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Earth's Systems / Biological processes / Terrestrial ecosystem functioning / Weathering / Biotic enhancement and climate control of weathering / Enhanced rock weathering on cropland

Enhanced rock weathering on cropland

Spreading crushed basalt on cropland speeds silicate dissolution, which converts CO2 to dissolved bicarbonate carried to rivers and the ocean; rising pH slows the dissolution as it proceeds.

Boundary: where this process starts

Starts with: Crushed basalt is spread on cropland

Boundary: where it ends

Ends after: Bicarbonate is carried to rivers and the ocean

PARTICIPANTSRESOURCESRockFarmersRainWaterDrainage waterMineralsCarbon dioxideRockCarbonic acidWaterImpact +3 of 5. Click for details and evidence.Impact +3 of 5. Click for details and evidence.Impact -4 of 5. Click for details and evidence.Impact -4 of 5. Click for details and evidence.Impact -3 of 5. Click for details and evidence.↻ balances · moderate · 0.3 rising pH slows Crushed basalt is spread on cropland: uses MineralsCrushed basalt is spread on cropland: uses RockDissolution consumes CO2 and forms bicarbonate: uses up Mineralsuses upDissolution consumes CO2 and forms bicarbonate: uses up Carbon dioxideuses upDissolution consumes CO2 and forms bicarbonate: uses Carbonic acidBicarbonate is carried to rivers and the ocean: uses Carbon dioxideBicarbonate is carried to rivers and the ocean: uses Waterapplied to fieldsMinerals: applied to fieldsspread as crushedmaterialRock: spread as crushed materialdissolved into ionsMinerals: dissolved into ionscaptured as bicarbonateCarbon dioxide: captured as bicarbonatedissolves the mineralCarbonic acid: dissolves the mineraltransported asbicarbonateCarbon dioxide: transported as bicarbonatecarries bicarbonatedownstreamWater: carries bicarbonate downstreamStart: Enhanced rockweathering on croplandSTARTStart: Enhanced rock weathering on croplandEnd: Enhanced rockweathering on croplandENDEnd: Enhanced rock weathering on croplandCrushed basalt isspread on cropland📄1Crushed basalt is spread on croplandDissolution consumesCO2 and formsbicarbonate📄1 ↗1Dissolution consumes CO2 and forms bicarbonateBicarbonate is carriedto rivers and the ocean📄1Bicarbonate is carried to rivers and the ocean
Line thickness = size of impact (1 to 5)% on a line = chance a fork takes that branch📄 = pieces of evidence on a stepNegative effectLoops backHypothesisResource used up (arrow into the step)Resource used, not used upResource made or released (arrow out of the step)
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Crushed basalt is spread on cropland
FarmersRockRockMinerals
Evidence (1) · added by Broad
  • Beerling 2020, Potential for large-scale CO2 removal via enhanced rock weathering with croplands, Nature, doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2448-9: Basalt application on croplands is the proposed mechanism. (confidence 0.7)
Dissolution consumes CO2 and forms bicarbonate
RockWaterCarbon dioxideCarbonic acidMinerals
Evidence (1) · added by Broad
  • Beerling 2020, Potential for large-scale CO2 removal via enhanced rock weathering with croplands, Nature, doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2448-9: Silicate dissolution consumes CO2 and produces bicarbonate. (confidence 0.8)
Bicarbonate is carried to rivers and the ocean
Drainage waterRiversWaterCarbon dioxide
Evidence (1) · added by Broad
  • Beerling 2020, Potential for large-scale CO2 removal via enhanced rock weathering with croplands, Nature, doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2448-9: Carbon is sequestered as dissolved inorganic carbon in drainage. (confidence 0.7)