Does a tree use as much CO2 when living as produced while decaying?

MadSci Network: Environment & Ecology

Subject: Does a tree use as much CO2 when living as produced while decaying?

Date: Thu Aug 12 00:21:00 1999
Posted by Don Mawdsley
Grade level: grad (science) School: self
City: Calgary State/Province: Alberta Country: Canada
Area of science: Environment & Ecology
ID: 934431660.En

Message:


A cedar tree on the west coast of Vancouver Island will take several hundred years to grow to maturity. At which time it will be greater than 12 ft. in diameter and over 200 ft. tall. During this growth phase it will be a net consumer of CO2 and producer of  oxygen-the perfect partner for mankind. The tree will eventually die, fall over and start to decay. The decay phase will also take several hundred years but will consume oxygen and produce CO2. Is the CO2 consumed during the growth phase greater than, equal to, or less than the CO2 produced during the decaying phase?

Re: Does a tree use as much CO2 when living as produced while decaying?

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