Impressive video of the effects of seasonal vegetation cycle on global atmospheric carbon dioxide

This cycle is particularly visible in the Northern hemisphere, as the forest are essentially made of deciduous trees, that release their carbon component under the dioxide form.
They called this cycle "respiration", which I found to be the right word, as it really makes think of the regular cycle of breathing.

Earth is a living organism by itself!

In this animation, NASA instruments show the seasonal cycle of vegetation and the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The animation begins on January 1, when the northern hemisphere is in winter and the southern hemisphere is in summer. At this time of year, the bulk of living vegetation, shown in green, hovers around the equator and below it, in the southern hemisphere.

As the animation plays forward through mid-April, the concentration of carbon dioxide, shown in orange-yellow, in the middle part of Earth's lowest atmospheric layer, the troposphere, increases and spreads throughout the northern hemisphere, reaching a maximum around May. This blooming effect of carbon dioxide follows the seasonal changes that occur in northern latitude ecosystems, in which deciduous trees lose their leaves, resulting in a net release of carbon dioxide through a process called respiration. Carbon dioxide is also released in early spring as soils begin to warm. Almost 10 percent of atmospheric carbon dioxide passes through soils each year.

Read the whole article here: NASA Photojournal

reply to post by elevenaugust


Would you agree that trees during the growing period breath in Co2, ? from this Co2 they use the carbon to build their branches, roots and leaves....... and they breath out the oxygen part of the Co2 as waste, good for us.....yes ?

The only part of the tree that is disguarded in winter are the leaves, these are eaten by varous life on the ground which use the carbon in the leaves to grow their own structure (body) this process creates methane.....yes. ?

So in winter when the trees are not growing they don't need Co2.... so there will be a build up of Co2 which probably comes from volcanoes not dead leaves.....

There will be Co2 in the soil .....because Co2 is heavier than air...... honest

I find it strange that I feel more alive in winter with all that Co2 hanging about...