Question

Describe the ways in which changes in the biosphere can cause changes in the climate system.

Answer 1

Climate system:

• The earth's climate system is a complex system which comprises of the following components - the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the cryosphere, the biosphere.
• In the climate system, the biosphere plays a key role in influencing the composition of the atmosphere through carbon cycle, surface characteristics of the land, which has implications for climate.

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Carbon cycle:

• The carbon cycle is one of the several biogeochemical cycles found on Earth.
• The carbon is found in almost all living organisms and makes up around 0.04 of our atmosphere.
• The carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is used up by the plants along with sunlight for photosynthesis.
• It is the process in which the carbon dioxide is broken down into compounds that can be used as nutrition by the plants.
• During this process plants release oxygen.
• The plants are eaten by animals and fruits and vegetables by humans, as result of this the carbon is transferred from the plants to animals and humans.
• Oxygen is in hold and  the carbon is sent back to the atmosphere through the process of respiration.
• Other than respiration, when the plants, humans or animals die they they remain decayed and decomposed.
• And the carbon is transferred to the earth.
• When remains have been around for many years, they become fossil fuels.
• These fossil fuels are high reservoirs of carbon.
• Burning of wood, fossil fuels, combustion etc., are some of the processes that release carbon back to the atmosphere which is released in the form of carbon dioxide.
• As a result the carbon dioxide level  in the atmosphere gets increased.

 

Global warming:

• The climate system is not only affected by carbon cycle but also by global warming.
• Rising seas, extreme weather events, shifting wildlife populations and habitats, and also a range of other impacts. are considered as the affect on the climate system.
• All of these changes are emerging as humans continue to add heat trapping green house gases to the atmosphere.
• As a result of global warming the earth's atmosphere gets heated up, and it collects, retains, and drops more water and this results in changing weather patterns.
• This makes the wet areas wetter and dry areas drier.
• The high temperatures worsen and increases the frequency of so many types of disasters such as floods, heat waves, storms, droughts, etc.,

Biosphere records changes in the climate system:

• It records in may different ways.
• We can collect and see the fossil record of different types of organisms that grew in specific areas which may differ.
• We can also examine the sediments that have been deposited on the bottom of the lakes, oceans etc., and know the rate of deposition and how past the climates would have affected this.
• Also the types and quantity of soil in some region may give the record for changes in the climate.

Biosphere: 

• The earth has different components which include lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere.
• The biosphere is that part or region or zone of lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere where plants and human beings live.
• This is the part where life exists and consists of living organisms and the dead organic matter.