IB ESS HL 2.3.5 Carbon Sequestration Questions

Explain how ecosystems and carbon-capture processes remove atmospheric CO₂ and store it in biomass or geological deposits.

Exam points

explain how trees and other producers remove atmospheric CO₂ through photosynthesis and store it in biomass
compare carbon-storage or sequestration effectiveness between named ecosystems using data, units and area-based values
explain how captured atmospheric carbon can be stored underground or in geological deposits, including the consequence of later fossil-fuel combustion
trace how a named food-web change can alter producer biomass, photosynthesis and atmospheric carbon uptake

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Study 2.3.5—Carbon sequestration conceptsOpen the corresponding Concept lesson for explanations, examples and exam connections.

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Ecosystem	Soil carbon	Living biomass	Total carbon
Boreal forest	150	94	244
Tropical forest	83	167	250
Mangroves	1030	464	1494
Tidal marsh	920	31	951
Seagrass meadows	608	10	618

Table:Carbon storage in different ecosystems

With reference to Table: Carbon storage in different ecosystems, outline the effectiveness of mangroves and tropical rainforests in the mitigation of climate change.

mangroves/tropical rainforest mitigate climate change/reduce $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ in the atmosphere by absorbing $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ ;
mangroves sequester/remove a greater amount of $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ (per unit area) than the other ecosystems/tropical forest/ mangroves are more efficient at storing carbon than tropical forests / mangroves are more effective carbon sinks than tropical forests;
tropical forest hold more carbon in their living biomass / mangroves hold more carbon in the soil;
both tropical rainforest and mangroves store the highest amount of $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ within their living biomass for their own ecosystem category;
mangroves hold approximately 1500 metric ton carbon per hectare / tropical forest hold approx 230 metric ton carbon per hectare;
tropical forests may remove less $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ per unit area but occupy a far greater area globally / mangroves remove more $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ per unit area but occupy less area globally;

Marking guidance:

Accept quantification without units.

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IB ESS HL 2.3.5 Carbon Sequestration Questions question 1