Planting trees may not cool the earth

Contrary to long-standing assumptions, according to US scientists on December 6, planting in temperate regions can absorb sunlight and warm the earth in the long run.

Planting forest seems like a good idea against global warming, because plants have the ability to absorb carbon dioxide.

But the region's mid-latitude forests affect climate more complexly, according to researchers at the Carnegie Institution and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Tree planting in this area may have more positive effects on carbon dioxide sequestration.

Researchers have used complex climate modeling software to simulate changes in the forest carpet and then consider their effects on the earth's climate. They found that while tropical forests help cool the earth by evaporating a lot of water, the forests in the north tend to warm the earth because they absorb more sunlight without losing it. goes much moisture.

In a simulation, the researchers covered most of the northern hemisphere with forests and found that the surface air temperature jumped to 3 degrees Celsius. Covering the entire land of the planet by woods lead to a modest increase in temperature by about 1 degree centigrade.

First, cooling by removing carbon dioxide will compensate for warming by absorbing the sun. But after decades, carbon dioxide will begin to spread from the ocean into the atmosphere, reducing the cooling and heating effects of the earth in the long run.

Researchers warn against planting forests on abandoned crops as a strategy against global warming, as some people recommend. But they also recognize the importance of forests.

They said: ' Forests provide good habitats for plants and animals, and rainforests are good for the climate, so we should especially preserve them. But in terms of climate change, we should focus on efforts such as improving performance and developing clean, new energy sources . '

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