Trees Giving In?
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 05.14.07
"Bristol University researchers say a previously unexplained surge of carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere in recent years is due to more greenhouse gas escaping from trees, plants and soils. Global warming was making vegetation less able to absorb the carbon pollution pumped out by human activity...Measurements of carbon dioxide in samples of air show a sharp increase since the turn of the century, with unusually high levels in four of the past five years. The spike does not seem to match the pattern of increased emissions from fossil fuel burning, and can only be partly explained by natural events such as fires and weather phenomena including El Niño." The money quote offered by the researchers:- The findings represent an "unusually strong out-gasing of CO2 of the terrestrial biosphere." Is it a knock out blow? Waiting on round two. Via:: The Guardian
UPDATE:- "The rampant slashing and burning of tropical forests is second only to the energy sector as a source of greenhouses gases according to report published today by the Oxford-based Global Canopy Programme, an alliance of leading rainforest scientists. Figures from the GCP, summarising the latest findings from the United Nations, and building on estimates contained in the Stern Report, show deforestation accounts for up to 25 per cent of global emissions of heat-trapping gases, while transport and industry account for 14 per cent each; and aviation makes up only 3 per cent of the total." Via:: The Independent.
This research sounds about right to me. But as the newspaper article stated, the reason has a lot to do with less water and hot spells. The fact that ecosystems are being damaged and destroyed beyond recognition simply makes it more and more difficult for the remaining plant life in those ecosystems to deal with decreasing water and increasing heat waves. Restoring ecosystems to their natural state should help alleviate the negative consequences of both less water and more heat, enabling the plant life to absorb more carbon dioxide. I do believe that global warming is making it difficult for plants to absorb CO2, but I think that the main reason for this is mankind's constant decades long destruction and damage of natural ecosystems. Smoking is bad on the lungs and makes it difficult to breathe, but if you breathe in large quantities of particles of glass into your lungs and shred them to bits, then the main reason you have problems breathing is the shredding of the lungs - not the smoking. Smoking just makes the situation worse. We need to restore our ecosystems to their natural state.