1. Carbon Cycling Conservation of Mass Energy Flow and Transformation
Human Interactions
Earth System Science

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Carbon
Buckminster Fullerene
Fourth most abundant element in the universe
Basis for life
4 bonds
Forms complex molecules
Gaseous form
Megaphone
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Moronic Acid
Bastadin-5

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Photosynthesis
Where does the mass of a tree come from?
CO2 + H2OCH2O + O2
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4. Global Carbon Cycle
Greenhouse Gas. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2010, from

5. Global Productivity
Image courtesy of NASA

6. Productivity
Figure by UMB OpenCourseWare

7. Primary Producers

8. Respiration Mitochondria, bacteria, fires, combustion engines
O2 + CH2OCO2 + H2O
Fossil Fuels burned at 20,000 times natural rates of oxidation

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Decomposition
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10. Global Carbon Cycle
Greenhouse Gas. (n.d.). Retrieved June 14, 2010, from

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CO2 Emissions
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12. Atmospheric Measurements

14. “Missing Sink” of Atmospheric CO2 (in Gigatons Carbon—1015gmC)
Fossil Fuel Burning =6.0+/- 0.5
Deforestation =0.9+/-0.7
Atmospheric Increase =3.2+/-0.1
Oceanic Uptake =2.0 +/-0.8
“Missing Sink” =1.7 +/1.2

15. Mass Balance Total mass is always conserved
Each element is also conserved in a closed system
Can you design a closed system that is sustainable indefinitely?
Eco-sphere.com

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Cycles are linked
CO2 + H2O CH2O + O2
Carbon goes up
Oxygen goes down
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Biosphere 2
7 people, O2 began to drop
Why?
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18. News