Dead trees keep surprisingly large amounts of carbon out of atmosphere

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Lead research author Stephen Peters-Collear measures a log in a stream. Credit: Bill Keeton Living trees absorb carbon, aiding climate change mitigation. But what role do dead trees play in carbon storage? UVM researchers found that large, downed trees in streams tie up tremendous stores of carbon—and this pool of carbon storage is growing over time. Moreover, large trees in streamside forests proved important for recruiting carbon into streams over time—reflecting the environmental value of big, old trees. "We know that about 20% of global annual greenhouse gas emissions come from land use and deforestation," University of Vermont professor and study author Dr. William Keeton said, "but we can also use forests and other land cover as what we call a natural climate solution—finding ways to sequester and s ... Read full article.