EA_Net Primary Productivity

docx

School

Virginia Wesleyan College *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

111

Subject

Geography

Date

Oct 30, 2023

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by BrigadierTitaniumFinch35

Environmental Analysis Net Primary Productivity Plants play an important role in Earth’s carbon dioxide budget. Plants take in carbon dioxide via photosynthesis during the day and give off carbon dioxide via respiration at night. The difference between carbon uptake and release by plants in the net primary production. The Moderate Resolution Imagine Spectroradiometer (MODIS)instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite monitors this carbon dioxide use. Activities Go to https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov , the to “Global Maps” (via the upper navigation menu). Select the “Net Primary Productivity” map. 1. What do negative net primary productivity values mean? 2. The map is missing data in northern Africa. Would you expect the net primary productivity to be high or low there? Why? Use the arrow below the map to play the animation. 3. The northen half of South America has a high positive net primary productivity year round. Why? 4. In the United States, the net primary productivity is lower in the Wouthwest than in the Northeast year round. Why? Look for “Select and Compare” and click on “Show all Maps” below. Choose “Vegetation” and play the animation. 5. What is displayed on the vegetation map (lower map)? What factors control this? 6. In which months are vegetation values high but net primary productivity (upper map) is near or below zero in the United States? What season(s) is this in the Northern Hemisphere? 7. What does this indicate about the relationship between net primary productivity and day length? Net primary productivity and temperature? Go to www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends to see Trends in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide from NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratories. 8. How do monthly mean CO2 concentrations change over the course of one year at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawai’i? Explain this pattern.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version