Carbon
Sources
processesthatreleasecarbonintothe atmosphere
Carbon
Sinks
processesthatretaincarbonandkeepitfromenteringEarth’s atmosphere
Carbondioxide (CO2) isagasintheatmosphereandisvitaltolifeonEarth.Yet,toomuchcarbondioxideintheaircanbeharmfultotheplanet.Whatamountisjustright?Itdependsonthebalancebetweencarbonsourcesandcarbon sinks.
fires
volcanic eruptions
CARBON SOURCES (CO2)
burningfossil fuels
animal respiration
storingofcarbonbyplantson land
storingof carbon by plantsinwater
deep ocean sediment
decompositionofanimal waste and deadanimalsandplants
formationoffossil fuels (such aspeat,coal,andoil)
CARBON SINKS
TooMuchCarbon
Ifmoregasesthatcontaincarbonarereleasedthancanbeabsorbed,therewillbeexcesscarbongasesintheatmosphere.ThataffectshowenergyfromthesunisabsorbedonEarth.Whenpeatisburned,itchangesfromacarbonsinktoacarbonsourceandglobaltemperaturescanincrease.Thentheclimatemaybecome warmer.
TheRoleofWetlands
Wetlands,likebogs,coveronlyasmallpartoftheplanet.Yet,theircarbon-capturingabilitiesmakeabigdifference.Wetlandsalsostrainleavesandanimalwastefromthewater.Thesethingsholdcarbon,too.Theybecomeburiedinsediment,lockingevenmorecarbon away.
Irishpeatistakentobeburnedinpowerplants.Peatcreatesmorecarbondioxidethan coal.
ThisIrishbogformedoverthousandsof years.
