world building modeling info

[Hal]

Hello Folks,
I've not participated in much of the Traveller discussions as of late, but I stumbled across this interesting data bit (whether true or not I don't know, but it looks interesting...)

Turn your browser to
http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/news/2007/05/phytoplankton

The pertinent datum is that this plant accounts for roughly 2/3rds the photosynthesis activity of Earth. Whether this is true or not, I can't verify, but it gives a GM some working data to base their worlds upon...

Hal

PS - I'm unsubscribed from the TML. If someone would cross post the URL to the TML, it would be nice (I don't feel like resubscribing, posting, and then unsubscribing again.)

 

[Pickles]

Two-thirds sounds about right from what I remember of my environmental science studies. That's why warming of the seas is quite concerning to a lot of informed observers ...

Another plant-fact is that a substantial amount of nitrogen used for plant growth is actually extracted from the atmosphere, which is why replacing it with another inert gas like argon might have unforseen consequences.

 

[atpollard]

2/3 is a large amount but 3/4 of the earth is covered with ocean. Are land based plants more efficient at photosynthesis?

(for consideration of atmosphere and hydrographics in Traveller).