WGSG Geography Podcast for GCSE and A level Study

#15 Y13 ELSS L23 Feedback Loops and Tipping Points

Garry Simmons

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0:00 | 9:21

This podcast explores short-term changes in Earth’s Life Support Systems (ELSS), focusing on diurnal and seasonal variations within the global water and carbon cycles. Discover how 24-hour cycles influence rainforest rainfall and day-night carbon fluxes through photosynthesis and respiration. We analyze seasonal shifts driven by solar radiation intensity, comparing the UK’s water balance with the Arctic tundra’s river regimes and the Amazon’s monsoon cycles. The episode details how Net Primary Productivity (NPP) peaks during growing seasons, causing atmospheric CO2 levels at Mauna Loa to fluctuate as the northern hemisphere's biosphere absorbs carbon. From explosive marine phytoplankton blooms to terrestrial soil moisture budgets, this summary provides essential insights into the rhythmic flows and stores sustaining our planet.

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