The Global C model accounts for carbon stocks in the atmosphere, in terrestrial ecosystems, the ocean and fossil form, and the major exchanges between these. CO2 and some other gasses (held constant in this model) have a 'greenhouse' effect, reducing the amount of long-wave radiation that can leave the planet earth, thus increasing its temperature. A change in atmospheric CO2 can be by this mechanism lead to a change in global temperature (global warming or global cooling). Temperature itself has an impact on a range of biological processes in C sequestration by plant growth and C dissipation by decomposer activity. The oceans contain by far the largest C stocks, but only a small part of this, in the upper ocean layers, interacts with the atmosphere. Potentially the oceans can absorb CO2 brought into the atmosphere by changes in terrestrial stocks or use of fossil fuel, but the rate, at which such absorption can occur, is limited by the equilibration processes.
Publication year
1999
Authors
Language
English
Keywords
environment, globalization, models, soil
