3 ms·

I had similar misunderstanding before reading comments from biologist http://www.reddit.com/u/Unidan http://www.reddit.com/u/Unidan on Reddit: http://www.reddit

• vacri 13y ago
  I think you're overemphasising Unidan's comments. Unidan is talking about plantations of trees, not crops (edit: trees have a much greater reach and ability to pull nutrients from the ground). Yes, if you clear a forest for the crops the first time you get a net release, but after that, you're basically recycling carbon. True, you might get a small amount of carbon drawn from the soil, but the vast bulk of a plant's mass comes from carbon in the air. In any case, it's still far, far better than having the entirety of the carbon in the fuel pulled fresh from long-term stores - the maligned 'green argument' above. (edit: I am also a biologist by training, though not an ecologist as Unidan claims)