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Earth System History GEOL 1020

September 30, 2013. Earth System History GEOL 1020. [ 15] Announcements More about global geochemical cycles. About plants and carbon fixation…. THIS DIFFERENCE IN BEHAVIOR OF THE BOND STRENGTHS, CAN BE TRACED USING CARBON ISOTOPES!!. The photosynthesis-respiration cycle in plants.

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Earth System History GEOL 1020

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  1. September 30, 2013 Earth System HistoryGEOL 1020 [15] Announcements More about global geochemical cycles

  2. About plants and carbon fixation….

  3. THIS DIFFERENCE IN BEHAVIOR OF THE BOND STRENGTHS, CAN BE TRACED USING CARBON ISOTOPES!! The photosynthesis-respiration cycle in plants. BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS PREFER THE LIGHT ISOTOPE OF CARBON (12C) OVER THE HEAVY ISOTOPE (13C). KNOW THIS

  4. The CO2 and O2 system What is the relationship between burial of plant debris and atmospheric chemistry? CO2 DOWN  O2 UP CO2 UP  O2 DOWN

  5. Respiration “BURNS” organic matter back to CO2

  6. And consumes Oxygen in the process…

  7. OXIDATION CO2 formation Rapid burial of organic matter cuts it off from oxygen, therefore no feedback to CO2!! KNOW THIS:

  8. 13C / 12C ratio in atmosphere is steady here. 13C / 12C ratio in atmosphere is increasing here!

  9. Case Study: Increased plant growth and/or increased carbon burial PREFERS CARBON-12 Carbon-12 gets Depleted in atmosphere Oxygen starts to build up. Carbon-12 enriched Organic matter gets Buried.

  10. The CO2 and O2 system What is the relationship between burial of plant debris and atmospheric chemistry? CO2 DOWN  O2 UP CO2 UP  O2 DOWN

  11. Case Study: Decreased plant growth and/ordecreased carbon burial Amount of CO2 in atmosphere TEMPERATURE?? Time (samples from bottom to top) IS IT GETTING HOTTER OR COLDER WITH TIME? A. COLDER B. HOTTER

  12. Case Study: Decreased plant growth and/ordecreased carbon burial CO2 in atmosphere TEMPERATURE!! time IS IT GETTING HOTTER OR COLDER OUTSIDE? A. COLDER B. HOTTER BECAUSE CO2 IS A GREENHOUSE GAS, IT TRAPS WARMTH AND WARMS THE AIR

  13. Case Study: Decreased plant growth and/ordecreased carbon burial A. OXYGEN LEVELS? B. C. time OXYGEN LEVELS? 13C/12C In atmosphere & sediments time

  14. Case Study: Decreased plant growth and/ordecreased carbon burial OXYGEN LEVELS? C. time OXYGEN LEVELS? 13C/12C In atmosphere & sediments time

  15. OXIDATION CO2 formation Returns Carbon-12 to atmosphere Rapid burial of organic matter cuts it off from oxygen, therefore no feedback to CO2!! KNOW THIS:

  16. 13C / 12C ratio in atmosphere is steady here. 13C / 12C ratio in atmosphere is increasing here!

  17. Mid-Cretaceous

  18. RECALL: if CO2 goes down, O2 goes up if O2 goes down, CO2 goes up More organic carbon burial = left-over HEAVY carbon in atmospheric CO2. With increasing burial of organic matter, or increasing FLUX (input) into sedimentary reservoir, CO2 level goes DOWN

  19. 13C / 12C ratio in atmosphere is steady. 13C / 12C ratio in atmosphere is increasing! COLD WARM 13C/12C ratio changes over time

  20. In the marine system, the same relationship between increased burial of organic matter in INCREASE in the stable carbon isotope ratio (13C/12C) holds!

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