From: Jeff Davis (jrd1415@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Jul 13 2003 - 04:12:13 MDT
--- "Amara D. Angelica" <amara@kurzweilai.net> wrote:
> However, the report also states: " FAO-UNESCO values
> indicate that the
> amount of soil organic carbon in the world is about
> 3000 x 10^15 g," so
> I'm confused.
Here's a **possible** explanation. A living plant or
animal is clearly biomass. When it dies, or is
harvested, it's still biomass. But as it decomposes,
perhaps its category status changes gradually. Is
peat, loam, compost, or sewage/fecal material still
biomass? As the decay process proceeds, a substantial
quantity of the breakdown products remain in the soil.
They are continually broken down, and continually
replenished,...by 'fresh' biomass.
'Rich' soil has a lot of 'organic' material in it. A
bear eats biomass. A bear is biomass. But what a
bear 'does' in the woods crosses that --dare I say
"brown"-- line separating biomass from "soil organic
carbon".
Anyway, that would be my guess.
Best, Jeff Davis
"And I think to myself, what a wonderful world!"
Louie Armstrong
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