The Breathing Biosphere and Human Contribution

In this Click & Learn, students explore factors that contribute to patterns seen in the Keeling Curve: a continuous record of atmospheric CO₂ starting in 1958, as measured at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii. The Click & Learn includes the actual data from Mauna Loa.

The first tab, "Natural Processes," focuses on the processes of respiration and photosynthesis. Students adjust parameters in a model of these processes to match the model with data from Mauna Loa. The second tab, "Human Contribution," shows the original data from Mauna Loa. Students adjust a human contribution parameter in the model to match the Keeling curve.

The accompanying “Student Worksheet” guides students’ exploration. The “Educator Materials” document includes additional guidance and implementation suggestions.

The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.