The Case of the Missing Carbon

Carbon is being released into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels, exhaust pipes, burning wood and forests. CO2 from human activity increases the atmosphere's ability to trap heat causing melting glaciers, earlier springs, and a steady rise in global temperature. Even though 6.5 billion tons of carbon comes from fossil fuels and 1.5 billion from deforestation only less than half that total (3.2 billion tons) remains in the atmosphere to warm the planet. What has happened to the rest?

Forests, grasslands and the waters of the oceans absorb half of the CO2 we emit thereby slowing its buildup in the atmosphere and delaying the effects on climate. As the globe continues to warm the forest, grassland and oceans can begin to release more carbon into the atmosphere than they absorb. Some of the milder changes caused by global warming could be scorching summers, fiercer storms, altered rainfall patterns etc. Coral reefs could disappear, deserts could spread and currents that carry heat from the tropics to the northern regions could change course.

Peter Tans, a scientist, has found that the oceans are absorbing about half of the globes missing carbon. While in the northern hemisphere the land plants are the main absorbers of carbon. Climate scientists thought that carbon fertilization might reduce the rise of CO2 but unfortunately it appears not to work. To take advantage of the increased CO2, most plants also require extra nitrogen and other nutrients.

CO2 dissolves easily in cold water and the nutrients encourage marine plant growth that quickly uses up the dissolved CO2. When these plants and the animals that feed on them die and sink to the floor of the ocean, their remains carry away the carbon and makes room for more. However the ocean is gradually using up this buffer supply. The best solution to getting rid of the carbon that man has tapped from the Earth in coal, oil and gas is to return it to its origin or source that is into coal seams, old oil and gas fields, or deep porous rock formations. This will keep the carbon out of the atmosphere.

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References

National Geographic Society, 2008, The Case of the Missing Carbon, [online] (February 2004)
Available at: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/missing-carbon.html
[ Accessed 16 March 2009]

Background Image:
James Balog, 2007, Northen Chuugach Range[electronic image]
Available at:
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/
[Accessed 27 February 2009]