Re: (Fwd) [asa] Cows, diet, and warming

The webpage provides interesting statistics but irrelevant to global
warming question. It's the addition of greenhouse gasses by human
activity which needs to be looked at. It's somewhat saddening to me
how this site misses the important issues and instead attempts to
trivialize the data.

So what happened to the CO2 concentration ?
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=87

<quote>Over the last 150 years, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations
have risen from 280 to nearly 380 parts per million (ppm). The fact
that this is due virtually entirely to human activities is so well
established that one rarely sees it questioned. Yet it is quite
reasonable to ask how we know this.</quote>

In other words, natural concentrations form the baseline temperature,
anthropogenic contributions affect the temperature increase. Hope this
clarifies.

On 1/10/07, Bill Hamilton <williamehamiltonjr@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Thanks, Pim, for posting these links. I've found one myself that perhaps you'd
> like to comment on:
> http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/greenhouse_data.html
>
>
>
>
> --- PvM <pvm.pandas@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Of course, it's not what the earth already emits naturally, it's the
> > effect of what humans have added that should be our concern. However
> > there is some data about termites:
> >
> > <quote>
> > However, data indicate that while there are large variations in the
> > amount of CH4 produced by different species, the total methane source
> > due to termites is probably less than 15 Tg per year, thus making a
> > contribution of less than 5% to global CH4 emissions.
> > </quote>
> >
> > The IPCC reports http://www.epa.gov/methane/sources.html
> >
> > Wetlands. Natural wetlands are responsible for approximately 76% of
> > global methane emissions from natural sources, accounting for about
> > 145 Tg of methane per year. Wetlands provide a habitat conducive to
> > methane-producing (methanogenic) bacteria that produce methane during
> > the decomposition of organic material. These bacteria require
> > environments with no oxygen and abundant organic matter, both of which
> > are present in wetland conditions.
> >
> > Termites. Global emissions of termites are estimated to be about 20 Tg
> > per year, and account for approximately 11% of the global methane
> > emissions from natural sources. Methane is produced in termites as
> > part of their normal digestive process, and the amount generated
> > varies among different species. Ultimately, emissions from termites
> > depend largely on the population of these insects, which can also vary
> > significantly among different regions of the world.
> >
> > Oceans. Oceans are estimated to be responsible for about 8% of the
> > global methane emissions from natural sources, accounting for
> > approximately 15 Tg of methane. The source of methane from oceans is
> > not entirely clear, but two identified sources include the anaerobic
> > digestion in marine zooplankton and fish, and also from methanogenisis
> > in sediments and drainage areas along coastal regions.
> >
> > Hydrates. Global emissions from methane hydrates is estimated to be
> > around 10 Tg of methane per year, accounting for approximately 5% of
> > the global methane emissions from natural sources. Methane hydrates
> > are solid deposits composed of cages of water molecules that contain
> > molecules of methane. The solids can be found deep underground in
> > polar regions and in ocean sediments of the outer continental margin
> > throughout the world. Methane can be released from the hydrates with
> > changes in temperature, pressure, salt concentrations, and other
> > factors. Overall, the amount of methane stored in these hydrates
> > globally is estimated to be very large with the potential for large
> > releases of methane if there are significant breakdowns in the
> > stability of the deposits. Because of this large potential for
> > emissions, there is much ongoing scientific research related to
> > analyzing and predicting how changes in the ocean environment affect
> > the stability of hydrates.
> >
> >
> > And http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/prrl/prrl0231.html
> >
> > In a baseline study in 1995, 60 percent of methane emissions to the
> > atmosphere were the result of human activity. The IPCC's A1 scenario,
> > which Fiore characterizes as "less optimistic in terms of anticipated
> > emissions than a companion B1 scenario," posits economic development
> > as the primary policy influencing future trends of manmade emissions
> > in most countries. Under A1, emissions would increase globally from
> > 1995 to 2030, but their distribution would shift. Manmade nitrogen
> > oxides would decline by 10 percent in the developed world, but
> > increase by 130 percent in developing countries. During the same
> > period, methane emissions would increase by 43 percent globally,
> > according to the A1 scenario.
> >
> >
> > and http://www.climatescience.gov/infosheets/highlight1/default.htm
> >
> > Human-influenced sources of methane include landfills, natural gas and
> > petroleum production and distribution systems, agricultural
> > activities, coal mining, stationary and mobile combustion, wastewater
> > treatment, and certain industrial processes. About 60% of global
> > methane emissions come from these sources and the rest are from
> > natural sources (IPCC, 2001). Natural sources include wetlands,
> > termites, oceans, and hydrates (which consist of methane molecules
> > each surrounded by a cage of water molecules and are present in
> > seafloor deposits around the world).
> >
> >
> > As far as trees are concerned, this is based on a recent study and is
> > yet to be confirmed, nevertheless
> >
> > <quote>Consensus
> >
> > The study does not seek to explain exactly how the methane is emitted,
> > nor suggest which plant species may emit more than others.
> >
> > Nor does it challenge scientific opinion on global warming, which has
> > become rock-hard over the past five years and is now questioned only
> > by a small minority.
> >
> > The consensus is that global warming is a fact and may already be
> > affecting Earth's climate, and the big culprit is the billions of
> > tonnes of CO2 spewed out by burning oil, gas and coal.
> >
> > The paper's earliest impact could be political, for it attacks one of
> > Kyoto's conceptual cores.
> >
> > Under the protocol's notoriously complex rule book, industrialised
> > signatories that plant forests can offset the supposed benefit against
> > their national quotas of CO2. </quote>
> >
> > So these findings may be used politically to counter the Kyoto
> > protocol as trees were seen as a way to offset CO2 sources.
> >
> > Keppler, the originator of the study warns
> >
> > <quote>Keppler cautions against 'over interpreting' his results. He
> > warns that it is not only net emissions from trees that need to be
> > re-evaluated. Rising temperatures caused by greenhouse gases, and
> > changing atmospheric conditions caused by changing carbon dioxide
> > concentrations will lead to increased methane emissions from plants
> > and emphasise global warming, he told Chemistry World. 'This effect
> > could be much more pronounced than the benefit you get from other
> > [reforestation] programmes,' he said. </quote>
> >
> >
> > See also
> >
> http://www.mpg.de/english/illustrationsDocumentation/documentation/pressReleases/2006/pressRelease200601131/index.html
> >
> > Global Warming - The Blame Is not with the Plants
> >
> > International scientific team reacts to misinterpretation of their
> > research results and provides the correct perspective
> >
> > On 1/9/07, Janice Matchett <janmatch@earthlink.net> wrote:
> > >
> > > At 05:11 PM 1/9/2007, Lawrence Johnston wrote:
> > >
> > > "..I have also read that termites similarly produce methane, probably by
> > > synrgistic cellulose digesting bacteria. Does anyone have an estimate of
> > > how much of the greenhouse gases come from this source?
> > >
> > > @ Termites emit 20 million tons of methane per year. (See Nature, Vol 439,
> > > pg. 148).
> >
> > To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
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> >
>
>
> Bill Hamilton
> William E. Hamilton, Jr., Ph.D.
> 248.652.4148 (home) 248.821.8156 (mobile)
> "...If God is for us, who is against us?" Rom 8:31
>
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Received on Wed Jan 10 12:17:59 2007