Trees share carbon
Q. Which of the following is/are true?
1) It has been found that trees share even carbon among themselves, without any consideration of species.
2) The shared carbon is mostly concentrated in the leaf and green areas of the trees.- Published on 21 Apr 16a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
ANSWER: Only 1
- Trees share carbon among themselves. This is concentrated in the root zone.
- There is no bar of species for it.
- In fact, the roots of neighbouring trees, species no bar, shared an almost similar carbon isotopic signature.
- The scientists strongly suspect that this interaction is mediated by networks of symbiotic fungi called mycorrhiza which connect the roots of different trees.
- Mycorrhizal networks are very common in most forests across biomes and climates. In spruce forests they are so common that they are considered a substantial carbon sink.
