Write a short paragraph on "how trees can help to check global warming?"
Answers
In November, a discussion arose over tree planting as a viable method to offsets carbon emissions. A new study, which used computer modeling to calculate the impact of forests on climate change, concludes that yes, trees can help... if they're planted in the right places. According to a BBC article,
Dr [Govindasamy] Bala [of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory] and colleague Ken Caldeira, from the Carnegie Institution of Washington, used a computer model to determine the impact which forests in different parts of the planet would have on temperature.
Their analysis indicates that three key factors are involved:
forests can cool the planet by absorbing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide during photosynthesis
they can also cool the planet by evaporating water to the atmosphere and increasing cloudiness; a deck of white clouds reflects incoming solar radiation straight back out into space
trees can also have a warming effect because they are dark and absorb a lot of sunlight, holding heat near ground level
"Our study shows that tropical forests are very beneficial to the climate because they take up carbon and increase cloudiness, which in turn helps cool the planet," explained Dr Bala.
The further you move from the equator, though, these gains are eroded; and the team's modelling predicts that planting more trees in mid- and high-latitude locations could lead to a net warming of a few degrees by the year 2100.
"The darkening of the surface by new forest canopies in the high-latitude boreal regions allows absorption of more sunlight that helps to warm the surface," Dr Bala said.
Though we're guessing the debate has just begun on this issue, this study will certainly have an impact on services offering to offset carbon emissions by planting trees. We'll also be interested to see if this changes the dynamics between companies harvesting timber and fiber from northern forests, and the activists that keep an eye on them. It shouldn't -- forests provide many other services besides sequestering carbon. We'll be watching to see if anyone tries to use this study to declare that forests must be cut to lessen global warming. ::BBC News via Technocrat
UPDATE: As a commenter below pointed out, I made the mistake of equating carbon emissions with the warming effect. Trees do sequester carbon dioxide everywhere... but are more likely to trap heat in in upper latitudes. My apologies.
Answer:
Explanation:
Global warming
Global warming is a part of climate change and is partially caused by increased greenhouse gases from burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, agriculture, and other industrial causes.
The Earth's temperature had already warmed by 1°C compared to pre-industrial levels. This temperature rise may appear small, but small rises in temperature translate into big changes for the world’s climate. This is because the amount of extra energy needed to increase the world’s temperature, even by a little, is vast. This extra energy is like force-feeding the global climate system.
·Hotter days
·Rising sea level
·oceans are warming
Melting glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic water shortages and increase the risk of wildfires in the American West.
Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding on the Eastern Seaboard, especially in Florida, and in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.
Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common due to increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution, and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.
Neoreaper(muffin):