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EAEE E4001EAEE E4001

Industrial Ecology of Earth Industrial Ecology of Earth

ResourcesResourcesThe Grand CyclesThe Grand Cycles

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The carbon cycle: Global carbon The carbon cycle: Global carbon inventoryinventoryLITHOSPHERE

rocks and sediments: 1.4 x 108 billion tonsfossil fuels: 23000 billion tons oil equivalent

DETRITUSsoil, peat, litter: 1750 billion tons

BIOSPHEREplants: 830 billion tonsanimals: 3 billion tons

ATMOSPHEREcarbon dioxide: 635 billion tons

HYDROSPHEREdissolved inorganics: 36700 billion tons

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The carbon cycle: Pre-industrial annual The carbon cycle: Pre-industrial annual transporttransport

LAND

ATMOSPHERE

OCEANS

40 billion tons

60 billion tons

To atmosphere: CO2 by decomposition and respiration

From atmosphere: CO2 by photosynthesis

Human impact now: 6.5 billion tons of Human impact now: 6.5 billion tons of carboncarbon

(annual increase of 1.6 ppm CO2; +25% in 20th century)

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Simple representation of carbon bio-Simple representation of carbon bio-reactionsreactions

Carbon to atmosphere: decomposition and respiration

C6H10O4 + 6.5 O2 = 6CO2 + 5H2O +energy

Carbon back to land and oceans: Photosynthesis

6CO2 + 5H2O + sunlight = C6H10O4 + 6.5O2

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18001825

18501875

19001925

19501975

19950

100200300400500600700800900

1000

Bill

ion

s o

f to

ns

CO

2

CUMULATIVECO2 EMISSIONS 1800-1995

Data, WRI '99; Graph, Themelis

Global generation of COGlobal generation of CO22

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Sources of anthropogenic carbon Sources of anthropogenic carbon dioxidedioxide

19901991

19921993

19941995

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Bill

ion t

ons o

f C

O2

Coal

Oil

Gas

Cement

Gas flaring

Total

GLOBAL EMISSIONS OF CO2, 1990-95 Data, WRI'99; graph, Themelis

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The sulfur cycle: Global inventoryThe sulfur cycle: Global inventoryLITHOSPHERE

in elemental form as hydrated calcium sulfide (gypsum)sedimentary rocks: 7800 trillion tonsoceanic rocks : 2375 trillion tons

ATMOSPHERE

mostly carbonyl sulfide (COS): 6 million tons

HYDROSPHERE

dissolved sulfate ions: 1280 trillion tons

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The sulfur cycle: Pre-industrial annual The sulfur cycle: Pre-industrial annual transporttransport

LAND

ATMOSPHERE

OCEANS

as ocean spray: 140 million tons

as reduced sulfide or dusts: 55 million tons

as SO2 from volcanoes: 20 million tons

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The sulfur cycle: Global human activitiesThe sulfur cycle: Global human activities

Human impact now: +150 million tons of Human impact now: +150 million tons of sulfursulfur

SO2 emissions to atmosphere: 93 million tons*

increased dust emissions: 10 million tons

fertilization: 29 million tons

wastewater emissions: 13 million tons

(about the same as pre-industrial flow of S)

coals: 1-4% S; oils: 0.1-0.4%; metal sulfides

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The nitrogen cycle: Global inventoryThe nitrogen cycle: Global inventory

LITHOSPHERE

rocks and sediments: 0.032 trillion tons

ATMOSPHERE

nitrogen gas (N2): 3900 trillion tons (Atmosphere: 78% N2, 21% O2, <1% A, etc.)

HYDROSPHERE

dissolved nitrogen: 0.71 trillion tons

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The nitrogen cycle: Pre-industrial annual mass The nitrogen cycle: Pre-industrial annual mass flowflow

LAND

ATMOSPHERE

OCEANS

Biofixation in marine systems: estimates range from 14-200 mill t/y

transformation of N2 to organic N by plants and animals: 90-130 mill t/y

lightning: 3-5 mill t/y

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The nitrogen cycle: Global human activitiesThe nitrogen cycle: Global human activities

Human impact now: +140 million tons of Human impact now: +140 million tons of nitrogennitrogen

production of fertilizers: 80 mill t/y

agriculture, animal breeding: 40 mill t/y

fossil fuel combustion: 20 mill t/y

(about 50% of pre-industrial flow of N)

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The phosphorus cycle: Global inventoryThe phosphorus cycle: Global inventoryLITHOSPHERE

rocks and sediments, continents: 19 billion tons, ocean: 8.4 x 105 billion tons

HYDROSPHEREfresh water: 0.09 billion tons

oceans: 80 billion tons

BIOSPHEREcontinents: 2.6 billion tons

oceans: 0.05-0.12 billion tons

DETRITUSsoil, peat, litter: 96-120 billion tons

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The phosphorus cycle: Present flow of P,The phosphorus cycle: Present flow of P, tons per year tons per year

LAND

ATMOSPHERE

FRESH WATER

OCEAN WATER

erosion and deposition of dust:4.3 mill

Erosion:4-7 mill

Major anthropogenic input:14 mill tons (fertilizers)

Sedimentation: 2-13 mill

dissolved: 1.5-4 millparticulate: 17 mill

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ConclusionsConclusions

Industrial Ecology is a virgin field pregnant of possibilities!