Posted on 10/06/2023 2:58:04 PM PDT by algore
At the forefront of environmental discussions at Michigan State University, Tom Sharkey, a University Distinguished Professor at the Plant Resilience Institute, posed a provocative question:
"Should we cut down all the oak trees?"
While he wasn't advocating for a literal deforestation of oaks, this theoretical question emerges from his team's recent discoveries about the role of trees, especially oaks and poplars, in air pollution dynamics.
Sharkey's research delves into the intricacies of isoprene -- a compound released by certain plants, particularly oaks and poplars.
This research reveals a paradox. On one hand, with global temperatures rising, these trees emit more isoprene which, when interacting with pollutants like nitrogen oxide, exacerbates poor air quality by contributing to particulate matter and low-atmosphere ozone.
On the other hand, isoprene bolsters the plants' resistance against environmental stressors such as insect attacks and high temperatures.
This double-edged sword leads Sharkey to ask, "Do we want plants to make more isoprene so they're more resilient, or do we want them making less so it's not making air pollution worse? What's the right balance?"
Despite isoprene being the second-largest emitted hydrocarbon on Earth -- trailing only behind methane emissions from human activities -- its significant impact on the environment remains relatively unknown to the general public. Sharkey, who has studied isoprene since his doctoral days at Michigan State in the 1970s, sheds light on its importance and the challenges it presents. Interestingly, this isn't the first time trees have been implicated in air pollution discussions. In the 1980s, then-president Ronald Reagan controversially claimed that trees produced more air pollution than cars. This statement, although exaggerated, contained a nugget of truth regarding the role of isoprene.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
Good story; tx.
BUULLLLLLLLsheite!!!
Not before we hang every single shitlib from them. Save one to make stakes that will be driven through the hearts Shrillary and her ilk. Save another few to make pikes for the heads of the members of the Congress and Senate.
Did this happen before or after the motor law?
Saw a cool post where a guy was asking about if they can’t accurately compare the average temperature of his living room today to what it was last year, how can they accurately compare the GLOBAL temperature to what it was 75 years ago? The hemming and hawing and tap dancing by pseudo scientists trying to explain the unexplainable was classic.
It is IMPOSSIBLE to know what the average GLOBAL temperature was 50 years ago. It is IMPOSSIBLE to know what the average GLOBAL temperature was yesterday. We do not have the sensor accuracy and coverage. We do not have the data storage capacity.
hell, no!
Get rid of the environmental wack-os. Their computers running climate models are probably doing more damage to the earth.
Why don’t we just cut down all the so-called environ-MENTALIST? Problem solved!
From the article:
While he wasn't advocating for a literal deforestation of oaks...
well Ill take a few dozen cords of split wood off their hands!! I go thru about 4 - 5 cords a winter. average gas bill in Jan and Feb are a mere $35 a month!!
The Maples are such whiners.
They’re a bunch of saps
Hurricane Irma took care of my oak. I didn’t replace it either. Now it’s a nice grassy area.
These self aggrandized so called intellectual leftists think Mother Nature will self destruct unless they intervene like world saviors. God made trees last time we checked but they’re gods unto themselves. Sux to be them.
“Chop me before I kill again!”
L
Large portions of the Blue Ridge used to be kept burned clear by Indians to create huge meadows for game animals... so much so that settlers especially prized land that had timber on it because they believed timber grew on the most fertile spots.
Cut down and burn climate cultist and we’d save the planet.
Those live oaks are awesome
Love how the build around them in Florida
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.