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Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

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Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#11

Post by dev_dull »

molteanu wrote: post #8
wcunning wrote: post #3

The basic gist of the article is found about 1/2 way in: "First, the phytoplankton in the oceans also photosynthesise [...] Therefore in terms of TOTAL global photosynthesis, photosynthesis in the Amazon contributes around 9%. [...] Second, a bigger point that is often missed is that the Amazon consumes about as much oxygen as it produces." This reminds me, as we should all be reminded on a regular basis, the bulk of…

This is just another political play to oust Bolsonaro, the Brazil's president, from power. There have already been EU voices pushing for sanctions against Brazil and the Amazon fires are on the G7 agenda which brings a lot of negative press against the political body in Brazil. All the while central Africa is also ravaged by fires but you don't hear that in the news. Like most of what you hear in the big press, it co…

You’re being downvoted, but it clearly is a political move. The fires aren’t even outside of the average and already countries are applying political pressure on the president.

When the facts are detached from the narrative, it’s usually a political story.

Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#12

Post by dev_dull »

tcgv wrote: post #6

This subject has been treated so irresponsibly these past few days that not only people are making inaccurate statements such as "the Amazon provides 20% of our oxygen", but also high profile people such as Emmanuel Macron (France's President) and Cristiano Ronaldo (World famous soccer player) are sharing false information and photos[1] [1] http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=&sl=pt&tl=en&u=http...

It’s almost like these people are more interested in pushing a narrative and not the facts?

Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#13

Post by RandomBacon »

thepangolino wrote: post #7
bendbro wrote: post #4

This whole "RAINFOREST IS ON FIRE" meme reminds me a lot of Kony 2012.

Exactly. It’s highlights a real issue but completely misplaces mobilisation.

But then you get the people that say, "At least they're doing something."

Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#14

Post by m0zg »

tcgv wrote: post #6

This subject has been treated so irresponsibly these past few days that not only people are making inaccurate statements such as "the Amazon provides 20% of our oxygen", but also high profile people such as Emmanuel Macron (France's President) and Cristiano Ronaldo (World famous soccer player) are sharing false information and photos[1] [1] http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=&sl=pt&tl=en&u=http...

All of US presidential candidates, democratic and republican alike, routinely and knowingly push blatant lies as a part of their platform and nobody blinks an eye. If you went through what they say with a fine toothed comb and removed all the lies, there'd be hardly anything left. People don't care about facts. They care about how a narrative makes them feel. Sad but true.

Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#15

Post by povertyworld »

I haven't been following this specific news story, but I remember from my environmental sociology class that fire prevention in forests eventually leads to unnatural states that are then prone to massive uncontainable fires. Have they been suppressing natural fire in this region for too long? If this fire is naturally burning, then isn't the best response to let it run its course unless human lives are threatened?

Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#16

Post by Misdicorl »

ctrl-j wrote: post #9
wcunning wrote: post #3

The basic gist of the article is found about 1/2 way in: "First, the phytoplankton in the oceans also photosynthesise [...] Therefore in terms of TOTAL global photosynthesis, photosynthesis in the Amazon contributes around 9%. [...] Second, a bigger point that is often missed is that the Amazon consumes about as much oxygen as it produces." This reminds me, as we should all be reminded on a regular basis, the bulk of…

I mean.. I get your point.. but 9% is still a lot, and even if it's net-zero, the carbon sequestration going into that process can't be negligible. It may be a click-bait factoid, but it's not like that factoid isn't an important one.

There is no active sequestration for a static forest. Only if the forest is expanding in size will sequestration occur. Obviously reducing the size via burning has the opposite effect

Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#17

Post by Misdicorl »

povertyworld wrote: post #15

I haven't been following this specific news story, but I remember from my environmental sociology class that fire prevention in forests eventually leads to unnatural states that are then prone to massive uncontainable fires. Have they been suppressing natural fire in this region for too long? If this fire is naturally burning, then isn't the best response to let it run its course unless human lives are threatened?

This is not true for rainforests afaik. There is no fire cycle like for the mountain forests of the US West

Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#18

Post by cm2187 »

Misdicorl wrote: post #16
ctrl-j wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean.. I get your point.. but 9% is still a lot, and even if it's net-zero, the carbon sequestration going into that process can't be negligible. It may be a click-bait factoid, but it's not like that factoid isn't an important one.

There is no active sequestration for a static forest. Only if the forest is expanding in size will sequestration occur. Obviously reducing the size via burning has the opposite effect

But doesn't it regrow from the hashes?

Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#19

Post by m0zg »

palisade wrote: post #10

More importantly as the planet's "lungs" the Amazon filters a great quantity of carbon dioxide from the air.

I googled some and it looks like Amazon rainforest alone removes about a quarter of fossil fuel CO2 from the atmosphere. That's more than I thought it'd be. And it looks like it could sequester much more if there was more phosphorus in the soil.

Re: Does the Amazon provide 20% of our oxygen?

#20

Post by Misdicorl »

ctrl-j wrote: post #9
wcunning wrote: post #3

The basic gist of the article is found about 1/2 way in: "First, the phytoplankton in the oceans also photosynthesise [...] Therefore in terms of TOTAL global photosynthesis, photosynthesis in the Amazon contributes around 9%. [...] Second, a bigger point that is often missed is that the Amazon consumes about as much oxygen as it produces." This reminds me, as we should all be reminded on a regular basis, the bulk of…

I mean.. I get your point.. but 9% is still a lot, and even if it's net-zero, the carbon sequestration going into that process can't be negligible. It may be a click-bait factoid, but it's not like that factoid isn't an important one.

As a follow up to my above, it's the weight of the forest that matters. Older forests typically fit bigger and denser and heavier trees, so the age of a forest still matters a lot. But a fairly established forest like the Amazon is not changing the amount of oxygen out carbon dioxide in the air unless it's expanding or contracting
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