Tree Growth

Study Finds a Tree Growth spurt

There is a Article on tree growth by Leslie Kaufman. This article is about the environment and about tree growth. Lately trees have been growing more because of the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the air. In Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, the trees are growing four times as fast as normal. They have tested other ideas but have found out that the rising carbon dioxide amount has to do with the climate change. Trees absorb and store carbon dioxide, the leading heat trapping gas. Geoffrey G. Parker, a co-author of the paper and an ecologist with the Smithsonian environmental research center in Edgewater, MD, said his research indicated that the local forests were adapting to the rise in carbon dioxide by absorbing more. However, they still think that this will not be like this for along time because other factors will happen which will change things. Like water amount that we need to use, and soil nutrients.

Ever since 1987, Dr. Parker has been studying 55 stands of trees along the bay’s western edge. Recent censuses have shown that compared with the earlier years, more trees have gain weight which means they are growing. In addition to that, 2 tons of weight goes with it every acre a year. Through tree, diameter scientists are tracking the speed of the growth of the trees. It is not only carbon dioxide that affects tree growth there are many other factors to the growth of the trees.  In the past years, carbon dioxide has increased 12 percent in the last 22 years. Since Dr. Parker knows that, his results are the same of the eastern seaboard he is wondering if there are other scientist who too are getting the same results. When I read this article, I was intrigued that trees are actually growing so fast. I find this article interesting because I am also interested in the environment. People should read this because it is interesting to read because they will find out important facts that they probably did not know.