Non-Flat Earth Recalibrated for Terrain and Topsoil Robert Blakemore To cite this version: Robert Blakemore. Non-Flat Earth Recalibrated for Terrain and Topsoil: + Addendum to ”Soil Syst. 2018, 2, 64” on SOC & NPP. Soil Systems, MDPI, 2018, 2 (4), pp.64. 10.3390/soilsystems2040064. hal-02859836 HAL Id: hal-02859836 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02859836 Submitted on 10 Jun 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution| 4.0 International License Article Non-Flat Earth Recalibrated for Terrain and Topsoil Robert J. Blakemore 1,2 1 VermEcology, 101 Suidomichi, Nogeyama, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken 231-0064, Japan; [email protected] 2 Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Natural History, Odawara nr. Hakone, Kanagawa-ken 247-0007, Japan Received: 24 September 2018; Accepted: 19 November 2018; Published: 26 November 2018 Abstract: Earth’s land surface is raised from conventionally flat 15 Gha to >64 Gha accounting for hilly slope undulation and topsoil relief detail. Three main aspects are: topography, rugosity/tortuosity, and micro-relief/porosity of ice/vegetation-free ground. Recalibration arises from four approaches: First, direct empirical estimates of compiled satellite/LiDAR data means of +2.5–26% surface progressively overlain by +94% at cm2 scale for soil ruggedness then +108% for mm2 micro-relief; Second, from digital elevation models with thrice 1.6–2.0 times flat areas; Third, by ‘reverse engineering’ global soil bulk densities and carbon reserves requiring ×4–6 land. Finally, a Fermi estimation doubles the Earth’s surface—as exposed to Sun, air and rain—conveniently set at 100 Gha (with 64 Gha land:36 Gha ocean). Soil organic carbon (SOC) thereby grows to 8580 Gt mainly in SOM-humus with its biotic complexity plus roots, Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhiza (VAM-fungi), leaf-litter and earthworms itself totaling 17,810 Gt. Although four to six times IPCC’s or NASA/NOAA’s calculated 1500–2300 Gt SOC, this is likely an underestimation. Global biomass and biodiversity are at least doubled (×2–3.5) and net primary productivity (NPP) increases to >270 Gt C yr−1 due to terrain. Rationale for a ‘Soil Ecology Institute’ gains ground. Keywords: topographical land surface-area; soil carbon sequestration; global climate; earthworms 1. Introduction This paper attempts to answer the simple question: “What’s the Earth’s true surface area?”. Surprisingly, this has no exact answer yet is key for determining the extent of the living world and it is crucial for understanding our planet’s essential life-support systems, especially the neglected soil. Even the most basic information on soils—upon which we live and depend for >99% human food [1–3], 100% timber and natural fibres, to filter all our drinking water, for medicines, such as Penicillins, Streptomycins, Malacidins and now Teixobactin or drugs, like Ivermectin (anti-parasitic) and Bleomycin (anti-cancer), and which support >98% of biota [4–6] (and herein) whilst also buffering pollution and climate change—is poorly known. For example: How much topsoil is there? What is its rate of production and loss? How about total soil biodiversity, primary productivity, and the principal vulnerabilities or extinction threats? Part of the reason for knowledge deficit is the lack of a single ‘Soil Ecology Institute’ comparable to myriad Marine, Aquatic, Atmospheric and Astronomical advocacy or research facilities around the globe (plus innumerable agriculture, chemistry, microbiology, or physics laboratories, albeit some claim a soil remit). A major oversight is ignoring terrain and topsoil, the main issue the current work confronts, as this graphic summarizes (Figure1). Soil Syst. 2018, 2, 64; doi:10.3390/soilsystems2040064 www.mdpi.com/journal/soilsystems Soil Syst. 2018, 2, 64 2 of 39 Soil Syst. 2018, 2, x AUTHOR’S FINAL PROOF 2 of 39 FigureFigure 1.1.( a()a Hiroshige) Hiroshige Utagawa’s Utagawa’s 1833 1833 ukiyo-e ukiyo print:-e print “Bandits’: “Bandits’ Paradise: Paradise: Hakone Hakone on the Tokaido on the” (lookingTokaido” towards(looking Mt towards Fuji), itMt intuitively Fuji), it intuitively and stylistically and stylistically demonstrates demonstrates undulations undulations with a patchwork with a patchwork mosaic of landformsmosaic of andlandforms also shows and also how shows people how closely people follow closely each fol other,low rarely each other, looking rarely out beyondlooking the out pack beyond for tribalthe pack reasons for tribal of safety; reasons (b) NASA/NOAA’sof safety; (b) NASA/NOAA’s alternate ‘flat-Earth’ alternate view ‘flat- ofEarth this’ landscape;view of this remarkably, landscape; mostremarkably, current most totals current of biodiversity, totals of productivity,biodiversity, productivity, plus carbon and plus other carbon nutrient and other budgets nutrient based budgets upon theirbased flat upon linear-model their flat linear are consequently-model are consequently incorrect, widely incorrect, underestimating widely underestimat true values.ing true values. 1.1.1.1. Land’sLand’s SurfaceSurface AreaArea TheThe presentpresent studystudy buildsbuilds onon thethe author’sauthor’s earlierearlier workwork [[2,72,7––99]] andand sourcessources thatthat areare citedcited therein.therein. BeforeBefore focusingfocusing onon topsoils/earthworms,topsoils/earthworms, it is necessary to firstfirst considerconsider aa broaderbroader picturepicture andand thethe implicationsimplications ofof increasingincreasing landland relief.relief. ByBy long-standinglong-standing convention,convention, land areaarea isis measuredmeasured onon aa commoncommon surfacesurface planeplane projectedprojected ontoonto thethe ground,ground, i.e.,i.e., asas aa twotwo dimensionaldimensional (2-D),(2-D), flat,flat,planimetric planimetric area.area. NASA/NOAANASA/NOAA estimates are of 14.8–15.114.8–15.1 Gha landland (29.2%)(29.2%) andand 36.236.2 GhaGha oceanocean (70.8%)(70.8%) givinggiving aroundaround 51 51 Gha Gha for for Earth’s Earth’s (flat) (flat) surface surface [10]. However, [10]. However, these totals these do nottotals consider do not terrain, consider topography, terrain, nortopograph ruggedy surface, nor rugged topsoil surface relief. Intopsoil other relief. words, In theyother ignore words, that they the ignore ground that is naturallythe ground hilly is naturally and soil bumpy.hilly and Reasoning soil bumpy from. R theseeasoning Space, from Oceanic, these andSpace, Atmosphere Oceanic, agenciesand Atmosphere (everything agencies but Soil?) (everything is along thebut lines Soil?) of is the along Globe the being lines of so the large Globe that being slight so elevations, large that such slight as elevations the Alps, Andes,, such as Antarctic the Alps, Ranges, Andes, AtlasAntarctic Mounts, Ranges, Australia’s Atlas Mounts Great Dividing, Australia’s Range, Great Ethiopian Dividing Highlands, Range, Ethiopian Himalayas, Highlands, Japanese Himalayas Alps and, theJapanese North Alps American and the Cordillera North American are insignificant. Cordillera This are may insignificant. be essentially This true may at scalesbe essentially of observation true at aroundscales of 10,000 observation km to 10,000 around m 10,000 (at which km Yingto 10,000 et al. m 2014 (at which also found Ying topography et al. 2014 also negligible, found topography as is noted later).negligible Under-appreciated, as is noted later is that). whileUnder the-appreciated sea is horizontally is that flat,while land the invariably sea is horizontally undulates, and,flat, sinceland itinvariably indeed occupies undulates only, and 29%, since of the it projected indeed occupies surface, thenonly the29% more of the planar projected versus surface hilly parts, then of the just more this proportionplanar versus are hilly inter-comparable. parts of just this The proportion following are table inter summarizes-comparable. the The current following false ‘flat-Earth’table summarizes status (Tablethe current1). false ‘flat-Earth’ status (Table 1). Table 1. Earth’s Inadequate Status Quo Flat-Earth Surface Model. Table 1. Earth’s Inadequate Status Quo Flat-Earth Surface Model. Flat AreasFlat Areas CIA CIA 2008 (Gha)(Gha) FAO FAO(Gha) (Gha) * *% % Six ContinentsSix Continents 13.36 13.01 13.01 87 87 AntarcticaAntarctica 1.40 1.40 (2% ice-free)ice-free) 1.4 1.49.4 9.4 Greenland 0.22 (21% ice-free) 0.18 1.2 Rivers/lakesGreenland 0.22 (21% - ice-free) 0.18 0.15–0.37 1.2 1.1–2.5 Rivers/lakes - 0.15–0.37 1.1–2.5 TOTAL 14.98 ~14.96 100 TOTAL 14.98 ~14.96 100 * From Nunn & Puga (2009: appendix) [11] of ~15 Gha planimetric land including hot or cold deserts with roughly* From 80%Nunn (12 & Gha) Puga supporting (2009: appendix) terrestrial soils[11] providingof ~15 Gha various planimetric levels of land organic includ carbon,ing hot natural or cold fertility deserts and specieswith roughly richness; 80% some ( bodies12 Gha of) watersupporting (e.g., temporary terrestrial freshwater soils provid inundations,ing various rice paddy, levels springs, of organic bogs, marshes,carbon, or swamps)