From: Jeff Davis (jrd1415@yahoo.com)
Date: Fri Jul 11 2003 - 04:27:24 MDT
--- Spike <spike66@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-extropians@extropy.org
> [mailto:owner-extropians@extropy.org]
> On Behalf Of Amara D. Angelica
>
>
> Does anyone have data on the total number of carbon
> atoms currently in
> the Earth's biomass and the rate of depletion?
>
>
> Depletion? Are they going somewhere?
>
> Actually the number of carbon atoms in the biomass
> would be increasing gradually as humanity burns
> the sequestered carbon, thus making it available
> for lifeforms.
Not to nitpick here spike (Moi? Never!) but the
question was about carbon in biomass, no? So the
answer would seem to depend on whether the biomass is
increasing or decreasing, no? Each growing plant or
animal increases the carbon in the earth's biomass.
Each cord of firewood burned, blade of grass or big
Mac respired decreases it.
As you point out, the carbon atoms themselves don't
get "depleted", except for the C11 which decays to
boron, and C14 and C15 which decay to nitrogen.
Sorry, Samantha, I can't help you.
Best, Jeff Davis
"Everything's hard till you know how to do it."
Ray Charles
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