Direct and indirect metabolic CO₂ release by humanity

Y. T. Prairie (1) , C. M. Duarte (2)

1 Département des Sciences Biologiques [Montréal]
2 IMEDEA - Institut Mediterrani d'Estudis Avancats

The direct CO₂ released by respiration of humans and domesticated animals, as well as the CO₂ derived from the decomposition of their resulting wastes was calculated in order to ascertain the direct and indirect metabolic contribution of humanity to CO₂ release. Human respiration was estimated to release 0.6 Gt C year^?1 and that of their associated domestic animals was estimated to release 1.5 Gt C year^?1, to which an indirect release of 1.0 Gt C year^?1, derived from decomposition of the organic waste and garbage produced by humans and their domestic animals, must be added. These combined direct and indirect metabolic sources, estimated at 3.1 Gt C year^?1, has increased 7 fold since pre-industrial times and is forecasted to continue to rise over the 21st century.

Domaines: Cosmologie et astrophysique extra-galactique [astro-ph.CO]; Astrophysique [astro-ph]; Interfaces continentales, environnement; Océan, Atmosphère; Sciences de la Terre

Y. T. Prairie, C. M. Duarte. Direct and indirect metabolic CO₂ release by humanity. Biogeosciences Discussions, 2006, 3 (6), pp.1781-1789. ⟨hal-00298317⟩