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23-11-2002, 01:56 AM

(anurag) wrote in message . com...
i am interested in knowing the mechanism by which teak trees of
various ages absorb, retain
and emit carbon from the atmosphere which may throw sufficient light
on amount of atmospheric carbon sequestrated by teak trees in the form
of its biomass or in the soil beneath

The major mechanism of Teak absorbing Carbon is as CO2 gas through
leaves, fueling photosynthesis. A small secondary mechanism is
absorption through the roots as carbonic acid. It is retained as wood.

The carbon content of living teak trees is probably slightly higher
than 50% of the total mass. The annual rate of sequestration as wood
(lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose) would be about half the measured
increase from one point in time to a second point in time after one
year interval.

It is probable that 40% of the total annual productivity of
photosynthesis is released underground, where it becomes diffused in
mycorrhyzial and microbial communities. This portion of the
carbon-cycle is mostly released back into the atmosphere as CO2
exhalations. Probably no more than 10% of this portion is sequestered
deep underground as carbonic acid (CO2 dissolved in water). 10% of 40%
leaves a small net "loss" of no more than 4% circulating in the deep
underground until there is a reaction fixing tthe carbon as a
carbonate in the rocks.

Emissions of carbon occur at night when plant metabolism exhale CO2 in
an aerobic process similar to what you do -- that is, they burn sugar,
consume O2 and the waste product is CO2.

Eventually decay or fire will breakdown the sequestored carbon as CO2
again.

Lion Kuntz
http://LionKuntz.com