[Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Brian,

Is carbon dioxide a harmful air pollutant or an amazingly effective aerial fertilizer? 

Why do you think they pose this as a question and they don't just come right out and say the atmospheric CO2 increases are not there, because plants and algae are using it globally as "an amazingly effective aerial fertilizer"?  Why don't farmers just quit using nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and all the rest of the nonsense, puny "not amazingly effective" fertilizers and just leave their tractors out pumping CO2 all over the fields, because it is such an "amazingly effective aerial fertilizer"?  

It just does not add up.  If increased CO2 causes increased plant growth, presumably through UPTAKE of CO2 by plants, brought into the chemical makeup of the plants by photosynthesis, THEN WHY ARE CO2 LEVELS RISING?!  WHY IS CO2 ATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATION RISING FASTER THAN IT EVER HAS IN ALL OF PREVIOUS HUMAN HISTORY?!  Where is the all this increased UPTAKE?! Why isn't the UPTAKE reducing atmospheric CO2 levels?

Human activity pumps 6 billion tons of new CO2 into the atmosphere every year.  Nature cycles only 120 billion tons per year out of and back into the atmosphere every year.  That means we've increased the flux of CO2 into the atmosphere by 5%.   Where is the 5% increased uptake by the increased plant growth occurring?

It NOT OCCURRING!!!  If it were, then CO2 concentrations would not be rising.  But they are, so plant growth is NOT increasing as a result of the increased CO2 levels, is it?   This isn't that hard to figure out.  I think anyone who says that CO2 alone can increase plant growth is not understanding the bio-chemistry.  I think anyone saying that the increases in CO2 levels in the atmosphere are being "fixed" by increased plant growth is NOT looking at what is actually happening.  It only take observation to see this.  CO2 concentrations are increasing !!!

CO2 is a reactant in the photosynthetic chemical reaction.  Plants don't just suck the stuff up because its out there.  Plants are where the photosynthetic reaction takes place.  It requires CO2, H2O, photons, and a host of other molecules that need plant nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen, atoms that are part of the necessary molecules for photosynthesis to occur.

    6(CO2) + 6(H2O) + photons => C6H12O6 + 6(O2)

Lets say we are talking about another kind of chemical reaction; combustion, which also has requirements for it to occur.
It has a set of necessary reactants and conditions or it does not occur.

    fuel + oxidant + ignition energy => products of combustion (smoke)

So pour on some gasoline.  You get no matches, no oxygen, just gasoline.   Tell me 5 peer reviewed papers will say that that gasoline will burn up in the fire.  I will ask you what fire?  There can be no fire ... There is NO SMOKE.  There is no oxygen and no ignition for the fire (the chemical reaction) and there is no damned SMOKE?!  What in the hell are you talking about, fire?!

If gasoline alone means fire (like you or they would say, "CO2 alone means photosynthesis and more growth in plants") then you better run out to your cars, because that tank full of gasoline is just going to burst into flames.

I think these "5 peer reviewed papers" (and the peers) are just full of manure.  The story is concocted by those who do not wish to pay for remediation of the atmosphere.  It is a story which runs headlong against everything known about chemistry and physics.
Anybody buying into it doesn't get it.

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Brian Hans<mailto:bhans at earthmimic.com> 
  To: Terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:Terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 10:33 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Pure Organics Vs. Biological Agriculture


  Sean,

  I think there is a list of atleast 5 peer reviewed papers<http://www.co2science.org/scripts/CO2ScienceB2C/subject/h/summaries/co2healthpromoting.jsp> that dispute your claim. Additionally, I spent ~ a year in Birge Hall 2nd basement level with the PBR's, sometimes moving CO2 levels alone and I can absolutely tell you with 100% certainty that CO2 alone does infact increase plant growth. 

  Brian Hans
    Increasing CO2 release alone does not increase plant growth.   



    I challenge you to find ANYONE who has ever published a peer reviewed article in ANY scientific journal, which reports ANY indication that increased atmospheric CO2 levels alone will promote the bigger or faster growth of any plants.  I do not believe this is possible.
    You will not find any such articles.  I believe that ANYONE with a learned experience in high school chemistry alone could argue effectively against any such proposal, Jon.


    Regards,

    SKB


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