The Concern About Climate Change
Nearly everyone has some sort of opinion about climate change in one form or another, regardless of whether or not it’s a positive or negative comment. But what cannot be easily ignored is the impact it has on the world around us.
New facts often come to light about the negative effects climate change has on the ecosystem. Rising sea levels, for example, has been a major cause of concern, but new evidence has shown that trees are also suffering just as much.
The Greenbelt is suffering
The Greenbelt is an environmentally protected area located in Ontario, Canada. The protected area, which was established ten years ago in February, covers overs 1.8 million acres. Today, however, it has fallen victim to climate change. In a recent study published in the Science journal, research revealed that drought leaves a lingering effect on the foliage in the area, essentially causing dry trees.
Dry Trees and the Aftermath of Drought
The problem, however, cannot be easily remedied. The researcher behind the study, William Anderegg, mentioned that dry trees will continue to suffer for at least more four years after the onset of a drought. In fact, the examined trees grew an average of nine percent less the first year after a drought and roughly five percent less the second year. This is quite troubling as trees are vital to us and to many other organisms within an ecosystem.
The problem can cause a variety of things to happen. The dry trees can make a full recovery, but older trees are not nearly as capable of such miraculous feats and may suffer long-term damage, ultimately affecting how trees store carbon from the air. More CO2 may linger in the air and the long term damage can result in earlier death of trees and the increased release of carbon. The road to recovery may also take years, as it is not an instantaneous thing.
