Oxygen's Journey
by Odin odin@aflx.com — Read all 3,869 poems by Odin odin@aflx.com
- New research published in the journal Nature suggests the world is home to more than 3 trillion trees. Humans throughout history have played a key role in determining the number of living trees, researchers note. People cut down 15 billion trees each year and the global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization.
Previous estimates, collected by satellite imaging, suggested that just over 400 billion trees live around the world. Thomas Crowther, a Yale University researcher who lead the study, and his co-authors looked at more than 400,000 measurements collected from sites on the ground on six continents to derive a more accurate figure.
Trees occupy nearly every corner of the globe, but the study shows coverage is far from even and factors like moisture and warmth play a role in how many trees exist in a given area. The cold and dry climate in the boreal biome, Northern latitude forests located below the Arctic zone, has allowed that region to develop the highest density of trees.
Still, human activity is the greatest predictor of whether trees will survive in a given area. Losses are currently most dramatic in the tropical regions as land is cleared for agriculture and other commercial purposes, but they occur across the globe. (Image by pinterest)
Friday, January 26, 2018
Oxygen’s Journey
Breathing in…
Air fills our lungs,
oxygen of photosynthesis,
exhalations of forests breathing.
Such passes through bellows of our lungs,
finds transformation in our bloodstream,
seeking to give life to every cell in my body,
your body,
everybody,
all born of sunlight’s touch on leaves.
Breathing out…
Circulation complete,
life’s living draft
sends carbon dioxide into the world,
freedom’s nourishment offered back to trees.
Such is the world passing through us,
Nature’s living cycle continuing,
giving,
beckoning,
at times pleading
for life to offer respect.
Lest we forget…
One’s experience of reality
is upheld by the experience
of breath coursing through our bodies.
Precious Nature will always be there for us,
unless…
Share
Print
Save
I have recently found out through Planet Earth II that sea plants like algae produce tremendous amounts of oxygen as well as trees. The sea also absorbs tremendous amounts of carbon dioxide. What has always fascinated me is that the Great Plains have far more trees than they did during Lewis and Clark's day. At that time, the great buffalo herds and wildfires kept the Great Plains in grasses. Modern irrigation and draining of the aquifers now has many trees growing where it would be too dry for trees to survive.
I was confused by the numbers, 3 trillion and 400 billion. Which is more correct?
Ron
Love ya!
Jane