Trees, methane fireplaces

2010/02/18 Lakar Iraizoz, Oihane - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Biokimika
• Botanika
• Mikrobiologia

A team of researchers from Portland State University confirms that trees in flooded areas emit methane. However, it has been proven that methane is not produced by the trees themselves, but is the methane produced anaerobically by terrestrial microbes. That is, they have seen that the trees fulfill the function of fireplace.

According to researchers, this study does not deny that trees are capable of producing methane. This idea was proposed in 2006 and since then numerous studies have been published that reinforce and distort this idea. This study did not want to enter that debate. They have simply shown that trees are capable of capturing methane underground through their roots and expelling it from their leaves into the atmosphere.

Photo: Franco Caruzzo