Response of the biosphere to the changing global environment: Evidence from historic record of biotic metabolism
- State University of New York, Syracuse, NY (United States). College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Recently, the observed increase in the amplitude of the winter-summer difference in atmospheric CO[sub 2] concentrations has been used to infer that the terrestrial biota is reacting to CO[sub 2] enrichment. However, previous studies of this phenomenon did not consider seasonal variations in fossil fuel use, oceanic exchange. In this paper, the authors derive a normalized CO[sub 2] curve for yearly biotic metabolism corrected for these additional factors. The authors also developed a simulation model to test the sensitivity of biotic metabolism on fossil fuel release, oceanic exchange and other factors. By analyzing CO[sub 2] data from Mauna Loa Observatory, the authors generated a historic record of global biotic metabolism over the recent past. After correcting for the additional factors the authors found that both photosynthesis and respiration have increased since the early 1970's. Even though photosynthesis and respiration have changed, the ratio of photosynthesis to respiration has not changed significantly. The authors tentatively conclude, therefore, that CO[sub 2] sequestered by photosynthesis is being balanced by the CO[sub 2] released by respiration. The increases of biospheric respiration, perhaps as a result of the same factors that increase photosynthesis.
- OSTI ID:
- 6912424
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930415-; CODEN: WRRVE5
- Journal Information:
- World Resource Review; (United States), Vol. 5:2; Conference: 4. international conference on global warming science and policy, Chicago, IL (United States), 5-8 Apr 1993; ISSN 1042-8011
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
CARBON DIOXIDE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
METABOLISM
FOSSIL FUELS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
AIR-BIOSPHERE INTERACTIONS
CLIMATIC CHANGE
COMBUSTION PRODUCTS
POLLUTION SOURCES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)