it. This excess CO2 acts as a greenhouse gas, trapping heat in the atmosphere and leading to global warming and climate change.
The increase in atmospheric CO2 levels has also led to ocean acidification, as the oceans absorb a significant portion of the excess CO2. This has detrimental impacts on marine life, particularly on organisms that rely on calcium carbonate to build their shells and skeletons.
Overall, the changes in the atmospheric carbon reservoir from the pre-industrial era to today are primarily driven by human activities that have significantly altered the carbon cycle and are contributing to the current climate crisis.