In Japan, hybrid larch trees can capture 30 percent more carbon
When speaking about carbon offsetting and capturing, it's necessary to know how much the trees that are being assigned to capture that carbon actually, you know, capture. We already know how some Mediterranian species can handle CO2 but there are a lot more types of trees around the world.From Japan arrives some research made by Hokkaido Forest Research Institute and Hokkaido Forest Products Research Institute. The two groups conducted joint research from 2003 to 2005 on an F1 hybrid of Dahurian Larch (larix gmelinii) to identify families and parent trees with high carbon-fixing potential - and they found a breed that can store 30 percent more than regular larches.
The F1 hybrid is generated from Dahurian Larch as seed trees and larch trees as pollen providers. The trees also offer higher resistance to mice and weather, grow faster than larches and even produce more wood. In fact, through photosynthesis, plants capture CO2 to produce cellullose, which is the main component of timber.
The research team discovered that trees grown from certain pollen and seed trees had 30 percent greater carbon storage capacity when compared to typical larch trees. Hokkaido has started to plant these trees, at a rate of about 20,000 per year until April 2007; then they expect to start planting 300,000 per year.
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[Source: Japan for Sustainability]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
fnc 9:32PM (10/04/2007)
Were they able to identify this larch from quite a long way away?
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Shaun 10:34PM (10/04/2007)
It's more efficent because it's a hybrid right? :D
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TIMMAH! 1:09AM (10/05/2007)
"The Larch!"...
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