Scientists have discovered a new type of wood that is highly efficient at storing carbon. A comprehensive survey of the microscopic structure of the wood from many species of trees revealed that there is a type of wood that is neither softwood, such as pine and conifers, or hardwood, such as oak, ash, and birch.
The scientists from Cambridge University and Jagiellonian University in Poland analyzed some of the world’s most iconic trees using electron microscopy to survey their microscopic structure.
They found that tulip trees, which are related to magnolias and can grow over 100 feet tall, have a unique type of wood. The trees, which diverged from magnolias far back to a time when atmospheric CO2 concentrations were low, grow very tall and very quickly. These features were an adaptation to those conditions and result in the ability to store larger concentrations of carbon to compensate based on their microstructure. The elementary units of wood are known as macrofibrils, and tulip trees have much larger macrofibrils than hardwoods but smaller than those of softwoods. This unusual intermediate structure makes the trees highly effective at carbon storage.
Based on the research, it may be the case that tulip trees will end up being useful for carbon capture plantations – tree plantings specifically for the purpose of mitigating the effects of climate change. Some east Asian countries are already using various tulip tree species in plantations for locking in carbon. This was based on their large size and rapid growth, but it turns out that their novel wood structure may be the most compelling reason to use them.
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Scientists discover entirely new wood type that could be highly efficient at carbon storage
Photo, posted March 3, 2021, courtesy of Thomas Quine via Flickr.
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