Realizing the Value of Photosynthetic Biomass: The Role of Analog Forestry (original) (raw)
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Biomass Energy and the Global Carbon Balance
Renewable Energy, 1994
Studies on climate change and energy production increasingly recognisc the crucial role of biological systems. Carbon sinks in forests (above and below ground), CO 2 emissions from deforestation, planting trees for carbon storage, and biomass as a substitute for fossil fucis are some of the key issues which arise. Halting deforestation is of paramount importance, but there is also great potential for reforestation of degraded lands, agroforestry and improved forest management. We conclude biomass energy plantations and other types of energy cropping could he a more effective strategy for carbon mitigation than simply growing trees as a carbon store, particularly on higher productivity lands. Use of the biomass produced as an energy source has the added advantage of a wi~le range of other environmental, social and economic benefits. The constraints to achieving environmentallyacceptable biomass production are not insurmountable. Rather they should he seen as scientific and entrepreneurial opportunities which will yield numerous advantages in the long term.
Biomass in the Context of Industrial Ecology
Biomass is a resource that economically stands out from other types of resources. Implementation of bioeconomies based on more efficient and more versatile utilisation of biomass is in the focus of European and national agendas. At the same time, industrial ecology has emerged as central discipline aiming towards transferring sustainability ideas and sustainability principles into practice. In this context, non-biogenic resources are covered with priority, while the topic biomass is more rarely covered as an explicit issue. This paper highlights elements that are central to understand the role of biomass in the context of industrial ecology, and in particular basic differences that exist compared to other material resources.
Importance of biomass in the global carbon cycle
Journal of Geophysical Research, 2009
1] Our knowledge of the distribution and amount of terrestrial biomass is based almost entirely on ground measurements over an extremely small, and possibly biased sample, with many regions still unmeasured. Our understanding of changes in terrestrial biomass is even more rudimentary, although changes in land use, largely tropical deforestation, are estimated to have reduced biomass, globally. At the same time, however, the global carbon balance requires that terrestrial carbon storage has increased, albeit the exact magnitude, location, and causes of this residual terrestrial sink are still not well quantified. A satellite mission capable of measuring aboveground woody biomass could help reduce these uncertainties by delivering three products. First, a global map of aboveground woody biomass density would halve the uncertainty of estimated carbon emissions from land use change. Second, an annual, global map of natural disturbances could define the unknown but potentially large proportion of the residual terrestrial sink attributable to biomass recovery from such disturbances. Third, direct measurement of changes in aboveground biomass density (without classification of land cover or carbon modeling) would indicate the magnitude and distribution of at least the largest carbon sources (from deforestation and degradation) and sinks (from woody growth). The information would increase our understanding of the carbon cycle, including better information on the magnitude, location, and mechanisms responsible for terrestrial sources and sinks of carbon. This paper lays out the accuracy, spatial resolution, and coverage required for a satellite mission that would generate these products.
Biomass for Power and Energy Generation
2015
Biomass is a scientific term for living matter, more specifically any organic matter that has been derived from plants as a result of the photosynthetic conversion process. The word biomass is also used to denote the products derived from living organisms – wood from trees, harvested grasses, plant parts, and residues such as stems and leaves, as well as aquatic plants. The solid biomass processing facility may also generate process heat and electric power. As more efficient bioenergy technologies are developed, fossil fuel inputs will be reduced; biomass and its by-products can also be used as sources for fuelling many energy needs. The energy value of biomass from plant matter originally comes from solar energy through the process known as photosynthesis. In nature, all biomass ultimately decomposes to its elementary molecules with the release of heat. During conversion processes such as combustion, biomass releases its energy, often in the form of heat, and the carbon is re-oxidi...
Kent and Riegel’s Handbook of Industrial Chemistry and Biotechnology, 2007
The role of biomass in mitigation of global warming
2009
The authors are solely responsible for the content of this technical presentation. The technical presentation does not necessarily reflect the official position of the International Commission of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (CIGR), and its printing and distribution does not constitute an endorsement of views which may be expressed. Technical presentations are not subject to the formal peer review process by CIGR editorial committees; therefore, they are not to be presented as refereed publications.
Plant respiration: controlled by photosynthesis or biomass?
BioRxiv, 2019
Two simplifying hypotheses have been proposed for whole-plant respiration. One links respiration to photosynthesis; the other to biomass. Using a first-principles carbon balance model with a prescribed live woody biomass turnover, we show that if turnover is fast, the accumulation of respiring biomass is low and respiration depends primarily on photosynthesis; while if turnover is slow, the accumulation of respiring biomass is high and respiration depends primarily on biomass. But the first scenario is inconsistent with evidence for substantial carryover of fixed carbon between years, while the second implies far too great an increase in respiration during stand development – leading to depleted carbohydrate reserves and an unrealistically high mortality risk. These two mutually incompatible hypotheses are thus both incorrect. Respiration is not linearly related either to photosynthesis or to biomass, but rather it is more strongly controlled by recent photosynthates (and reserve availability) than by total biomass.
1989
This paper provides a broad overview of the use of plant material as a source of usable energy. The problem ofgathering and interpreting data on the use of biomass is discussed. From the limited data available it is inferred that bioenergy contributes about 15% of the global energy budget. The paper deals with a variety ofother major topics: the role ofbiomass in the energy system, differences in that role in industrialized and developing countries, conversion technologies, environmental considerations and the multiple uses of biomass (food for people, feed for animals and fibre for construction material and other uses as well as energy sources). The ability of the biosphere to provide adequate amounts ofprimary energy is limited, especially ifforecasts of population growth, and associated increases in the demand for food, feed and fibre, turn out to be accurate. By improvingthe efficiency ofbioenergy use, which is currently very low, it should be possible to deliver more tertiary energy for the same primary energy input.