When we look at a tree and see it standing in the earth, naturally we tend to conclude that the tree is growing from the ground.
However, though trees are anchored to the earth and take in a small amount of minerals from the ground, they are mostly made up of carbon, which they taken in from the air.
They take in carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules through their leaves which they get from the air and they remove the oxygen (O2) atoms from the carbon dioxide (CO2) molecule (IE. C02 – 02 = C). They then spit the oxygen (O2) back into the atmosphere and store the carbon (C) atoms within their trunk, branches and roots.
So, although trees are anchored to the ground, they actually mostly grows from the air.
When a tree dies, it releases its stored carbon back into the atmosphere in a process that is very slow and can take decades. It actually takes much longer to release the carbon back into the atmosphere then it takes the tree to absorb the carbon in the first place.
Since, we now know that carbon in the atmosphere increases the earths overall temperature, this makes me wonder if trees play a natural role in regulating the amount of carbon in the air and the earths overall temperature. For instance, it is possible that trees maintain a level of homeostasis on the planet by taking in and storing large amounts of carbon when there is more carbon present.
Just something I was thinking about today.
If this is the case, then it is unfortunate that we humans are cutting down trees faster than they are able to replenish themselves.
