0. Devoney - Chloe - Merike
THE CARBON CYCLE
Devoney - Chloe - Merike

1. What is the Carbon Cycle????
-is responsible for movement of carbon when it is recycled and reused throughout the biosphere
-the carbon, nitrogen and water cycle form a series of events that are necessary for our life producing earth

2. Well, Where is the Carbon Cycle??
-the carbon within the cycle is transferred throughout the BIOSPHERE, PEDOSPHERE, GEOSPHERE, HYDROSPHERE and ATMOSPHERE of the Earth

3. Carbon Cycle Diagram
(Diagram adapted from U.S. Doe, Biological and environmental Research Information System)

4. Carbon Cycle in Action http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Th
e-Ocean-in-Action/Sci-Media/Interactive/Carbon-cycle

5. Consequences of interrupting the Carbon Cycle
Burning fossil fuels
releases carbon that has been sequestered underground for millions of years
causes atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations to increase
Destroying forests (deforestation) and other forms of vegetation
Diminishing the ability of photosynthesis to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, also resulting in net increase
causing a long-term enlargement in atmospheric CO2

6. Human Impact on the Carbon Cycle
release of carbon into the atmosphere from rock deposits is expedited by fossil fuel burning for energy use
estimated 6 billion metric tonnes of carbon released/year from this
direct flow from rock to atmosphere was almost zero before
Deforestation & forest burning releases carbon that would otherwise be recycled into oxygen or back into carbon deposits
122 billion metric tonnes released into atmosphere between 1850 and 1990
Soil tilling for agriculture causes carbon release into the atmosphere as well
all of this causes an imbalance in the carbon cycle

7. Carbon Cycle’s Effect on the Economy
carbon deposits: primary source for fuel and
energy since the industrial revolution
source of petroleum, natural gas, coal
carbon emission reductions efforts (eg, E-testing of vehicles, energy star appliances, recycled paper to reduce forest loss) is a current stress on the economy
all life (plants and animals) is based on carbon (makes up DNA and RNA)
naturally is therefore important for all sorts of industry within the world’s economy

8. Saving the Carbon Cycle!
Main Goal: Offset Carbon Emissions to be Neutral and Restore natural cycle
Organizations attempting to balance the carbon cycle:
Carbon Fund: non-profit funding of efficient energy production/ renewable energy use
Ontario government making E-tests mandatory to minimize excess carbon inefficiency
Native Energy: builds wind farms and biomass generators to offset carbon use
Canadian Forestry Association: monitoring the use of and protecting Canadian forests (reduces the loss of forests as carbon sinks)

9. THE CARBON CYCLE