[Terrapreta] CO2 rising

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Brian,

Some quotes from the Biopact article you referenced ...

"Overall, in three of the four years they measured, the forest was putting slightly more carbon into the air than it took out a bad thing, if we want forests to store this material. "

"... forests are generally in a steady state in terms of carbon production and sequestration."

See the TABLE II from the white paper reference below ...

TABLE II
Estimated Distribution of World's Biomass Carbon
                        Forests            Savanna and grasslands    Swamp and marsh    Remaining terrestrial    Marine
Area (106 km2)
                           48.5               24.0                            2.0                            74.5                        361
Percentage            9.5                 4.7                             0.4                            14.6                        70.8

Net C production (Gt/year)
                           33.26              8.51                           2.70                           8.40                        24.62
Percentage            42.9               11.0                            3.5                            10.8                        31.8

Standing C (Gt)
                           744                33.5                            14.0                           37.5                        4.5
Percentage            89.3                 4.0                            1.7                            4.5                          0.5

Note. Adapted from Table 2.2 in Klass, D. L. (1998). ''Biomass for Renewable Energy, Fuels, and Chemicals.'' Academic Press, San
Diego, CA.

Forests cover roughly ~1/3 (9.5%/29.2%) of the land surface.  Here is the question ... When the Biopact article says forests are putting more carbon into the air than they takes out, and forests "hold" 89.3% of the standing carbon, then who is convinced that plants take up the excess CO2?

Regards,

SKB
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Brian Hans<mailto:bhans at earthmimic.com> 
  To: Terrapreta at bioenergylists.org<mailto:Terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 9:30 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] CO2 rising


  Here is one study on the topic...not done yet. http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0706/S00051.htm<http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0706/S00051.htm>

  I believe the specific study Code is refering to is on Biopact
  http://biopact.com/2006/11/idea-that-forests-are-carbon-sinks-no.html<http://biopact.com/2006/11/idea-that-forests-are-carbon-sinks-no.html>

  Interesting way of looking at things. IMO...we dont know much about the planet we live on. Even tho we think we do...we dont...

  Brian


  code suidae <codesuidae at gmail.com> wrote:
    I read an article sometime in the past year or so that described how
    forest can become net carbon emitters as global temperatures rise. I
    have been unable to find the article again, but IIRC they were
    describing research done on European forests.

    Unfortunately I don't recall the description of how the rising
    temperatures caused the forests to become net emitters.

    Anyone familiar with this idea?

    Dave K
    -- 
    "Our ignorance is not so vast as our failure to use what we know." -
    M. King Hubbert

    On 9/20/07, Sean K. Barry wrote:
    > The ever increasing rate of increase is what is called an "exponential
    > growth curve". Exponential growth curves are very common in natural
    > systems.
    >
    > From: David Yarrow
    > > not only is CO2 rising, but the rate of increase is increasing. the CO2
    > > graph is an upturning curve, not a flat line. and we have entered the phase
    > > when the vertical component of the curve exceeds the horizontal -- the
    > > "knee" of the curve.

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