Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
Published byPierce Floyd Modified over 9 years ago
1
Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary Partnership between Educators and Researchers for Enhancing Classroom Teaching (GK-12 PERFECT) Funding source: National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. DGE-0840804
4
Why Study the Carbon Cycle? 4 th most common element in galaxy All living things are “carbon based life- forms” Chemically versatile: component of large majority of all known compounds (almost 10 million different) Other reasons?
9
NASA: Keeping Up With Carbon pt. 1
14
Biological Pump
16
Seawater Carbonate Buffer
17
Increase CO 2
18
Buffering capacity can become saturated, decreasing solubility of CO 2 in seawater Increase CO 2
19
Take Home Message: The ocean’s ability to dissolve CO 2 is limited
20
Ocean can become undersaturated in carbonate (CO 3 ) Increase CO 2
21
CO 2 + H 2 O H 2 CO 3 H 2 CO 3 HCO 3 - + H + HCO 3 - CO 3 2- + H + CO 3 2- + CO 2 + H 2 O 2HCO 3 - pH
22
Carbonate Compensation Depth (CCD) CaCO 3 + CO 2 + H 2 O Ca 2+ + 2HCO 3 - CaCO 3
23
Carbonate Compensation Depth (CCD) CaCO 3 + CO 2 + H 2 O Ca 2+ + 2HCO 3 - CaCO 3
24
So why do we care? What do we know that is made of CaCO 3 ? Coral Organisms Corals are made up of individual polyps Polyps form colonies Hermatypic corals build reefs Polyps secrete a calcium carbonate skeleton Zooxanthellae
25
Pteropods Limacina spp. (sea butterflies) Clione spp. (sea angels)
26
Euroceans: Ocean Acidification Video
28
Fate of Anthropogenic CO 2 Emissions (2000-2007) Canadell et al. 2007, PNAS (updated) 1.5 Pg C y -1 + 7.5 Pg C y -1 Atmosphere 46% 4.2 Pg y -1 Land 29% 2.6 Pg y -1 Oceans 26% 2.3 Pg y -1
29
Efficiency of Natural Sinks Land Fraction Ocean Fraction Canadell et al. 2007, PNAS
32
WHY?
33
Partly attributed to 30% decrease in efficiency of Southern Ocean sink. Decrease attributed to the strengthening of the winds around Antarctica enhancing ventilation carbon-rich deep waters. Strengthening of winds attributed to global warming. Causes of the Decline in the Efficiency of the Ocean Sink Le Quéré et al. 2007, Science Credit: N.Metzl, August 2000, oceanographic cruise OISO-5
34
Feedback Loops
35
Ocean Acidification
36
* *
37
Carbonate Buffer *
38
Warmer Water * *
39
NASA: Ocean’s Green Machines & Keeping Up With Carbon pt. 2Ocean’s Green Machines Keeping Up With Carbon pt. 2
40
Why study the carbon cycle? 4 th most common element in galaxy (wikipedia – cited) All living things = “carbon based life- forms” Chemically versatile: component of large majority of all known compounds (almost 10 million different) Other reasons?
41
Final Thoughts CO 2 is a greenhouse gas –NASA: Striking a Solar BalanceNASA: Striking a Solar Balance Emission of more CO 2 causes ocean acidification Human inputs of CO 2 are measurable The real question is not: “are we adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere?”, but rather: “where is the carbon going?” and “what will be the effects?”
42
Final Thoughts CO 2 is a greenhouse gas Emission of more CO 2 causes ocean acidification Human inputs of CO 2 are measurable The real question is not: “are we adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere?”, but rather: “where is the carbon going?” and “what will be the effects?”
43
Final Thoughts CO 2 is a greenhouse gas Emission of more CO 2 causes ocean acidification Human inputs of CO 2 are measurable The real question is not: “are we adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere?”, but rather: “where is the carbon going?” and “what will be the effects?”
55
Final Thoughts CO 2 is a greenhouse gas Emission of more CO 2 causes ocean acidification Human inputs of CO 2 are measurable The real question is not: “are we adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere?”, but rather: “where is the carbon going?” and “what will be the effects?”
Similar presentations
© 2025 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.