Even a tree standing alone has the power to affect the microclimate around it with the shadow it creates. A real forest, on the other hand, has a climate-regulating effect. What potential do trees, our greatest power against the climate crisis, whose devastating effects we are exposed to more and more every day, have for the Earth and human health?
In this article, we will examine the contributions of forests and trees from the cities we live to our health, from the water we drink to the air we breathe, with scientific data.
How Much Oxygen Does a Tree Produce?
Trees are our greatest weapon against the global climate crisis, the devastating effects of which we are witnessing frequently these days. Therefore, it is very important to know the life potential that a tree can produce for us and the planet.
Although most oxygen is produced by marine organisms such as phytoplankton, trees play one of the most important roles in maintaining oxygen levels in the atmosphere. But how much oxygen does a tree really produce?
We know that the average person consumes about 550 litres of oxygen daily. However, this amount can vary depending on the person’s daily activity level and environmental factors.
Trees also affect the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. A tree’s annual oxygen production varies depending on its species, age, health and environmental conditions. Also, trees do not produce the same amount of oxygen throughout the year; since oxygen production depends on sunlight, they produce less oxygen at night.
Generally, older and more mature trees produce more oxygen. For example, a mature oak tree can produce about 100,000 litres of oxygen per year. This amounts to about 274 litres of oxygen per day, representing a significant part of a person’s daily requirement.
Some tree species, especially pine, beech, spruce and maple, tend to produce more oxygen than others.
As a result, healthy forests not only support biodiversity but also play an essential role in regulating oxygen levels in the atmosphere and providing a source of clean air for people.
Approximately How Much Carbon Dioxide Can Trees Absorb from the Air?
In addition to producing clean oxygen by filtering pollutants from the air, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and use it to build their leaves, branches, trunks, roots and soil.
An estimate of carbon per hectare is summed with average planting densities to determine how much carbon dioxide a tree can absorb. Thus, an average tree is estimated to absorb an average of 10 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year during the first 20 years of growth.
How do trees clean the air?
In addition to releasing clean oxygen for us to breathe, trees play a critical role in improving air quality by removing air pollutants and greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.
Planting trees helps to improve air quality through three main effects:
- Reduces the amount of pollutants by lowering the air temperature.
- Reduces energy consumption from polluting sources by reducing energy use in buildings.
- Removes pollutants directly from the air.
The two main types of pollutants that trees remove from the atmosphere are:
- Gaseous air pollution: The tiny pores on tree leaves, the stomata, breathe in air containing toxic pollutants. Once absorbed, the gases, including pollutants such as SO2, NO2, CO and ozone, diffuse and break down on the inner surfaces of the leaves.
- Particulate matter: Trees remove some particulate matter from the air by temporarily capturing it on the vegetative surfaces of their leaves. When it rains, these particles are washed off the tree and transported to the soil or dissolved in rainwater.
How Trees Affect Water Quality and Access
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, a mature deciduous tree can hold more than 15,000 litres of water per year. But how do they achieve this?
Trees, like us, rely on water for survival and have several mechanisms to help them absorb it. Water in the soil is absorbed through tiny hair-like roots.
Once inside the root system, it is drawn along the tree trunk up to the leaves. Trees can also absorb water directly from the air through their leaves, but a higher percentage of water uptake comes from the roots.
How does water move from the roots of a tree, through the wood tissue and up to the leaves?
To understand this requires an understanding of the internal mechanisms of a tree. Like our blood circulatory system, plants have an internal network known as “plumbing”, known as xylem and phloem tissues.
These tissues start at the roots and extend upwards along the trunks of the trees, branching out and eventually attaching to each leaf.
They Also Prevent Flooding
Trees filter pollutants by absorbing water and reduce flood risk by reducing the velocity of rainwater. After large rainfall events or flash floods, trees absorb significant amounts of rainwater through their roots, reducing the risk of damage to ecosystems and infrastructure. Over time, this water is released back into the soil and air through transpiration.
Improving Water Quality
Trees reduce erosion and flood risk by filtering excess sediment, nutrients and toxins before they enter waterways. This protects the health of water sources.
