Concept explainers
Energy Efficiency of Biofuel Production Most of the plant material currently used for biofuel production consists of food crops—mainly corn, soybeans, and sugarcane. In 2006, David Tilman and his colleagues published the results of a 10-year study comparing the net energy output of various biofuels. The researchers grew a mixture of native perennial grasses without irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides, in sandy soil that was so depleted by intensive agriculture that it had been abandoned. They measured the usable energy in biofuels made from the grasses, and also from com and soy, then measured the energy it look to grow and produce biofuel from each kind of crop (Figure 6.1).
FIGURE 6.1 Energy input and output of biofuels made from three different crops. One hectare is about 2.5 acres.
Which of the three crops would require the least amount of land to produce a given amount of biofuel energy?
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 6 Solutions
Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap Course List)
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
Anatomy & Physiology
Biology Illinois Edition (Glencoe Science)
Laboratory Experiments in Microbiology (12th Edition) (What's New in Microbiology)
Principles of Anatomy and Physiology
Becker's World of the Cell (9th Edition)
Human Biology: Concepts and Current Issues (8th Edition)
- Energy Efficiency of Biofuel Production Most of the plant material currently used for biofuel production in the United States consists of food cropsmainly corn, soybeans, and sugarcane. In 2006, David Tilman and his colleagues published the results of a 10-year study comparing the net energy output of various biofuels. The researchers grew a mixture of native perennial grasses without irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides, in sandy soil that was so depleted by intensive agriculture that it had been abandoned. They measured the usable energy in biofuels made from the grasses, and also from com and soy, then measured the energy it took to grow and produce biofuel from each kind of crop (FIGURE 6.18). FIGURE 6 .18 Energy inputs and outputs of biofuels made from three different crops. One hectare is about 2 .5 acres. 2. Which of the biofuels tested had the highest ratio of energy output to energy input?arrow_forwardEnergy Efficiency of Biofuel Production Most of the plant material currently used for biofuel production in the United States consists of food cropsmainly corn, soybeans, and sugarcane. In 2006, David Tilman and his colleagues published the results of a 10-year study comparing the net energy output of various biofuels. The researchers grew a mixture of native perennial grasses without irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides, in sandy soil that was so depleted by intensive agriculture that it had been abandoned. They measured the usable energy in biofuels made from the grasses, and also from com and soy, then measured the energy it took to grow and produce biofuel from each kind of crop (FIGURE 6.18). FIGURE 6 .18 Energy inputs and outputs of biofuels made from three different crops. One hectare is about 2 .5 acres. 3. Which of the three crops would require the least amount of land to produce a given amount of biofuel energy?arrow_forwardWhat are the boilogical advantages and disadvantages of using hydroponics to grow food? or.. Thanksarrow_forward
- 1.1 Microbes in the soil could be beneficial to plants and one way to evaluate this is by determining the R/S ratio. Define the R/S ratio. 1.2 Both rhizospheric and root-free soils were collected from five (5) plants before (BT) and after (AT) treatment. Using the microbial biomass that appear in Table 1, the R/S ratios before (BT) and after (AT) can be determined. Use these values to determine the respective R/S ratios. Kindly show all workings. Microbial population Before Treatment (BT) Plants R/S Microbial population After Treatment (AT) R/S ratio ratio (BT) (AT) Rhizospheric Non- soil (CFU) Rhizospheric Non- rhizospheric soil (CFU) soil (CFU) rhizospheric soil (CFU) Typha sp. 764 168 988 186 Pistia sp. 286 86 386 112 Salvinia 397 132 528 166 sp. Lemna sp. 274 121 406 152 Eichhornia 443 140 648 196 sp.arrow_forwardAzlina wanted to maximize the bio-char yield in her experiment so that she can utilize the biochar in the subsequent pot trials to improve the crop yield. She decided to run a torrefaction reaction on biomass at a moderate temperature of 240 oC whereby the biochar yield was 20 wt%. Later on, she found out that biochar can be produced by pyrolysis with a higher yield of 40 wt% but operating at a higher temperature of 500 oC. The amount of biochar yield almost doubled from her yield from the torrefaction process. Explain whether any error involved in her experiment, then describe the error involved and suggest the method to improve the biochar yield.arrow_forwardWhat is the dividing line between advanced biofuels and other generations of biofuels? is it determined by the feedstock? Or is it determined by the process? and (why)?arrow_forward
- Nitrogen-fixing bacteria on the roots of some plants can consume as much as 20% of the ATP produced by their host— consumption that does not seem very beneficial to the plant. Explain why this loss of valuable resources is tolerated and what the bacteria are doing with the ATP.arrow_forwardAccording to the water potential values shown in the image, which ones are wrong and why? W air (22 °C, 50% HR) -100 MPa Cas V sheet -0.2 MPa W stem -0.01 MPa to -0.1 MPa W soil -1 MPa to -0.51 MPa -4 MPa W root -0.1 MPa toarrow_forwardPlease write clearlyarrow_forward
- Are biogas plants and anaerobic digestion(AD) plants the same thing? Are there any anaerobic plants in the United States? How do you increase the productivity of Anaerobic Digestion(AD) plants in the US?arrow_forwardWhat is nature inspired carbonmaterials? Describe the synthesis of corn-cob derived carbon from corn biomass.arrow_forwardHey, I need help answering this biology questions 1. Identify one plant-produced compound that requires nitrogen 2. Why are plants not the most important in the nitrogen cycle? 3. Why is net primary production significantly higher for continental shelf communities than for offshore communities? 4. Why can the activity of microorganisms be assessed by breathing rate?arrow_forward
- Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781337408332Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781305073951Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage Learning
- Human Biology (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305112100Author:Cecie Starr, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage Learning