Assignment and Essay Samples - Carbon Cycle and Mankind Non-Mitigation Role

Term Paper - Carbon Cycle and Mankind Non-Mitigation Role

Carbon is a significant element in life and is fundamental in forming molecules such as DNA and proteins. As described by Chen et al. (2018), carbon also exists in the atmosphere as carbon IV oxide (CO₂). Among the uses of carbon are regulating the global temperatures, making life possible, and is a crucial ingredient in sustaining life. It is also a key energy source of fuel and energy for powering the global economy. Although carbon element is vital in Global issues, including life, there are also drawbacks, specifically when released in excess, resulting in damage to the atmosphere. Human activities, including burning fossils and reducing vegetation cover, have increased greenhouse gases (GHGs), the foundation of climate change and global warming (DaMatta et al., 2019). It is, therefore, crucial to evaluate how carbon transitions between realms and bodies. This paper entails an evaluation of the carbon cycle, steps involved in the process, its importance, and mankind's non-mitigation role in reducing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.

Meaning of Carbon Cycle

The carbon cycle refers to the carbon circulation in different forms in nature. The definition also involves the interchange of the carbon compounds among the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere, and the earth’s atmosphere. Notably, carbon is a significant consistent of the organic compounds, the majority of which are vital to life (Hilton & West., 2020). Therefore, the carbon cycle entails the process through which the carbon atoms continuously travel between the earth and the atmosphere. This implies the travel of the carbon atoms from the earth to the atmosphere and back. The atmosphere and the earth comprise a closed environment. This means that the amount of carbon remains the same. What flux is the location of the carbon, either on earth or the atmosphere. On the earth, carbon is found on the sediments and rocks, whereas the rest is located in the living organisms, atmosphere, and the ocean. These sinks and reservoirs are areas where the carbon cycle occurs. The carbon is released into the atmosphere when volcanoes erupt, fossils are burned, and organisms die, among other mechanisms (Cho & Sohn, 2018). In the ocean context, the carbon cycle comprises the change between the water surfaces and the atmosphere. The carbon is also stored for long durations in the ocean.

The carbon cycle process entails six steps as outlined below;

Step I: This involves the movement of carbon from the atmosphere to the plants. Through the carbon IV oxide is how the carbon is linked to the oxygen. This step consists of the photosynthesis process, where the CO₂ is absorbed from the atmosphere by the plants and used in producing food and plant growth (Piao et al., 2020).

Step II: This phase entails the carbon movement through the food chains, specifically from the plants to the animals. This movement involves the animals eating the plants. Animals also feed on others to obtain carbon as well.

Step III: Carbon also moves from the animals and plants to the soils, when the organisms die. The bodies, leaves, and woods decay, introducing the carbon into the ground. Some of the aspects are buried and become fossil fuels in millions of years.

Step IV: Carbon also moves to the atmosphere through respiration, where human beings release the CO₂ gas (Schmitz et al., 2018). The cycle involves the plants taking the gas for food production.

Step V: Carbon also moves from fossil fuels when burned. The sources include energy companies and locomotives. The carbon goes to the atmosphere as CO₂ gas. This is a significant concern globally due to the increased burning of fossil fuels.

Step VI: Carbon also moves to the oceans from the atmosphere. Oceans and other water bodies absorb the carbon from the atmosphere where it is dissolved.

The above process can be illustrated in figure 1 below.

Figure 1: The Carbon Cycle (Source: Author).

In figure 1 above, the carbon paths and the different actors are identified. The sources of carbon include respiration from living organisms, decomposition, and emissions from human and industrial activities. The carbon uptake consists of the ocean, the ground, and the atmosphere. The ocean uptake, for instance, involves the carbon contained on the bones and shells of the marine animals and the sea bed. The bones and shells comprise limestone that has carbon. The carbon is released to the atmosphere upon the melting down of the limestone or has metamorphosed.

Importance of Carbon Cycle and Mankind Non-Mitigation Role in Reducing CO₂ Levels

The carbon cycle is crucial in maintaining the ecosystem through the movement of carbon, which is life-sustaining. This movement between the water bodies and the atmosphere is vital in ensuring a carbon balance in the reservoirs. Failure to achieve this balance results in significant consequences, including climate change and global warming. Carbon is crucial to life, and nature tends to balance carbon levels. This implies that the carbon amount released into the atmosphere is equal to the uptake by the reservoirs. This balance is essential in ensuring hospitable earth. The consequences of upsetting this balance are reflected in the present global environmental issues, specifically global warming that has increased the water levels and altered the weather patterns. The secondary and long-term effects of imbalance in the carbon include food insecurity and poor health. According to Sellers et al. (2018), human activities have continuously upset the balance through burning fossils, increasing the carbon level in the atmosphere. The rising carbon dioxide levels, among other GHGs are the foundation of global environmental issues, including global warming and climate change.

The human non-mitigation role in reducing carbon dioxide levels from the atmosphere is reflected in the increased level of unsustainable activities. The human population has increased significantly and is expected to rise by 2030 (Wang et al., 2019). This implies that the energy demand has increased, which is sufficed by burning fossils. Such activities and adamant in adopting renewable sources of energy has been among the main causes of increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Through excessive burning of fossils, including petroleum and coal, the carbon is released into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide. Although fossils produce 85% of the total electricity, it is imperative for the world to consider other energy sources, including the use of renewable sources, such as solar and wind.

Another non-mitigation role by mankind is increased industrial activity. The rising production and manufacturing plants emit carbon dioxide as waste, resulting in pollution. Major industries and plants, including agrochemicals, steel production units, and processing factories, require a vast amount of energy and involve the combustion of chemicals for the final products. The energy demand and burning of chemicals increase carbon dioxide levels. Although there has been environmental protection agencies (EPA) globally regulating the emission levels from the factories, abiding by the regulations has been low, increasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Another activity is increased transportation, which also yields high carbon dioxide levels through fuel combustion. Locomotion, particularly for the fuel-based units, is a leading contributor to CO₂ emissions (Korshunov et al., 2021). Global travels are also a significant factor, especially flights and cruise ships. Whether traveling for pleasure or business, the locomotion has resulted in an increased production of CO₂ that upsets the carbon balance.

Human activities, including deforestation and buildings, have also increased the level of carbon in the atmosphere. The increased livestock production and associated activities result in increased wastes, adding CO₂ through respiration and decomposition. The increasing global population has resulted in increased demand for more residence areas and human activities, which Qin et al. (2021) note increase deforestation. Deforestation, therefore, results in the elimination of plants that absorb and remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. Besides, the deforestation process, which involves the natural decomposition of the cut trees and burning, releases CO₂ into the atmosphere. Building activities, including steel manufacturing and cement production, are also major contributors to increased CO₂ in the atmosphere.

In summary, the carbon cycle entails the process of carbon atoms continuously travelling between the earth and the atmosphere. The carbon cycle is crucial in ensuring a balance of carbon, which is vital in life on earth. Some of the stages in the carbon cycle process include respiration, photosynthesis, and decomposition. The role of mankind in increasing the CO₂ into the atmosphere includes building, deforestation, burning fossils, industrial activities, and transportation. These areas are the foundation of developing mitigation measures.

References

Chen, M., Zhou, S., Zeng, G., Zhang, C., & Xu, P. (2018). Putting carbon nanomaterials on the carbon cycle map. Nano Today, 20, 7-9.

Cho, J. H., & Sohn, S. Y. (2018). A novel decomposition analysis of green patent applications for the evaluation of R&D efforts to reduce CO2 emissions from fossil fuel energy consumption. Journal of Cleaner Production, 193, 290-299.

DaMatta, F. M., Rahn, E., Läderach, P., Ghini, R., & Ramalho, J. C. (2019). Why could the coffee crop endure climate change and global warming to a greater extent than previously estimated? Climatic Change, 152(1), 167-178.

Hilton, R.G. and West, A.J., 2020. Mountains, erosion and the carbon cycle. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 1(6), pp.284-299.

Korshunov, G. I., Eremeeva, A. M., & Drebenstedt, C. (2021). Justification of the use of a vegetal additive to diesel fuel as a method of protecting underground personnel of coal mines from the impact of harmful emissions of diesel-hydraulic locomotives. Записки Горного института, 247, 39-47.

Piao, S., Wang, X., Wang, K., Li, X., Bastos, A., Canadell, J. G., ... & Sitch, S. (2020). Interannual variation of terrestrial carbon cycle: Issues and perspectives. Global Change Biology, 26(1), 300-318.

Qin, Y., Xiao, X., Wigneron, J. P., Ciais, P., Brandt, M., Fan, L., ... & Moore, B. (2021). Carbon loss from forest degradation exceeds that from deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Nature Climate Change, 11(5), 442-448.

Schmitz, O. J., Wilmers, C. C., Leroux, S. J., Doughty, C. E., Atwood, T. B., Galetti, M., ... & Goetz, S. J. (2018). Animals and the zoogeochemistry of the carbon cycle. Science, 362(6419), eaar3213.

Sellers, P. J., Schimel, D. S., Moore, B., Liu, J., & Eldering, A. (2018). Observing carbon cycle–climate feedbacks from space. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 115(31), 7860-7868.

Wang, Q., Wang, J., Zhou, J., Ban, J., & Li, T. (2019). Estimation of PM2· 5-associated disease burden in China in 2020 and 2030 using population and air quality scenarios: a modelling study. The Lancet Planetary Health, 3(2), e71-e80.

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