It appears there’s a little-known fact lurking in gardens across the globe, which could have a major impact on how we perceive carbon storage.
New research has identified two varieties of the tulip tree, which is fairly widespread, and it appears they have some quite remarkable characteristics.
Fair dinkum, this tree’s neither softwood nor hardwood, and biochemists reckon its properties might’ve started showin’ up as far back as 50 million years ago, matchin’ the time when CO2 levels in the atmosphere took a dive.
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The research has a particular focus on the structure of the wood itself, particularly its macrofibrils, which are significantly bigger than those found in hardwood trees, and may alter methodological approaches to carbon storage.
Lyczakowski said: “Both tulip tree species are as expert as you’d find at soaking up carbon, and their extra-large fibrous structure could be a survival tactic that allows ’em to grab and stash even more carbon from the air when atmospheric carbon levels were being wound back.”
Tulip trees could potentially become useful for carbon-dioxide-absorbing plantations. Some eastern Asian nations are currently utilising Liriodendron plantations to efficiently sequester carbon, and we now think this might be attributed to its unique wood characteristic.
The study included using a scanning electron microscope that freezes the sample (cryo-SEM) to examine the cell walls of the trees.
Łyczakowski said: “The main building blocks of wood are the secondary cell walls… [which] are also the biggest stockpile of carbon in the biosphere, which makes it even more vital to comprehend their variety to further our carbon capture programs to help combat climate change.”
The experts also speculated that the Liriodendron tulipifera and Liriodendron chinense, which are two species of tulip tree, emerged on our planet approximately 30 to 50 million years ago, coinciding with a significant reduction in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. This might be why it’s particularly adept at absorbing carbon, as the researchers suggested.
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