Gases & Trees: Carbon Dioxide & Oxygen Usage

In summary, a mature average tree can consume 48 lbs. of CO2 each year and release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to support 2 human beings.
  • #1
Allen_Wolf
48
4
1)How much carbon dioxide does a mature tree use everyday?
2)How much oxygen is used by a mature tree everyday?
 
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  • #2
3 moles. o_O

That question is way too vague. What kind of a tree? Of what size? In what climate?
 
  • #3
DrClaude said:
3 moles. o_O

That question is way too vague. What kind of a tree? Of what size? In what climate?
By a mature average tree.
 
  • #4
Allen_Wolf said:
By a mature average tree.
Well, what is an "average" tree? A California redwood? A Southern Pine? An old-growth oak tree? A Douglas fir?

There's going to be a range of numbers to answer your question.

This link gives the abstract of an article from 1994 describing a respiration study performed on apple trees of various ages:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0098847294900051

It appears that this paper must be purchased, unless you have access thru an institution of higher learning.
 
  • #5
What you are asking: What are gas exchange rates in plants. Trees are large plants, only part of which are alive, the inner wood (xylem) is just dead structure, not living. AS a very rough estimate, the living component of a mature Angiosperm tree decreases with age as the tree trunk grows larger, so the mass percentage of living tissues is less than in a sapling.

What you really want to know - how much CO2 is consumed by photosynthesis and O2 is consumed in respiration and how much CO2 is release by respiration. You have two competing processes in a living tree. None of these questions has a simple answer - what everyone is trying to tell you. Mass of living tissue, climate, insolation, species, growth substrate and so on all fudge things up. Not what you want to hear.

Here are some pop science answers to your question in terms like you asked. When you ask scientific people vague questions like yours you usually get questions instead of answers. ... some statisfying but partially-scientific answers:
"A single mature tree can absorb carbon dioxide at a rate of 48 lbs./year and release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to support 2 human beings."
- McAliney, Mike. Arguments for Land Conservation: Documentation and Information Sources for Land Resources Protection, Trust for Public Land, Sacramento, CA, December, 1993

"One acre of trees annually consumes the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent to that produced by driving an average car for 26,000 miles. That same acre of trees also produces enough oxygen for 18 people to breathe for a year."
- New York Times

" A 100-ft tree, 18" diameter at its base, produces 6,000 pounds of oxygen."
- http://forestmanagement.enr.gov.nt.ca/forest_education/amazing_tree_facts.htm [Broken]
 
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  • #6
SteamKing said:
There's going to be a range of numbers to answer your question.

Considering that a fully mature tree can range from several meters to over 100 meters that range is quite large.

BoB
 

1. How do trees use carbon dioxide and produce oxygen?

Trees use a process called photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into oxygen (O2). Through this process, trees absorb CO2 from the air through tiny openings in their leaves called stomata. The CO2 is then combined with water and sunlight to produce oxygen and glucose, a form of sugar that the tree uses for energy.

2. How do gases like carbon dioxide and oxygen affect the environment?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) are both essential gases for sustaining life on Earth. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that helps regulate the Earth's temperature, keeping it warm enough for living organisms to survive. However, excessive amounts of CO2 can contribute to climate change. Oxygen, on the other hand, is vital for all living organisms to breathe and carry out cellular respiration.

3. Can trees absorb all the carbon dioxide emissions from human activities?

Trees are effective in absorbing carbon dioxide, but they cannot absorb all the emissions from human activities. Human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, release excessive amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere, which can overwhelm the trees' ability to absorb it. It is important to reduce our carbon footprint and find alternative ways to reduce CO2 emissions.

4. Do all trees use the same amount of carbon dioxide and produce the same amount of oxygen?

No, different types of trees have varying levels of efficiency in photosynthesis, resulting in different rates of CO2 absorption and oxygen production. Additionally, factors such as age, size, and health of the tree can also affect its ability to use CO2 and produce oxygen.

5. How do trees contribute to the global carbon cycle?

Trees play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle. Through photosynthesis, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in their biomass (trunks, branches, leaves, and roots). When trees die and decompose, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere. Trees also act as carbon sinks, storing large amounts of carbon in their soil and preventing it from entering the atmosphere.

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