Scientists Warn About the Troubling State of Earth’s Trees

Introduction: Iconic Trees at Risk

From towering coastal redwoods to ancient Wollemi pines and firs that adorn Christmas, even the planet’s most iconic plants are facing severe issues. However, the loss of certain species won’t just endanger local forests; it will threaten entire ecosystems, as recent research indicates.

In 2021, a global assessment titled “State of the World’s Trees” revealed that one-third of tree species are on the brink of extinction. This amounts to around 17,500 unique species at risk—more than double the number of all threatened tetrapod species (mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles). Some trees are so rare that only one known individual remains, such as the solitary Hyophorbe amaricaulis palm in Mauritius.

A Call to Action: Warning to Humanity

In a follow-up study from 2022, the same researchers issued a “warning to humanity” about the severe consequences of these losses, supported by 45 scientists from 20 different countries. Conservation biologist Malin Rivers from Botanic Gardens Conservation International and her colleagues outlined the various impacts these losses will have on economies, livelihoods, and food supplies. Trees provide fruits, nuts, medicines, and other products, contributing to approximately $88 billion in trade globally.

In developing countries, 880 million people depend on firewood for cooking, and 1.6 billion live within close proximity to forests, relying on them for food and income.

Overall, trees contribute around $1.3 trillion annually to the global economy, yet people destroy billions of them each year to clear land for agriculture and urban development.

Ecosystem Support: Trees as Life Hosts

Beyond their economic role, trees support diverse ecosystems. They house countless forms of life, including plants, fungi, animals, and bacteria. When a tree is lost, all these organisms are affected too. It is estimated that half of the world’s plant and animal species depend on forest habitats.

According to Rivers, habitat loss often translates to tree loss, which is fundamental when considering extinction risks for animals or birds. “There is no way we can take care of all the other creatures if we don’t take care of the trees,” she told Nature World News in 2022.

As with all living systems, a decline in diversity makes the entire web of life more vulnerable. Less variation results in reduced diversity in immune responses, genes, and reactions to environmental changes, diminishing the chances of surviving various threats to Earth’s intricate life network.

Some tree species offer unique interactions that cannot be replaced by others. For instance, the distinctive dragon’s blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari), a remnant from ancient Oligocene woodlands, hosts many other species that are entirely dependent on it, including various plants and the gecko that pollinates it.

Domino Effect of Extinction

Therefore, the extinction of a single species can trigger a massive domino effect on everything that interacts with it, even if those species are already rare. Species relying on our dwindling forests have already declined by approximately 53% since 1970, with more forests worldwide showing increasing signs of stress.

Moreover, trees are intricately linked to Earth’s soil, atmosphere, and weather—cleaning our air, producing oxygen, and contributing to rainfall. They store three-quarters of the world’s accessible freshwater and more than half of its problematic carbon dioxide.

The loss of enough trees could disrupt the planet’s cycling of carbon, water, and nutrients. “We are showing that diverse forests store more carbon than monocultures,” Rivers stated in an interview with The Guardian.

The Importance of Biodiversity in Ecosystems

That’s true for many ecological functions—not just carbon capture, but also providing habitats for animals, stabilizing soil, and enhancing resilience to pests, diseases, storms, and adverse weather. By losing tree diversity, we’ll also lose diversity among all organisms: birds, animals, fungi, microorganisms, and insects.

Some tree species are managing to adapt to the rapid environmental changes we have caused, such as those entering areas cleared by wildfires. However, the same processes are obliterating many others.

To address this issue, we need significant collective action, but everyone can contribute by recognizing the importance of trees and combating “plant blindness.” In 2022, researchers noted that fewer people in the UK are pursuing botanical education at a time when we need plants more than ever.

We must all consider the significance of trees.

Read the original article on: Science Alert

Read more: Research Identifies Early Signs of African Humid Period’s End