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| Thread ID: 84781 | 2007-11-18 06:22:00 | Global Warming - A Scientific Question | Digby (677) | PC World Chat |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 612721 | 2007-11-18 06:22:00 | Hi Guys With the latest statement by the UN leader on urgent need for action on global warming I have a question. Whether you believe in man-made global warming or not I just want an answer to this question. It is generally accepted that trees soak up carbon. Is it possible to re-plant areas such as deserts ? I believe that the Israeli's have grown trees in areas that were once deserts. If this was possible it would do two things. It would soak up lots of carbon and also probably help it rain in those areas. Regards Digby |
Digby (677) | ||
| 612722 | 2007-11-18 07:15:00 | Good one, Digby. Yesterday it was five degrees warmer than normal= global warming Today it was five degrees below normal=global cooling. Consider the source of the global warming hysteria.. d |
darroll (12090) | ||
| 612723 | 2007-11-18 07:58:00 | It is generally accepted that trees soak up carbon. Is it possible to re-plant areas such as deserts ? I believe that the Israeli's have grown trees in areas that were once deserts. If this was possible it would do two things. It would soak up lots of carbon and also probably help it rain in those areas. Regards Digby Planting trees in deserts requires a lot of water. In fact, I think Israel is locked in a dispute with its neighbours over water. Rain patterns are far more complex than just the amount of vegetation present in an area. The Sahara desert was once a lush rainforest but nevertheless became a desert. The output of carbon today may vastly exceed any scheme to soak it up by planting vegetation. |
vinref (6194) | ||
| 612724 | 2007-11-18 09:24:00 | I'm not sure creating living carbon reserves in currently arid areas is likely to be feasible. What is feasible is reducing the depletion of current reserves. This means reducing use of fossil fuels, especially in industry and power generation, and reducing the destruction of forests already present. | TGoddard (7263) | ||
| 612725 | 2007-11-18 10:09:00 | while there is a proven link between forest and rainfall, planting a desert is hideously expensive and difficult what with shifting dunes. have to pstabilise the dunes, get some nitrogen in the sand, then put smaller plants down. not enough water/soil yet for trees and it will take decades. that said there is a major project on the nile to increase the farmland by some ridiculous percentage. i think rather than planting new forests, we should replant old ones like the amazon while the soil is still capable of supporting it. the deserts will be a slow battle, we could reforest the whole amazon basin starting now if brazil was willing to. |
motorbyclist (188) | ||
| 612726 | 2007-11-19 23:51:00 | An interesting idea and as Vin says, North Africa right around the Med to Greece was heavily forested 2000 years ago. Only near the sea though. So far as I know it was human activity cutting these trees down which lead to desertification. Very very hard to reduce. The idea of growing trees is carbon sequestration ie. locking up carbon in wood so it isn't free in the environment. As well the biosphere gains from the ecology established among trees - insects, smaller plants, cooler air etc. And yes, trees do attract rain. Its been proven by satellite imagery in Australia. |
Winston001 (3612) | ||
| 612727 | 2007-11-20 00:09:00 | And yes, trees do attract rain. Its been proven by satellite imagery in Australia. the word you're looking for is "create", through transpiration they release alot of water vapour while cooling the area:nerd: apparently as the amazon has been cleared the amazon river level has been steadily dropping to match the forest loss |
motorbyclist (188) | ||
| 612728 | 2007-11-20 06:53:00 | So far as I know it was human activity cutting these trees down which lead to desertification. Very very hard to reduce. Actually, it was the natural climate patterns (www.livescience.com). And yes, trees do attract rain. Its been proven by satellite imagery in Australia. It is the other way around. Rain is caused by rising warm air sucking in moisture-laden air from (usually) the sea. Trees will grow where there is rain. |
vinref (6194) | ||
| 612729 | 2007-11-20 08:43:00 | It is the other way around. Rain is caused by rising warm air sucking in moisture-laden air from (usually) the sea. Trees will grow where there is rain. while trees do grow in wet areas, vegetation has a definite effect on rainfall. something of a feedback effect you could say. very much like like good soil; plants need it to grow, but soil needs plants to maintain produce it. as such the more tolerant species move in first and gradually as conditions improve bigger plants move in and biomass increases do i need to start posting links again? |
motorbyclist (188) | ||
| 612730 | 2007-11-20 09:46:00 | do i need to start posting links again? Yeah. It would be interesting. I never knew vegetation attracted precipitation. I was always told it was the other way. It rains a lot in the oceans, but there are no trees there. No rubbish links please. |
vinref (6194) | ||
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