Researchers are using dogwood trees to gain a better understanding of the role played by photosynthesis and respiration in the atmospheric carbon-dioxide (CO2) cycle.
Using a traceable form of CO2 made with a stable carbon isotope, the researchers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee have labelled the trees individually; creating a pulse of carbon that could be tracked as it moved through a tree.
Jeff Warren, a scientist in Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Environmental Sciences Division, said: ‘Carbon flow within plants has always been studied but has never fully been understood.
‘Our experiment will help us understand the fate of CO2 after it is taken into a plant. It will show us which structures receive the carbon and how quickly the carbon travels through the system.’
The team believes its findings could help computer modellers improve the accuracy of climate simulations.
Can we identify which plants are more consuming more CO2 from the atmosphere.
If you have any plants list which are environment point of view are must please send me.
Surely one can grow a tree, then measure the contained carbon of the total tree when uprooted. This represents the total sequestered carbon. No need for Carbon 13 or ongoing costly monitoring. In fact the amount of sequestered carbon per unit time only requires a knowledge of the date planted. The weight of the seed can be ignored as it will not introduce a significant error in measurement of total CO2 sequestered.
The consideration of CO2 “flow” (or flow through) in deciduous trees is a minor consideration in any attempt at overall climate modelling. (One can only wonder if the words “Improved Climate Models” were included to attract a funding grant.)
Of more significance is the erroneous assumption that growing trees removes CO2 from the atmosphere long term. The only way the CO2 is captured long term is if the wood is used in such a way that it will still be in use in a thousand years or the carbon is sequestered by burying it deep underground – sealed so no CO2 can be released.
Typically in a forest, almost all vegetation will die and recycle through the effects of Fungi, termites, white ants, wood borer etc in the short time frame of less than 200yrs. The methane (as well as CO2) released on this “reprocessing” of the vegetation is a significant greenhouse gas.
I’m afraid most approaches to managing greenhouse gasses are doomed to failure unless we can reverse the relentless increase in world population. It is unlikely that mankind will agree to forego the advantages of our society made possible by science and consumerism so until a significant population reduction commences man’s generation of greenhouse gasses will continue!
I agree with Col Busby – the CO2 is only ‘locked up’ for the life of the tree, or the building. When they a burnt or rot, they release the CO2 back into the atmosphere. One way of capturing it for a long a time is to use it as aggregate in concrete, known as Lignacrete. This will last virtually forever, as concrete can turned into aggregate to make more concrete at the end of life of the structure.
“co2 is only locked up for the life of the tree”?
trees take carbon out of the air and use it to grow, which means almost all the weight of the tree/plant is carbon.
trees can survive for many hundreds or thousands of years.dead trees, animals, and leaves turn into soil locking the carbon into the earth, which seems fairly obvious as that is where we get the fossil carbon from to burn.
life on earth is carbon based.