Based on the information in Table 1 below, what percentage of the organic carbon

Question

Based on the information in Table 1 below, what percentage of the organic carbon produced on land makes its way to the oceans (primarily via rivers)?

2) Based on the information in Tables 1 and 2, what percentage of global productivity (both terrestrial and marine) is preserved in marine sediments?

3) What do you think happens to the terrestrial (land) and marine (ocean) carbon that does not get buried in marine sediments? (Hint: Think about what happens to leaves that accumulate on the forest floor every Autumn!).

4) Based on the information in Table 2 below, in which marine environments does most organic carbon get buried and preserved? Name at least two factor

Table 1. Annual production and fate of terrestrial and marine carbon (based on Hedges and Keil, 1995) Amount produced Amount delivered to oceans 15 0.2 x 101sg C yr as particulate organic matter 0.2 x1015 g C yr as dissolved organic matter | About 10% remaining at depths of several hundred Terrestrial productivity 50 x 1015 g C yr! Marine productivity meters About 1% passes to an average ocean depth of 4000 m

Explanation / Answer

ANSWERS:

1) 0.67%

2) 0.15%

3) Degraded, primarily by bacterial and fungal activity.

4) Deltas/shelves/upper slopes

Near to terrestrial sources of OM and nutrients,rapid burial in sediments.

Degraded, primarily by bacterial and fungal activity

Degraded, primarily by bacterial and fungal activity

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