New study on importance of tree leaves for carbon dioxide storage

A global team of 400 researchers has gathered data on tree species, enhancing our understanding of different types of trees and their roles in ecosystems and the carbon dioxide (CO2) cycle. The study reveals that understanding tree types is crucial for comprehending their role in terrestrial ecosystems, including the movement of carbon, water, and nutrients.

Importance of tree leaves for carbon dioxide

Dr. Andreas Hemp of the Department of Plant Systematics at the University of Beirut, citing the research, stated that our knowledge of the factors affecting the leaf types of forests is still limited. This study, published in the Nature Plants Journal, aimed to bridge this gap by combining data from approximately 10,000 tree inventory plots with records from the international plant trait database TRY on leaf shape, deciduous versus conifers, and evergreens.

The researchers found that leaf longevity primarily depends on seasonal temperature differences and a range of soil properties, while leaf size is primarily determined by temperature. These conditions must be right for leaves to fulfill their vital function in the ecosystem.

"We found that global variation in leaf longevity (leaf habit) depends primarily on the extent of seasonal temperature variation and soil properties, while leaf shape is primarily determined by temperature," says Hemp. For leaves to fulfill their important function in the ecosystem, these conditions must be right.

Global Tree Types and Biomass Distribution

The study estimates that 38 per cent of trees worldwide are evergreen conifers, 29 per cent are evergreen deciduous trees, 27 per cent are deciduous, and five per cent are deciduous conifers. These tree types correspond to 21 per cent, 54 per cent, 22 per cent, and three per cent, respectively, of the above-ground biomass in forests, which amounts to between 18 and 335 gigatonnes.

"In addition, we assume that by the end of the century at least 17% and up to 38% of forested areas will be exposed to climatic conditions that currently favour a different forest type than the one currently present, which illustrates the intensification of climatic stress on trees in certain regions," Hemp points out.

"In natural forest areas, one must and can rely on nature's adaptability; in cultivated forests, as in Europe, one must sometimes think about forest conversion, which is also called for here for other reasons, for example, when one thinks of monocultures of trees. For example, when one thinks of monocultures of tree plantations with spruce that are not suited to the site."

The researchers also predict that by the end of the century, at least 17 to 38 per cent of forest-based forests will be exposed to climate conditions that favour a different type of forest than the type of trees that currently exist. This puts stress on trees in some areas, reflecting drastic climate changes.

These findings may help make better predictions of the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and the carbon cycle. Trees play an important role in carbon sequestration, as they absorb and store CO2 through their leaves. However, human activities, such as the use of fossil fuels and deforestation, are changing the climate by emitting CO2 and reducing the number of trees that store CO2.

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