Growing Fast Dying Young

Trees or plants are believed to help us in minimizing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere or environment by absorbing it. But recent study says too much of carbon dioxide has been killing plants as in this carbon dioxide makes them grow fast yet make them also die fast or die early or die young.

Scientists were hoping that plants or vast forests on the planet will help us in our problem with carbon dioxide but this condition according to news is now “short live” or slowly dying.

“Society has benefited from the increasing ability of forests to soak up carbon in recent decades, said co-author Steve Voelker, from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, in a Leeds University statement. But these CO2 uptake rates are "likely to be on the wane as slow-growing and persistent trees are supplanted by fast-growing but vulnerable trees", he added.” (Science Alert)

“"Our findings, very much like the story of the tortoise and the hare, indicate that there are traits within the fastest growing trees that make them vulnerable, whereas slower growing trees have traits that allow them to persist," he said.” (Science Alert)

“The researchers said the findings suggest that the chances of dying increase dramatically as trees reach their maximum potential size. But they said it might also be that fast-growing trees invest less in defences against diseases or insect attacks, or are more vulnerable to drought.” (Science Alert)

If trees or plants in the forest are quickly dying or dying young, we may lose a help from plants in our carbon dioxide problem and no more carbon dioxide absorber helper for us humans.

The study says the increase in CO2 or Carbon Dioxide compromises the forest in its role as carbon sink.

“Plants remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in a process called carbon sequestration. The carbon dioxide is stored in biomass then released by the plant. In most cases, the amount released is less than the amount consumed by the plant. Farms, grasslands and forests are considered sources or sinks of carbon dioxide, depending on the practices on these lands. For example, cows produce methane, but grass on the farm sequesters the gas.’ (Sciencing)

Carbon dioxide (CO2) according to the news is one of gases that contribute greatly to climate change f it is too much with great effects; and now too much of it according to news kill trees or plants.

“This carbon overload is caused mainly when we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas or cut down and burn forests.”(Union of Concerned Scientists)

The main point : Vast forests in the planet could no longer be a carbon sink if plants grow fast and die fast too or die young for too much carbon dioxide kills them.