Hi Nadine,
Essentially Mq is saying that the ocean, by dissolving CO2, and plant life, by consuming CO2, sucks up most of any additional amounts of CO2 that may have been generated by other processes This is called a "buffer" in chemical parlance and means that the additional CO2 which may have otherwise produced an increase of say, 10% in the atmosphere will in reality, due to the buffering effect will result in a increase of, depending on the feedback gain of the loop, perhaps just one or two or three percent, maybe even much, much less. I'd have to consult the latest models for the best estimates. As CO2 production (mainly volcanoes) tries to strongly rise, the increased plant life moderates the change. The CO2 concentration still rises but you see a far smaller effect than expected due to the simultaneously increasing plant consumption and accelerated dissolving action in the ocean.
A similar but opposite dynamic applies to a reduction in production of CO2 -- plant consumption is reduced and the oceans give up previously dissolved CO2 to the atmosphere.
Within a generous range, this system is very stable and adaptive. There have been some very accessible pieces published in Scientific American over the years that describe the current models and go on to explain the various sources and sinks in the global CO2 cycle.
--fl |
