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Wouldn't the high oxygen concentration during that period have done something to counteract the carbon-sequestering effect of Carboniferous trees? I imagine the
by briga 9y ago
Wouldn't the high oxygen concentration during that period have done something to counteract the carbon-sequestering effect of Carboniferous trees? I imagine the amount of wild-fires burning would have been significantly higher because of the high oxygen concentration, thus burning off a lot of the dead trees. One way or another the planet is going to maintain an equilibrium.
- mabbo 9y agoMaybe, but all evidence seems to point to the equilibrium being at a higher oxygen rate, cooler temperatures, etc.
- megaman22 9y agoFrom what I understand, the prevalence of enormous invertebrates in the fossil record points at a much higher oxygen percentage, since insect and arachnid respiratory systems aren't efficient enough to support bodies that large otherwise.
- enkid 9y agoThe period lasted 90 million years, so an equilibrium was reached, or all plants would have died due to a lack of carbon in the atmosphere. The equilibrium was just very different from today
- Radim 9y agoGeorge Carlin had a great bit on equilibrium: "Plastic, Assholes!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tncnWp67wQI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tncnWp67wQI There's no equilibrium or value judgement without specifying a time frame. The only absolute, timeless equilibrium is one that cannot sustain physical processes any more (known as the Heat Death of the Universe in physics). With that in mind, is it surprising that there was such a thing as wood pollution? "Reduce the toxic oxygen, Kill the trees, Save CO2"?