Photosynthesis and the Earth Energy Balance

[Deuce]

Oh please.

Tell us.

The suspense is killing me!

Plants aren't immortal. They die, they decay, they get consumed.

So it's only a net increase in plant biomass that has any impact on this.

You really think that energy loss is significant compared to the sheer amount of sunlight that hits the earth?

 

[Deuce]

Deuce. Do you think you know better?

Know better? You act like you've already proven something when you haven't found any evidence to support your hypothesis!

 

[Lord of Planar]

Plants aren't immortal. They die, they decay, they get consumed.

So it's only a net increase in plant biomass that has any impact on this.

You really think that energy loss is significant compared to the sheer amount of sunlight that hits the earth?

Not all the the mass of biomatter has the reverse process occur. Soil is enriched, more biomass over time. The net change is not zero.

 

[longview]

Not all the the mass of biomatter has the reverse process occur. Soil is enriched, more biomass over time. The net change is not zero.

That is where oil eventually comes from.

 

[Lord of Planar]

That is where oil eventually comes from.

That too.

These guys don't seem to realize most the energy captured from photosynthesis is captured indefinitely.

 

[Integrityrespec]

A variable I've been trying to pin down in the global climate system is how much photosynthesis affects the earths energy balance. From various studies, we know that plants cool the temperature through evapotranspiration. This however is just a movement of heat.

In my readings, I have read that as CO2 increases, plants use less H2O but that’s still not what I’m looking for. And something that would suggest otherwise, is the claim that they cool more with more CO2 due to increased transpiration. These are in conflict by what the various researchers are saying.

Anyway, what I have been looking for is how much of the earths net energy imbalance is due to the net endothermic process of photosynthesis and later decay, and the resulting cooling it has. One article I read makes the claim about 1% of the solar energy is used in the photosynthesis process globally. This would be significant as the various earth energy balance studies place the imbalance of energy at about 0.65 W/m^2 and 1% of the suns at the surface would represent more than double this amount. Possibly accounting for all the imbalance even after we consider the reverse process from decay.

What is annoying is I have not been able to find any papers that even address the entropy the biosphere has on a global scale.

I was wondering if anyone else has come across this? I see works only addressing the change in water transpiration. I haven’t come across the large-scale entropy assessments.

There will be a net cooling effect with increased CO2. The question becomes if it has any significance worth discussing.

I don't think the left realizes that CO2 is necessary for plant growth and that has been improving as shown by crop harvest.

 

[Lord of Planar]

I don't think the left realizes that CO2 is necessary for plant growth and that has been improving as shown by crop harvest.

They have been indoctrinated to have blinders on to the positive effects it has.

 

[Lord of Planar]

Has anyone found any material in opposition to what I have been saying here?

 

[Lord of Planar]

Ok, the energy that is stored, is delayed from leaving for a period from one season to nearly indefinite.
On the simplest level, something eats the leaves, and the energy is converted to fats and motion.
on the longer scale the leaves fall, collect on the ground and slowly decompose into peat, and eventually oil or gas.
If the wood is burned, some of the energy is released as heat.
The list goes on, but the results are the same, some of the energy that entered the atmosphere is delayed from leaving.

Silly how he remarks on things he is doesn't understand. The process sequesters quite a bit of energy for a long time. Take for example plants growing in poor soils, dropping leaves, dropping fruit, etc. Sure some of this biomass emits carbon back into the atmopsphere, but most of what isn't consumed as food by something else, ends up enriching the soil under the plants. Good topsoil doesn't just magically happen.