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Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling

Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling. Robert F. Chen UMassBoston Environmental Coastal and Ocean Sciences (ECOS). Carbon. Buckminster Fullerene. Fourth most abundant element in the universe Basis for life 4 bonds Forms complex molecules Gaseous form. Megaphone. Moronic Acid. Bastadin-5.

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Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling

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  1. Carbon and Nitrogen Cycling Robert F. Chen UMassBoston Environmental Coastal and Ocean Sciences (ECOS)

  2. Carbon Buckminster Fullerene • Fourth most abundant element in the universe • Basis for life • 4 bonds • Forms complex molecules • Gaseous form Megaphone Moronic Acid Bastadin-5

  3. Photosynthesis • Where does the mass of a tree come from? • CO2 + H2OCH2O + O2

  4. Global Productivity

  5. Respiration • Mitochondria, bacteria, fires, combustion engines • O2 + CH2OCO2 + H2O • Fossil Fuels burned at 20,000 times natural rates of oxidation

  6. CO2 Emissions

  7. Atmospheric Measurements

  8. “Missing Sink” of Atmospheric CO2(in Gigatons Carbon—1015gmC) • Fossil Fuel Burning =6.0+/- 0.5 • Deforestation =0.9+/-0.7 • Atmospheric Increase =3.2+/-0.1 • Oceanic Uptake =2.0 +/-0.8 • “Missing Sink” =1.7 +/1.2

  9. Mass Balance • Total mass is always conserved • Each element is also conserved in a closed system • Can you design a closed system that is sustainable indefinitely? • Eco-sphere.com

  10. Neponset River Estuary • Urban: Largest salt marsh in Boston • Small: ~6km long; ~100m wide • <5m deep, 3m tidal range • Oldest dam in the country • Extensive salt marsh and mudflats

  11. Gulliver’s Creek Granite Ave. Bridge

  12. Minishuttle Instrumentation Minishuttle underway at ~4 kts

  13. Cycles are linked • CO2 + H2O CH2O + O2

  14. Biosphere 2 • http://www.bio2.edu/virtualtour/beach.htm • 7 people, O2 began to drop • Why?

  15. Nitrogen Cycle

  16. Needs • Amino Acidsproteins • Nucleic Acids • Chlorophyll • Carbon to Nitrogen ratio

  17. Sources • Nitrogen Fixing bacteria • Legumes • Clover • Cyanobacteria • Lightning • Haber Process (factory fertilizer production) • Internal combustion engines (cars) • Mankind has doubled N-inputs to coastal areas eutorphication

  18. Fall Colors • Chlorophyll-N recalled • Accessory pigments shown • Huge loss of C, but not N

  19. Lawn calculation • If you add 1 pound of nitrogen fertilizer to your lawn, how many pounds of lawn clippings must you carry away? • Water • Carbon/Nitrogen ratio

  20. Frameworks • Elements and compounds • Mixtures and pure substances (solutions) • Conservation of Mass • Energy and living things • Changes of ecosystems over time/affect of mankind

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