Eucalyptus trees and global warming
The Earth's atmosphere is made up of a number of different gases. Some of these gases — the so-called Greenhouse Gases (GHG) — play an important role in the regulation of our planet's temperature, because they are able to absorb and release heat.
The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that warms the planet to a temperature that allows the existence of all living beings. However, that warming effect is increasing rapidly – putting life at risk.
Human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels result in the emission of several GHG, principally carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O).
Graph 1 estimates the contribution of these gases to global warming in the next century, based on the estimates of emissions
of each (Hadley Centre, 2005). The principal gas,
CO2, will be responsible for almost two-thirds of the expected future warming. It is the most important GHG contributor
created by human activities – now and in the future.
For the scientific community there are There are four places that scientists measure to estimate the GHG absorbing power of trees:
Biomass above the soil: the tree’s trunk, leaves, and branches.
Biomass below the soil: the roots of the tree. Combined with biomass above the soil, creates what is called a
"biomassreservoir" or "live biomass".
Tree residue cover: the layer formed in the soil by fallen tree leaves, branches, and loose bark.
Carbon in the soil: the amount of carbon mineralized in the organic matter of the soil. It is more significant in the
temperate latitudes of the Earth. Figure 2 shows that the amount of carbon in the soil (up to 1 meter in depth) is greater than the
amount of carbon in the atmosphere and all above-ground vegetation combined. Therefore, any discussion regarding forests, whether planted
or native, must include the appropriate handling of the soil.
