How to Label a Systems Diagram Moving toward greater complexity within systems diagrams. Example of The Carbon Cycle

The Carbon Cycle http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/carbon_toolkit/basics.html http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/carbon_toolkit/basics.html

The Carbon Cycle — With Labels Reservoir Source Sink Feedback http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/carbon_toolkit/basics.html A selection of Sources, Sinks, Feedbacks, and Reservoirs are labeled, but not all of these items shown in the diagram are labeled. In fact, which reservoirs are sources and which are sinks is in some cases arbitrary, as they are typically both a source to one reservoir and a sink from another. This is a topic that can be discussed in class. Reservoirs: The reservoirs are the atmosphere, the terrestrial biosphere (which usually includes freshwater systems and non-living organic material, such as soil carbon), the oceans (which includes dissolved inorganic carbon and living and non-living marine biota), and the sediments (which includes fossil fuels). (http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/c/carbon_cycle.htm) Others? http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/carbon_toolkit/basics.html

The Carbon Cycle — With Measurable Quantities Identified Units of Measured Quantity ppm mg/L lbs CO2/kWh vehicles/hr houses/mi2 % cultivated land % reflectivity mm/year g C/m3 % coverage µg/m3 g C/kg soil L/hr mm/hr µg/m2 W Value Can Be Measured http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/carbon_toolkit/basics.html Almost everything can be quantitatively measured. Many things are shown on this diagram, but many more could be identified as well. In order to put these measured quantities into a carbon cycle diagram, they would all need to be converted into amount of C. For example, river flow, in L/hr, needs to be combined with a measurement of concentration of C in g/L to get a carbon flux. Others? http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/carbon_toolkit/basics.html

The Carbon Cycle — With Quantifiable Relationships Identified Rate/Flux Can Be Determined Flux = The rate of matter or energy movement (amount per unit time) Rate/Flux Can Be Determined http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/carbon_toolkit/basics.html All of the arrows in the diagram have equations (rates or fluxes) “underneath” them, which can be modeled or estimated from measured quantities. These arrows are highlighted in green. Many more rates, fluxes, or relationships can be measured or modeled than are represented by green arrows on this diagram. Just a few of them are indicated with purple arrows. Others? http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/outreach/carbon_toolkit/basics.html

How to Label a Systems Diagram Moving toward greater complexity within systems diagrams. Example of The Whale Pump

The Whale Pump Roman J, McCarthy JJ - Roman J, McCarthy JJ (2010) The Whale Pump: Marine Mammals Enhance Primary Productivity in a Coastal Basin. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13255. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013255 Roman J, McCarthy JJ - Roman J, McCarthy JJ (2010) The Whale Pump: Marine Mammals Enhance Primary Productivity in a Coastal Basin. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13255. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013255

The Whale Pump — With Labels Source Reservoir Feedback Sink Roman J, McCarthy JJ - Roman J, McCarthy JJ (2010) The Whale Pump: Marine Mammals Enhance Primary Productivity in a Coastal Basin. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13255. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013255 A selection of Sources, Sinks, Feedbacks, and Reservoirs are labeled, but not all of these items shown in the diagram are labeled. A selection of Sources, Sinks, Feedbacks, and Reservoirs are labeled, but not all of these items shown in the diagram are labeled. In fact, which reservoirs are sources and which are sinks is in some cases arbitrary, as they are typically both a source to one reservoir and a sink from another. This is a topic that can be discussed in class. Label things only once, but note that labels apply to all instances. Students should be prompted to notice this. Reservoirs versus sinks makes an interesting conversation in this diagram. Others? Roman J, McCarthy JJ - Roman J, McCarthy JJ (2010) The Whale Pump: Marine Mammals Enhance Primary Productivity in a Coastal Basin. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13255. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013255

The Whale Pump — With Measurable Quantities Identified Value Can Be Measured Units of Measured Quantity mg/L gC/m3 ppm Roman J, McCarthy JJ - Roman J, McCarthy JJ (2010) The Whale Pump: Marine Mammals Enhance Primary Productivity in a Coastal Basin. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13255. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013255 Opportunity to discuss units (mg/L = ppm in water) Almost everything can be quantitatively measured. Many things are shown on this diagram, but many more could be identified as well. Others? Roman J, McCarthy JJ - Roman J, McCarthy JJ (2010) The Whale Pump: Marine Mammals Enhance Primary Productivity in a Coastal Basin. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13255. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013255

The Whale Pump — With Quantifiable Relationships Identified Rate/Flux Can Be Determined Humans Rate/Flux Can Be Determined Squid Roman J, McCarthy JJ - Roman J, McCarthy JJ (2010) The Whale Pump: Marine Mammals Enhance Primary Productivity in a Coastal Basin. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13255. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013255 Connections in the original diagram are shown in green. Some additional connections that could be measured are shown in purple. The diagram is missing input from humans (impacting fishing, whale populations, etc.). Others? Flux = The rate of matter or energy movement (amount per unit time) Roman J, McCarthy JJ - Roman J, McCarthy JJ (2010) The Whale Pump: Marine Mammals Enhance Primary Productivity in a Coastal Basin. PLoS ONE 5(10): e13255. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0013255

How to Label a Systems Diagram Moving toward greater complexity within systems diagrams. Example of The Cryosphere

The Cryosphere Frozen Water Liquid Water Atmosphere SurfaceIce Glacier Ocean Perma-frost Ice Sheet Glacier River Ice Lake Snow Icebergs Sea Ice Atmosphere SurfaceIce Deborah Gross, Carleton College, and Karl Kreutz, University of Maine, 2015. Deborah Gross, Carleton College, and Karl Kreutz, University of Maine, 2015.

The Cryosphere — With Labels Frozen Water Liquid Water Ocean Perma-frost Ice Sheet Glacier River Ice Lake Snow Icebergs Sea Ice Atmosphere SurfaceIce Feedback Source Sink Reservoir Deborah Gross, Carleton College, and Karl Kreutz, University of Maine, 2015. A selection of Sources, Sinks, Feedbacks, and Reservoirs are labeled, but not all of these items shown in the diagram are labeled. A selection of Sources, Sinks, Feedbacks, and Reservoirs are labeled, but not all of these items shown in the diagram are labeled. In fact, which reservoirs are sources and which are sinks is in some cases arbitrary, as they are typically both a source to one reservoir and a sink from another. This is a topic that can be discussed in class. Reservoirs: Ice sheet, mountain glacier, iceberg, sea ice, surface ice (snow, lake ice, river ice), permafrost, ocean Fluxes and units: snowfall (Gigatons/year), melting (meters/yr), sublimation (meters/year), calving (Gigatons/year) Others? Deborah Gross, Carleton College, and Karl Kreutz, University of Maine, 2015.

The Cryosphere — With Measurable Quantities Identified Frozen Water Liquid Water Ocean Perma-frost Ice Sheet Glacier River Ice Lake Snow Icebergs Sea Ice Atmosphere SurfaceIce Value Can Be Measured Units of Measured Quantity Gt/yr m m/yr Deborah Gross, Carleton College, and Karl Kreutz, University of Maine, 2015. Reservoirs: Ice sheet, mountain glacier, iceberg, sea ice, surface ice (snow, lake ice, river ice), permafrost, ocean Fluxes and units: snowfall (Gigatons/year), melting (meters/yr), sublimation (meters/year), calving (Gigatons/year) Feedbacks: snow/ice and albedo Almost everything can be quantitatively measured. Many things are shown on this diagram, but many more could be identified as well. Others? Deborah Gross, Carleton College, and Karl Kreutz, University of Maine, 2015.

The Cryosphere — With Quantifiable Relationships Identified Frozen Water Liquid Water Ocean Perma-frost Ice Sheet Glacier River Ice Lake Snow Icebergs Sea Ice Atmosphere SurfaceIce Rate/Flux Can Be Determined Rate/Flux Can Be Determined Deborah Gross, Carleton College, and Karl Kreutz, University of Maine, 2015. Reservoirs: Ice sheet, mountain glacier, iceberg, sea ice, surface ice (snow, lake ice, river ice), permafrost, ocean Fluxes and units: snowfall (Gigatons/year), melting (meters/yr), sublimation (meters/year), calving (Gigatons/year) Feedbacks: snow/ice and albedo Almost everything can be quantitatively measured. Many things are shown on this diagram, but many more could be identified as well. Others? Flux = The rate of matter or energy movement (amount per unit time) Deborah Gross, Carleton College, and Karl Kreutz, University of Maine, 2015.