Limits on the organic storage of carbon from burning fossil fuels

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · J. Environ. Manage.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6720416

Chan, Y H; Olson, J S

Computer simulations of a global carbon model are used to explore the redistribution of carbon resulting from the burning of fossil fuel and the clearing of tropical forests. The model distinguishes 16 compartments. Three regions of wooded or non-wooded ecosystems, with rapidly and slowly exchanging pools of organic matter in each, constitute the terrestrial biosphere pools. The ocean is considered as a three-layered subsystem of inorganic carbon together with other organic reservoirs. A working hypothesis in the model assumes that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide would stimulate net primary production of terrestrial biota. However, physiological limiting factors and increase of forested area would reduce possible storage. With assumed constraints on growth of terrestrial ecosystems, the model is used to project limits on the sizes of rapidly and slowly exchanging pools of the three biospheric regions, and also on their exchange rates for carbon. Under optimistic assumptions, the simulations project a 16% increase of carbon storage in the biospheric organic pools as the plausible upper limit. Similarly, the exchange rate of carbon between the atmosphere and the entire terrestrial biosphere is projected to increase from a current estimated value of 56 Gtons/year to a maximum of 66 Gtons/year.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN
• OSTI ID: 6720416
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Manage.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Manage.; (United States) Vol. 11:2; ISSN JEVMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ATMOSPHERES
BIOSPHERE
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON CYCLE
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DISTRIBUTION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FORESTS
FOSSIL FUELS
FOSSIL-FUEL POWER PLANTS
FUELS
GLOBAL ASPECTS
LAND USE
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONMETALS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POWER PLANTS
REMOVAL
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES