Plants Absorb Much More Carbon Than Previously Thought

[Valin]

The Feed:

October 14, 2014 4:52 pm

 

Our planet’s flora does a lot more to “store” carbon emissions than previously thought, according to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers report that climate models have been underestimating the work done by plants to store the greenhouse gas by as much as 16 percent over the last century. The BBC reports:

 

 

Scientists say that between 1901 and 2010, living things absorbed 16% more of the gas than previously thought. The authors say it explains why models consistently overestimated the growth rate of carbon in the atmosphere. [...]

 

By analysing how CO2 spreads slowly inside leaves, a process called mesophyll diffusion, the authors conclude that more of the gas is absorbed than previously thought. Between 1901 and 2100 the researchers believe that their new work increases the amount of carbon taken up through fertilisation from 915 billion tonnes to 1,057 billion, a 16% increase.

 

So much for settled science, then.

 

The environmental movement has taken great pains to present the case for anthropogenic climate change as open-and-shut, using science to bludgeon their opponents to advance policy aims. To a certain extent, they’re right: certain gases trap more solar radiation in our planet’s atmosphere, raising temperatures and bringing on a host of other changes to our climate, and humanity bears some responsibility, as we’ve dramatically increased emissions of those greenhouse gases with industrialization.

 

(Snip)

[clearvision]

@Valin

Like they really have any idea of the amount of plant mass in the world anyway. I'm sure there are precise calculations for the Amazon rainforest and aquatic plants, let alone a reasonable calculation for a US state.

[Valin]

@clearvion

 

The more CO2 in the atmosphere the more plants. the more plants the more CO2 taken out of the atmosphere. The less CO2 used. the more CO2 in the atmosphere. the more CO2 in the atmosphere the more plants. Hope I have cleared this up for you. Sounds a lot like Catch-22.

[RandyM]

Seems like some Intelligent Design at work here.....