The role of feedbacks within and between cycles and their link to climate change and implications for life on Earth
A feedback happens when a change in one cycle triggers further changes that either amplify or reduce the original shift. Feedbacks within the water and carbon cycles can accelerate or slow climate change.
Real World
Siberian permafrost thaw is a positive feedback: rising temperatures melt permafrost, releasing methane and CO₂ trapped for millennia, which further warms the atmosphere and accelerates more thawing — NASA estimates permafrost holds about 1,500 billion tonnes of carbon.
Exam Focus
Label each feedback as positive or negative explicitly, and state whether it amplifies or dampens the original change.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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