It is clear that urban trees grow faster than rural trees but die faster
Although increased carbon dioxide emissions are considered to be a cause of global warming, plants can absorb carbon dioxide by performing photosynthesis. There have been many attempts to green the urban areas and make trees absorb carbon dioxide, but trees planted in urban areas grow faster than rural trees, but obviously they die faster. became.
Live fast, die young: Accelerated growth, mortality, and turnover in street trees
Urban trees grow fast and die young |
https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/urban-trees-grow-fast-and-die-young
Many cities working to improve global warming and the living environment are working on greening programs and planting street trees in urban areas. However, a research team led by Ian Smith, an environmental scientist at Boston University, said, 'Planting trees is widely supported, but the role of urban vegetation in the carbon cycle remains uncertain.' You are
Trees absorb a lot of carbon dioxide, but they can not absorb much carbon dioxide from the sapling stage. In reality, much carbon dioxide is emitted during the planting and growing process, and it is approximately 26 years for the total carbon dioxide absorption to exceed the carbon dioxide emissions emitted by planting trees. It takes about 33 years.
A research team led by Mr. Smith counts and measures the size of street trees in Boston in order to find out how urban street trees help improve the environment, and a survey conducted from 2005 to 2006 We examined the degree of growth and mortality in light of the results. We also used data collected over 25 years on plantations in the suburbs of Massachusetts as a comparison to trees in the urban area of Boston.
According to the survey, urban trees grew much faster than suburban trees, and Boston street trees grew about four times faster than suburban trees. For this reason, the research team said, 'There is much light falling on one tree,' 'There is little space around other trees,' 'There is a lot of carbon dioxide,' 'There is a lot of nitrogen as fertilizer,' '
The larger the trees are, the more carbon dioxide can be absorbed, so in terms of carbon dioxide absorption per tree, urban roadside trees are much faster in carbon dioxide than trees in the suburbs or the countryside. It seems to be able to absorb
However, there are risks associated with the large growth of trees in urban areas. As trees grow larger, the root space becomes cramped, and sometimes it is over-clipped, which can be removed if it becomes dangerous to roads or buildings or interferes with development. The death rate of urban street trees is nearly twice that of suburban trees, and the research team claims that young, large trees are most at risk of death.
by Jacob Morch
The rapid growth of street trees is an advantage in carbon dioxide absorption, but the research team pointed out that the benefits of rapid tree growth have not been fully exploited by the high mortality rate of street trees so far. The team said measures to reduce the mortality rate of the heavily grown street trees will result in more carbon dioxide absorption than focusing on trying to plant new street trees.
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