Photosynthesis plays a crucial role in the seasonal changes of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. In the Northern Hemisphere, as leaves emerge in the spring (around May), photosynthesis rates increase due to the abundance of sunlight and a greater number of active green leaves. This process consumes CO2 from the atmosphere, leading to a drop in atmospheric CO2 levels. Conversely, as autumn arrives and leaves begin to fall (around October), the rate of photosynthesis decreases significantly, reducing the uptake of CO2, while respiration and decay processes that release CO2 continue. Consequently, this results in higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations in October compared to May.
Climate scientists have observed seasonal changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. In the Northern Hemisphere, they have measured the highest levels of carbon dioxide in the month of May. They have also measured the lowest levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the month of October. Hypothesize how photosynthesis can affect these changes. Consider the process of photosynthesis and its inputs and outputs. Explain your answer in three to five sentences.
Things to keep in mind as you develop your hypothesis:
In the Northern Hemisphere, leaves appear on trees in the spring and fall from trees in the autumn.
Leaves are where photosynthesis occurs.
How does photosynthesis effect carbon dioxide?
3 answers
can you make it shorter and sound more human
Photosynthesis significantly impacts seasonal changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. In the Northern Hemisphere, as leaves sprout in spring (around May), they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere during photosynthesis, which lowers CO2 levels. By autumn (around October), when leaves fall and photosynthesis slows down, less CO2 is removed from the air, while decomposition releases CO2 back into the atmosphere. This shift explains why CO2 levels peak in May and drop in October.