[Blueflag]

cogitator -- review the carbon cycle and photosynthesis.

CO2 + H2O ------> sugar
+ light
+ heat

Without CO2, there is no growth. CO2 IS an essential "vital" nutrient. ;-)

[Gorzaloon]

cogitator -- review the carbon cycle and photosynthesis.

CO2 + H2O ------> sugar

+ light

+ heat

Without CO2, there is no growth. CO2 IS an essential "vital" nutrient. ;-)

True as far as it goes, but in the context of biology, that is only half the cycle.

The other half is:

Sugars*-------Metabolism---> CO2+HOH+Energy, and around it goes, plants to animals to plants..

*(Including oligomers like starches)

When someone runs a propane CO2 generator in a tomato greenhouse, they are cycling the plant-produced O2 through another redox reaction to produce CO2 back to the plants, and the plants love it.

[cogitator]

Without CO2, there is no growth. CO2 IS an essential "vital" nutrient. ;-)

It's essential, but not limiting.