Oxygen - Trees vs. Algae

theBruiser500 · #1 10-31-2005, 02:22 PM

Do trees really contain a significant amount of oxygen? People say if our trees are cut down then our oxygen is gone but isn't most of our oxygen from algae?

purnell · #2 10-31-2005, 02:48 PM

The process of photosynthesis converts water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and oxygen. The energy input is light. Algae probably produce more oxygen in total than trees, but given that we seem to have too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere at the moment, I don't think its a good idea to ignore the contribution of land plants, including trees.

imported_luckyme · #3 10-31-2005, 02:57 PM

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The process of photosynthesis converts water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and oxygen.

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It's their value as a "carbon sink" that is usually claimed rather than the oxygen generated compared to algae. However, it's only held in trees temporarily, as they decay it recycles. Their value may be as a stabilizer rather than any net effect, so rapid removal of live ones could put the system out of balance.

lu_hawk · #4 10-31-2005, 05:16 PM

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Do trees really contain a significant amount of oxygen? People say if our trees are cut down then our oxygen is gone but isn't most of our oxygen from algae?

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Yeah I think most of it comes from plankton. But even if plankton does 90% of all the photosynthesis in the world and trees do 10% then trees are still very important to the ecosystem.

theBruiser500 · #5 10-31-2005, 06:14 PM

Ecosystem sure, trees are very important, but not for oxygen then.

wacki · #6 11-01-2005, 09:19 PM

You could burn every tree and every bit of easily reach oil and coal and there would still be plenty of oxygen left. However, we would all be dead from CO2 poisoning.

Prevaricator · #7 11-01-2005, 09:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The process of photosynthesis converts water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and oxygen.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's their value as a "carbon sink" that is usually claimed rather than the oxygen generated compared to algae. However, it's only held in trees temporarily, as they decay it recycles. Their value may be as a stabilizer rather than any net effect, so rapid removal of live ones could put the system out of balance.

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this is correct. Its not about oxygen, its about slowing climate change (aka global warming)

#8 11-01-2005, 09:36 PM

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Do trees really contain a significant amount of oxygen? People say if our trees are cut down then our oxygen is gone but isn't most of our oxygen from algae?

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Don't get any ideas, chump.

theBruiser500 · #9 11-01-2005, 09:59 PM

ah, thank you

wacki · #10 11-01-2005, 10:29 PM

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It's their value as a "carbon sink" that is usually claimed rather than the oxygen generated compared to algae. However, it's only held in trees temporarily, as they decay it recycles. Their value may be as a stabilizer rather than any net effect, so rapid removal of live ones could put the system out of balance.

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Actually this isn't 100% correct. Jerry Melillo of the Harvard Forest and Marine Biological Laboratory's Ecosystems Center centers his work around this. These molecules trap massive amounts of carbon in the soil and if the temperature of the earth raises just a few degrees the carbon will be "unlocked".