A new paper in Nature Climate Change – Greater ecosystem carbon in the Mojave Desert after ten years exposure to elevated CO2 lends support to Dr Gifford’s 1992 conclusion – “The present modelled rate of net sequestration is of a similar magnitude to CO2 emissions from continental fossil fuel burning and land clearing combined.”
This May 2014 paper in Nature says – […results “provide direct evidence that CO2 fertilization substantially increases ecosystem C storage and that arid ecosystems are significant, previously unrecognized, sinks for atmospheric CO2 that must be accounted for in efforts to constrain terrestrial and global C cycles.”]
In 2013 I commented – An amazing example of collective amnesia at CSIRO –
on a new Australian paper heralded in the Canberra Times with the headline – “Plant life losing battle with emissions”.
Hey Warwick
You should email all the Green Senators & ask for a comment on this!
( & Greg Hunt)
Minister Greg Hunt should welcome this as it bolsters their “direct action” case for carbon farming.
You are welcome to write to the Greens Tom.
Roy Spencer has a recent article about CO2 ‘greening’ and WA looks to be one of 3 places where the highest amount has occured worldwide. The area covers the whole of the Pilbara, down thru the Goldfields and parts of the Northern Wheatbelt, to the Nullabor. Except the Wheatbelt, areas where there is no agriculture, bar some low intensity grazing.
www.drroyspencer.com/2014/05/greening-of-planet-earth-a-little-crowdsourcing-project/
BTW, I think increased rainfall could be partly the cause, but otherwise it looks to be all natural. No carbon farming required.
One approach that should be looked at is aerial spreading of minerals that are deficient to boost plant growth.
www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Previousproducts/1301.0Feature%20Article801966?opendocument&tabname=Summary&prodno=1301.0&issue=1966&num=&view=
Of course, the problem here is that no one makes money, except the pilots. So, I doubt we will see it happen.
Its a pity for the LNP that they don’t believe research and disparage science otherwise this could have been good news for them