Mature trees are able to increase their storage of greenhouse gases as levels rise, researchers find.

Older trees are able to accelerate their rates of absorbing planet-warming emissions, scientists at the University of Birmingham have found.

A forest of mature oak trees was exposed to elevated levels of carbon dioxide for seven years and in response, the trees increased their production of wood - locking in the greenhouse gas and preventing it from warming the planet.

The researchers hope the study, published in Nature Climate Change, will demonstrate the importance of protecting and maintaining mature forests for tackling climate change.

  • @BookmeatEnglish
    1•1 month ago

    This is the opposite conclusion of a recent article that claimed young trees were better at sequestering CO2?

    • GreyShuckOPMEnglish
      2•1 month ago

      The relevant section of this item is:

      Previous experiments have shown that younger trees are able to increase their rates of CO2 absorption, but the assumption has been that more mature forests do not have the same adaptability.

      Prof MacKenzie told the BBC it was important for the team to understand how older trees behave as that is the majority of the tree cover we have globally.