Submerged trees store carbon for millenniums: study

New York, Jun 30 (PTI) Trees, submerged in fresh water
aquatic systems can store carbon for millenniums, a
significant longer period of time than trees that fall in a
forest, researchers say.

The researchers from the University of Missouri's Tree
Ring Laboratory in the United States say water helps to keep
carbon out of the atmosphere.

"If a tree is submerged in water, its carbon will be
stored for an average of 2,000 years," said Richard Guyette,
Director of Lab and Research Associate Professor of Forestry
in the School of Natural Resources in the College of
Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.

"If a tree falls in a forest, that number is reduced
to an average of 20 years, and in firewood, the carbon is only
stored for one year."

The team studied trees in northern Missouri, a
geographically unique area with a high level of riparian
forests (forests that have natural water flowing through
them). They discovered submerged oak trees that were as old
as 14,000 years, potentially some of the oldest discovered in
the world.

This carbon storage process is not just ancient; it
continues even today as additional trees become submerged,
according to Guyette.

While a tree is alive, it has a high ability to store
carbon, thus keeping it out of the atmosphere. However, as it
begins to decay, a tree's carbon is released back into the
atmosphere.

Discovering that certain conditions slow this process
reveals the importance of proper tree disposal as well as the
benefits of riparian forests, the researchers say.

"Carbon plays a huge role in climate change and
information about where it goes will be very important someday
soon," said Michael C. Stambaugh, research associate in the
Department of Forestry.

"The goal is to increase our knowledge of the carbon
cycle, particularly its exchange between the biosphere
(plants) and atmosphere. We need to know where it goes and for
how long in order to know how to offset its effects."

This could be a valuable find for landowners. Although
it is not yet common in North America, emissions trading has
been gaining popularity in parts of Europe.

Also known as cap and trade, emissions trading works
to reduce pollution by setting a limit on the amount of
pollutants an organization can emit into the air.

If they exceed that number, the group is required to
obtain carbon credits. One carbon credit equals one metric ton
of carbon-dioxide or other equivalent greenhouse gases.

The study is important as farmers can sell the carbon
they have stored in their trees through a carbon credit stock
market. Companies that emit excess of carbon would be able to
buy carbon credits to offset their pollution.

Carbon credits can be purchased in a variety of ways.
Such as: planting new trees or harvesting old wood that has
stored carbon; collecting methane from landfills; or
purchasing credits from other companies who have a carbon
surplus by staying below their emission requirements.

This week, the California Air Resources Board
announced the consideration of a large plan to fight global
warming. The recommendations include reducing emissions, in
part by requiring major polluters to trade carbon credits.

The study "The Temporal Distribution and Carbon
Storage of Large Oak Wood in Streams and Floodplain Deposits"
was published in the journal Ecosystems.