4.

3 Carbon Cycling
U1: Autotrophs convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and other carbon compounds.

Autotrophs absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into
carbohydrates, lipids and other carbon compounds.
This has the effect of reducing the carbon dioxide concentration of the atmosphere.
Average CO2 in atmosphere 0.039%, but is lower when rates of photosynthesis are
higher.

U2: In aquatic ecosystems carbon is present as dissolved carbon dioxide and hydrogen
carbonate ions.

Carbon dioxide is soluble in water. Can remain in water as a dissolved gas.

Carbon dioxide can combine with water to form carbonic acid. (H3SO4). Carbonic acid
can dissociate to form hydrogen and hydrogen carbonate ions. (H+ and HCO3-). This
explains how CO2 can reduce pH in water.
Both carbon dioxide and hydrogen carbonate ions dissolved are absorbed by aquatic
plants and other autotrophs that live in water.

U3: Carbon dioxide diffuses from the atmosphere or water into autotrophs.

Autotrophs use carbon dioxide in the production of carbon compounds by

photosynthesis. This reduces the concentration of carbon dioxide inside autotrophs and
sets a concentration gradient between cells in autotrophs and the air or water
surroundings. CO2 therefore diffuses from the atmosphere or water into autotrophs,
following concentration gradient created.
In aquatic organisms CO2 can diffuse directly into the autotrophs as all parts of the plant
are usually permeable to CO2. for land plants CO2 diffuses through stomata.

U4: Carbon dioxide is produced by respiration and diffuses out of organisms into water
or the atmosphere.

CO2 is a waste product of aerobic cell respiration. Produced in all cells that carry out
aerobic cell respiration. These can be grouped according to trophic level of the organism:
o
Non-photosynthetic cells in producers, e.g. root cells in plants.
o
Animal cells.
o
Saprotrophs such as fungi that decompose dead organic matter.
CO2 produced by respiration diffuses out of cells and passes into the atmosphere or
water that surrounds these organisms.

U5: Methane is produced from organic matter in anaerobic conditions by methanogenic

archaeans and some diffuse into the atmosphere or accumulates in the ground.

Methane is produced widely in anaerobic environments, since its a waste product of a

type of anaerobic respiration.
Three different groups of anaerobic prokaryotes are involved:
1.
Bacteria that convert organic matter into a mixture of organic acids, alcohol,
hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

2.

Bacteria that use organic acids and alcohol to produce acetate, carbon dioxide
and hydrogen.
3.
Archaeans that produce methane from carbon dioxide, hydrogen and acetate.
They do this by two chemical reactions:
1.
CO2 + 4H2 ---> 2H2O
2.
CH3COOH ----> CH4 + CO2
Archaeans in the third group are therefore methanogenic. Carry out
methanogenesis in many anaerobic environments:
1.
Mud along the shores and in the bed of lakes.
2.
Swamps, mires, mangrove forests and other wetlands where soil or peat
deposits are waterlogged.
3.
Guts of termites and of ruminant mammals such as cattle and sheep.
4.
Landfill sites where organic matter is in wastes that have been buried.
Some methane produced by archaeans in these anaerobic environments diffuse
into the atmosphere.

U6: Methane is oxidized to carbon dioxide and water in the atmosphere.

Methane which is released into atmosphere only stays for 12 years, naturally oxidized in
the stratosphere.
Monatomic oxygen (O) and highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (OH. ) involved in oxidation
of methane, this is why methane concentrations are not great in the atmosphere, even
though large amounts are produced.

U7: Peat forms when organic matter is not fully decomposed because of anaerobic
conditions in waterlogged soils.

U8: Partially decomposed organic matter from past geological eras was converted into
oil.

Large deposits of carbon from past geological eras, are results of incomplete
decomposition of organic matter and is buried in sediment that become rock.
Carbon is formed when deposits of peat are buried under other sediments. The peat is
compressed and heated, gradually turning into coal.
Oil and natural gas are formed in the mud at the bottom of seas and lakes. Anaerobic
conditions so decomposition is often incomplete. As more mud or other sediments are
deposited the partially decomposed matter is compressed and heated. Chemical changes
occur, which produce complex mixtures of liquid carbon compounds or gases. These
mixtures are called crude oil and natural gas. Methane forms the largest part of natural
gas. Deposits found where porous rocks (e.g. Shale) can hold them and impervious rocks
prevent the escape.

U9: carbon dioxide is produced by the combustion of biomass and fossilized matter.

If organic matter is heated to its ignition temperature in the presence of oxygen it will set
alight and burn. The oxidation reactions that occur are called combustion: products of
complete combustion are carbon dioxide and water.

Carbon dioxide is released from the combustion of the biomass in the forest or
grassland. Coal, oil and natural gas are different forms of fossilized organic matter. They
are burned as fuels.

U10: Animals such as reef-building corals and molluscs have hard parts that are
composed of calcium carbonate and can become fossilized in limestone.

Some animals have hard body parts composed of calcium carbonate:

o
Mollusc shells contain calcium carbonate
o
Hard corals that build reefs produce their exoskeletons by secreting calcium
carbonate.
In acid conditions the calcium carbonate dissolves away but in neutral or alkaline
conditions it is stable and deposits it from hard animal parts can form on the sea bed.
In shallow tropical seas calcium carbonate is also deposited by precipitation in the water.
Resulting in limestone rock, where deposited hard parts of animals are often visible as
fossils.

S1: Construct a diagram of the carbon cycle.

A pool is a reserve of the element: can be organic or inorganic. E.g. carbon dioxide is an
inorganic pool and biomass is an organic pool.
A flux is the transfer of the element from one pool to another. E.g. carbon flux is the
absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and its conversion by photosynthesis to
plant biomass.

A1: Estimation of carbon fluxes due to processes in the carbon cycle.

Estimates of global carbon fluxes (as they appear in the carbon cycle)

Measured in gigatonnes (petagrams) where 1g is 1x10grams

NS1: Making accurate, quantitative measurements: it is important to obtain reliable data

on the concentration of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere.

CO2 affects photosynthesis rates and the pH of seawater.

CO2 and methane affect global temperature, therefore ice sheets at the poles-indirectly
sea level.

Affect ocean currents, distribution of rainfall and frequency/severity of extreme weather

events as it affects the heat energy in the oceans/atmosphere.

The CO2 concentration is higher than at any other time in the last 20 million years.

Human activities have increased the CO2 and methane concentration in the Earths
atmosphere.

Reliable data is essential and reliable measurements of atmospheric CO2 and methane
are needed to properly evaluate and correctly predict future measurements.

The World Meteorological Organization (an agency of the UN) collects data on the
concentration of gases in the atmosphere from a number of research stations.

Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii has records from the longest period (CO2-from 1959
and methane-1984)

A2: Analysis of data from air monitoring stations to explain annual fluctuations.