scholarly journals Improved Concept Map-Based Teaching to Promote a Holistic Earth System View

Geosciences ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 8
Author(s):  
Clara Vasconcelos ◽  
Fabio Ferreira ◽  
Ana Rolo ◽  
Beatriz Moreira ◽  
Mariana Melo
Keyword(s):  
Concept Map ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Second Phase ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Holistic View ◽  
The North ◽  
The Earth ◽  
8Th Grade ◽  
Conceptual Maps ◽  
Old Portuguese

Like some other countries, seldom being sometimes addressed in classes, the Earth system approach is not emphasized enough in Portugal, nor is the interconnection between the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. To evaluate the Earth system holistic view of a group of 8th grade (13–15 years old) Portuguese students from a public school of the north of Portugal, an improved conceptual map-based to approach Earth system was investigated. After learning about concept mapping, students were asked to collaborate in the production of four conceptual maps regarding each one of the geochemical and biogeochemical cycles, further combining these maps in a common one. Through teamwork-based task, each group was asked to establish relations between the cycles, integrated into each one of the four Earth subsystems. The final combined maps demonstrated that, in the first phase, students had some difficulties in completing the pre-designed improved maps, being more evident in the rock cycle. Contrarily, the food chain cycle revealed fewer mistakes and more appropriate terms were added. In the second phase, the students exhibited difficulties in relating the cycles to the four subsystems and the remaining cycles, drawing many arrows without any kind of connecting words. Nevertheless, in general, students have realized how to build an improved concept map but do not possess a holistic view of the Earth system.

The Atmospheric Component of Biogeochemical Cycles in the Amazon Basin

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo Artaxo
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Amazon Basin ◽  
Aerosol Particles ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Earth System ◽  
The Earth ◽  
The Tropics

Tropical forests, with their high biological activity, have the potential to emit large amounts of trace gases and aerosol particles to the atmosphere. The accelerated development and land clearing that is occurring in large areas of the Amazon basin suggest that anthropogenic effects on natural biogeochemical cycles are already occurring (Gash et al. 1996). The atmosphere plays a key role in this process. The tropics are the part of the globe with the most rapidly growing population, the most dramatic industrial expansion and the most rapid and pervasive change in land use and land cover. Also the tropics contain the largest standing stocks of terrestrial vegetation and have the highest rates of photosynthesis and respiration. It is likely that changes in tropical land use will have a profound impact on the global atmosphere (Andreae 1998, Andreae and Crutzen 1997). A significant fraction of nutrients are transported or dislocated through the atmosphere in the form of trace gases, aerosol particles, and rainwater (Keller et al. 1991). Also the global effects of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other trace gases have in the forest ecosystems a key partner. The large emissions of isoprene, terpenes, and many other volatile organic compounds could impact carbon cycling and the production of secondary aerosol particles over the Amazon region. Vegetation is a natural source of many types of aerosol particles that play an important role in the radiation budget over large areas (Artaxo et al. 1998). There are 5 major reservoirs in the Earth system: atmosphere, biosphere (vegetation, animals), soils, hydrosphere (oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater), and the lithosphere (Earth crust). Elemental cycles of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and other elements interact with the different reservoirs of the Earth system. The carbon cycle has important aspects in tropical forests due to the large amount of carbon stored in the tropical forests and the high rate of tropical deforestation (Jacob 1999). In Amazonia there are two very different atmospheric conditions: the wet season (mostly from November to June) and the dry season (July-October) (see Marengo and Nobre, this volume). Biomass burning emissions dominate completely the atmospheric concentrations over large areas of the Amazon basin during the dry season (Artaxo et al. 1988).

scholarly journals The evolution of complex life and the stabilization of the Earth system

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 20190106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan L. Payne ◽  
Aviv Bachan ◽  
Noel A. Heim ◽  
Pincelli M. Hull ◽  
Matthew L. Knope
Keyword(s):  
Flood Basalt ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Climate System ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Comparative Physiology ◽  
Animal Evolution ◽  
Fundamental Properties ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Water Columns ◽  
History Of

The half-billion-year history of animal evolution is characterized by decreasing rates of background extinction. Earth's increasing habitability for animals could result from several processes: (i) a decrease in the intensity of interactions among species that lead to extinctions; (ii) a decrease in the prevalence or intensity of geological triggers such as flood basalt eruptions and bolide impacts; (iii) a decrease in the sensitivity of animals to environmental disturbance; or (iv) an increase in the strength of stabilizing feedbacks within the climate system and biogeochemical cycles. There is no evidence that the prevalence or intensity of interactions among species or geological extinction triggers have decreased over time. There is, however, evidence from palaeontology, geochemistry and comparative physiology that animals have become more resilient to an environmental change and that the evolution of complex life has, on the whole, strengthened stabilizing feedbacks in the climate system. The differential success of certain phyla and classes appears to result, at least in part, from the anatomical solutions to the evolution of macroscopic size that were arrived at largely during Ediacaran and Cambrian time. Larger-bodied animals, enabled by increased anatomical complexity, were increasingly able to mix the marine sediment and water columns, thus promoting stability in biogeochemical cycles. In addition, body plans that also facilitated ecological differentiation have tended to be associated with lower rates of extinction. In this sense, Cambrian solutions to Cambrian problems have had a lasting impact on the trajectory of complex life and, in turn, fundamental properties of the Earth system.

scholarly journals Christopher B. Field Receives 2014 Roger Revelle Medal

Eos ◽  
2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Fall Meeting ◽  
Atmospheric Sciences ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Ocean Coupling

Christopher B. Field was awarded the 2014 Roger Revelle Medal at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 17 December 2014 in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is for “outstanding contributions in atmospheric sciences, atmosphere-ocean coupling, ­atmosphere-land coupling, biogeochemical cycles, climate, or related aspects of the Earth system.”

scholarly journals Biogeochemical Consequences of Ocean Acidification and Feedbacks to the Earth System

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Gehlen ◽  
Nicolas Gruber
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Biological Pump ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Carbonate Chemistry ◽  
Emission Pathway ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Indirect Impacts ◽  
Active Substances

By the year 2008, the ocean had taken up approximately 140 Gt carbon corresponding to about a third of the total anthropogenic CO2 emitted to the atmosphere since the onset of industrialization (Khatiwala et al. 2009 ). As the weak acid CO2 invades the ocean, it triggers changes in ocean carbonate chemistry and ocean pH (see Chapter 1). The pH of modern ocean surface waters is already 0.1 units lower than in pre-industrial times and a decrease by 0.4 units is projected by the year 2100 in response to a business-as- usual emission pathway (Caldeira and Wickett 2003). These changes in ocean carbonate chemistry are likely to affect major ocean biogeochemical cycles, either through direct pH effects or indirect impacts on the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems. This chapter addresses the potential biogeochemical consequences of ocean acidification and associated feedbacks to the earth system, with focus on the alteration of element fluxes at the scale of the global ocean. The view taken here is on how the different effects interact and ultimately alter the atmospheric concentration of radiatively active substances, i.e. primarily greenhouse gases such as CO2 and nitrous oxide (N2O). Changes in carbonate chemistry have the potential for interacting with ocean biogeochemical cycles and creating feedbacks to climate in a myriad of ways (Box 12.1). In order to provide some structure to the discussion, direct and indirect feedbacks of ocean acidification on the earth system are distinguished. Direct feedbacks are those which directly affect radiative forcing in the atmosphere by altering the air–sea flux of radiatively active substances. Indirect feedbacks are those that first alter a biogeochemical process in the ocean, and through this change then affect the air–sea flux and ultimately the radiative forcing in the atmosphere. For example, when ocean acidification alters the production and export of organic matter by the biological pump, then this is an indirect feedback. This is because a change in the biological pump alters radiative forcing in the atmosphere indirectly by first changing the nearsurface concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity.

scholarly journals Claire L. Parkinson Receives the 2020 Roger Revelle Medal

Eos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Fall Meeting ◽  
Atmospheric Sciences ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Ocean Coupling

Claire L. Parkinson was awarded the 2020 Roger Revelle Medal at the virtual AGU Fall Meeting in December. The medal is for “outstanding contributions in atmospheric sciences, atmosphere-ocean coupling, atmosphere-land coupling, biogeochemical cycles, climate or related aspects of the Earth system.”

scholarly journals Anne M. Thompson Receives 2015 Roger Revelle Medal

Eos ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
San Francisco ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Fall Meeting ◽  
Atmospheric Sciences ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Ocean Coupling ◽  
American Geophysical ◽  
American Geophysical Union

Anne M. Thompson was awarded the 2015 Roger Revelle Medal at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 16 December 2015 in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is for "outstanding contributions in atmospheric sciences, atmosphere-ocean coupling, atmosphere-land coupling, biogeochemical cycles, climate, or related aspects of the Earth system."

The GMAO High‐Resolution Coupled Model and Assimilation System for Seasonal Prediction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Molod ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Coupled Model ◽  
Seasonal Prediction ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Aerosol Model ◽  
Earth Observing System ◽  
The North ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Weakly Coupled ◽  
The North Atlantic Oscillation ◽  
The Impact

<p>The Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) is about to release a new version of the Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) Subseasonal to Seasonal prediction (S2S) system, GEOS‐S2S‐3, that represents an improvement in performance and infrastructure over the  previous system, GEOS-S2S-2. The system will be described briefly, highlighting some features unique to GEOS-S2S, such as the coupled interactive aerosol model and ensemble  perturbation strategy and size. Results are presented from forecasts and from climate  equillibrium simulations. GEOS-S2S-3 will be used to produce a long term weakly coupled reanalysis called MERRA-2 Ocean.</p><p>The climate or equillibrium state of the atmosphere and ocean shows a reduction in systematic error relative to GEOS‐S2S‐2, attributed in part to an increase in ocean resolution and to the upgrade in the glacier runoff scheme.  The forecast skill shows improved prediction  of the North Atlantic Oscillation, attributed to the increase in forecast ensemble members.  </p><p>With the release of GEOS-S2S-3 and MERRA-2 Ocean, GMAO will continue its tradition of maintaining a state‐of‐the‐art seasonal prediction system for use in evaluating the impact on seasonal and decadal forecasts of assimilating newly available satellite observations, as well as evaluating additional sources of predictability in the Earth system through the expanded coupling of the Earth system model and assimilation components.</p>

scholarly journals Inclusion of a suite of weathering tracers in the cGENIE Earth system model – muffin release v.0.9.23

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 4187-4223
Author(s):  
Markus Adloff ◽  
Andy Ridgwell ◽  
Fanny M. Monteiro ◽  
Ian J. Parkinson ◽  
Alexander J. Dickson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
Earth System Model ◽  
System Model ◽  
Earth System ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Isotopic Shifts ◽  
Box Models ◽  
Carbon Release ◽  
Geologic Record

Abstract. The metals strontium (Sr), lithium (Li), osmium (Os) and calcium (Ca), together with their isotopes, are important tracers of weathering and volcanism – primary processes which shape the long-term cycling of carbon and other biogeochemically important elements at the Earth's surface. Traditionally, because of their long residence times in the ocean, isotopic shifts in these four elements observed in the geologic record are almost exclusively interpreted with the aid of isotope-mixing, tracer-specific box models. However, such models may lack a mechanistic description of the links between the cycling of the four metals to other geochemically relevant elements, particularly carbon, or climate. Here we develop and evaluate an implementation of Sr, Li, Os and Ca isotope cycling in the Earth system model cGENIE. The model offers the possibility to study the dynamics of these metal systems alongside other more standard biogeochemical cycles, as well as their relationship with changing climate. We provide examples of how to apply this new model capability to investigate Sr, Li, Os and Ca isotope dynamics and responses to environmental change, for which we take the example of massive carbon release to the atmosphere.

2. Recycling

2016 ◽  
pp. 18-37
Author(s):  
Tim Lenton
Keyword(s):  
Closed System ◽  
Water Cycle ◽  
Biogeochemical Cycles ◽  
System Support ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Earth System ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Global Biogeochemical Cycles

How does the Earth system support such a flourishing of life? A habitable climate and water are essential, but organisms also need energy and materials out of which to build their bodies. The Sun provides a plentiful supply of energy, which drives the water cycle and fuels the biosphere, via photosynthesis. However, due to an almost closed system, all the elements needed by life must be efficiently recycled within the Earth system, which then need energy to transform materials chemically and to move them physically around the planet. ‘Recycling’ introduces the life-sustaining global biogeochemical cycles of matter between the biosphere, atmosphere, ocean, land, and crust.

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