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Old oak trees ‘learn’ to raise CO2 absorption when there’s more in the atmosphere, study finds

5 min read

Sustainable Planet
Old oak trees ‘learn’ to raise CO2 absorption when there’s more in the atmosphere, study finds
Source: Unsplash/Becky Winner

Researchers discover mature oak trees can increase their rate of photosynthesis to absorb higher quantities of carbon dioxide.

Old oak trees adapt to increasing c02 in the atmosphere

Mature oak trees will increase their rate of photosynthesis by up to a third in response to the raised CO2 levels expected to be the world average by about 2050, new research shows. The results, published in Tree Physiology , are the first to emerge from a giant outdoor experiment, led by the University of Birmingham (England) in which an old oak forest is bathed in elevated levels of CO2. 

Over the first three years of a ten-year project, the 175-year-old oaks clearly responded to the CO2 by consistently increasing their rate of photosynthesis. Researchers are now measuring leaves, wood, roots, and soil to find out where the extra carbon captured ends up and for how long it stays locked up in the forest.

Sources: MyScience|ClimateChange.org.au

The results are the first to emerge from a new outdoor experiment led by the University of Birmingham in which an old oak forest is bathed in elevated CO2 levels.
Mature oak trees increase their rate of photosynthesis in response to increased CO2 levels, according to a new study published in Tree Physiology. The results are the first to emerge from a new outdoor experiment led by the University of Birmingham in which an old oak forest is bathed in elevated CO2 levels. Source: Unsplash/Conscious Design
The increase in photosynthesis was greatest in strong sunlight. The researchers predict that the oak trees will increase their rate of photosynthesis by up to a third in response to the raise CO2 levels expected to be the world average by about 2050.
Over the first three years of the ten-year project, the 175-year-old oaks clearly responded to the CO2 by consistently increasing their rate of photosynthesis. The increase in photosynthesis was greatest in strong sunlight. The researchers predict that the oak trees will increase their rate of photosynthesis by up to a third in response to the raise CO2 levels expected to be the world average by about 2050. Source: Unsplash/George Cerny
The researchers are now measuring leaves, wood, roots, and soil to find out where the extra carbon captured ends up and for how long it stays locked up in the forest.
Keeping the carbon to nitrogen ratio constant suggests that the old trees have found ways of redirecting their elements, or found ways of bringing more nitrogen in from the soil to balance the carbon they are gaining from the air. The researchers are now measuring leaves, wood, roots, and soil to find out where the extra carbon captured ends up and for how long it stays locked up in the forest. Source: Unsplash/Denny Müller

LifeTerra: 500 million trees by 2025 — let’s plant together!

Life Terra is a foundation with a mission to enable people to take impactful climate action now. We facilitate tree planting, educate future generations, and develop tree monitoring technology.

Life Terra is founded on the knowledge that tree planting is regarded as the most cost-effective nature-based solution to capture carbon. As part of a multi-faceted mitigation strategy, planting trees can play an important role in the fight against climate change and the devastation it causes (heat waves, drought, forest loss, desertification, erosion, flooding).

Life Terra seeks to bring people together to plant 500 million trees in 5 years, harnessing and monitoring nature’s own carbon capture mechanism and enabling citizens to take urgent action against the climate crisis.

Life Terra is one of Europe’s largest climate action initiatives. It brings together 15 experienced organisations from 8 countries and is led by the newly established Life Terra foundation. This project was awarded €7 million support by the Life Programme, which the consortium will use as seed money to put this initiative on the map. More information about the Life project can be found under Actions and Expected results.

  • Planting

Planting a diverse mix of tree species is essential to our planting plan. We believe firmly in “the right tree in the right place”, for more effective land restoration and greater ecosystem resilience.

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Monitoring trees is important to ensure that the climate & environmental benefits we claim to make are happening! We are busy developing a state-of-the-art monitoring program, where you can track your tree.

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Community involvement is key to our success. If we want to scale tree planting and speed up the pace of climate action, we need your help planting and teaching people how to plant.

Learn more about Life Terra.

‘I’m really excited to contribute the first published science results to BIFoR FACE, an experiment of global importance. It was hard work conducting measurements at the top of a 25 m oak day after day, but it was the only way to be sure how much extra the trees were photosynthesising.’
Anna Gardner, who carried out the measurements, said: ‘I’m really excited to contribute the first published science results to BIFoR FACE, an experiment of global importance. It was hard work conducting measurements at the top of a 25 m oak day after day, but it was the only way to be sure how much extra the trees were photosynthesising.’ Source: Unsplash/Alexander Andrews
‘Previous work at EucFACE measured photosynthesis increased by up to a fifth in increased carbon dioxide. So, we now know how the old forest responds in the warm-temperate climate that we have here in Sydney and the mild temperate climate of the northern middle latitudes where Birmingham sits. At EucFACE we found no additional growth in higher CO2, and it remains to be seen if that will be the case for BIFOR as well.’
Professor David Ellsworth, EucFACE lead scientist, added: ‘Previous work at EucFACE measured photosynthesis increased by up to a fifth in increased carbon dioxide. So, we now know how the old forest responds in the warm-temperate climate that we have here in Sydney and the mild temperate climate of the northern middle latitudes where Birmingham sits. At EucFACE we found no additional growth in higher CO2, and it remains to be seen if that will be the case for BIFOR as well.’ Source: Unsplash/Cristina Anne Costello
Professor Rob MacKenzie , founding Director of BIFoR, said: “It’s a delight to see the first piece of the carbon jigsaw for BIFoR FACE fall into place. We are sure now that the old trees are responding to future carbon dioxide levels. How the entire forest ecosystem responds is a much bigger question requiring many more detailed investigations. We are now pushing ahead with those investigations.” Source: Unsplash/Wolfgang Rottmann
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9 REASONS WHY PLANTING TREES IS IMPORTANT

BrightVibes’ partner Life Terra is Europe’s initiative to lead the fight against climate change, prepare future generations, drive greener policies across the board and generate investment and growth in green jobs. Learn 9 reasons why planting and protecting trees and forests is important.