- The carbon cycle shows the movement of carbon in a cycle from and to the environment and atmosphere
- Some processes that are part ofthe carbon cycle include...
- Photosynthesis: Plants used CO2 to create organic compounds, reducing the level of CO2 in the atmosphere
- Feeding: Carbon in different molecules are passed on through consumption across the food chain
- Respiration: Living organisms release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (in a reaction of respiration)
- Fossilisation: Some dead organisms are decomposed slowly/cannot decompose, causing them to build up and be compressed over millions of years to become fossil fuels
- Combustion: CO2 in the fossil fuels is released into the atmosphere
- Decomposition: Dead organisms and waste materials have larger carbon compounds, which are broken down into smaller compounds by decomposers
Effects of fossil fuel combustion and deforestation
- Fossil fuels releases CO2 into the atmosphere, causing the carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmoshere to be higher
- Deforestation causes there to be less trees to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere
- Deforestation can cause consequences harmful to the environment. This includes...
- Animal extinction because of habitat destruction
- The loss of soil (as it is now exposed to rain and can loosen and erode the soil)
- Flooding (as soil will be loose and be more likely to be washed away by the rain)
- Increased CO2 in atmosphere (Contributes to global warming)
Pollution in the water
- Human influences are often harmful to the water or air in terms of pollution
- The water is often polluted by...
- Chemical Waste: Metals from factories acculumate in food chains and poison animals. This process is named eutrophication
- Discarded Rubbish: Rubbish that is not biodrgradable may interefere with the food chain, as animals may consume the rubbish
- Untreated Sewage: Sewage pumped into bodies of waters (eg. rivers, streams) allow bacteria to multiply quickly and deplete oxygen, killing organisms in the water that need the oxygen
- Fertilisers: If fertilisers are used too much, decomposing bacteria can multiply rapidly and use up the oxygen in the water through respiration, killing the other organisms in the water. This process is named eutrophication
Eutrophication of water
- Due to factors such as fertiliser or chemical waste, bacteria and algae rapidly multiply.
- The algae and water plants die and increase the amount of decomposers. As they decomposers need oxygen, they kill other organisms in need of oxygen by reducing the amount of oxygen available for the rest
- The increase of algae blocks sunlight into the water, and aquatic plants are affected and may die
- Therefore, eutrophication of water is extremely harmful to aquatic organisms
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