Trees worldwide a sip away from dehydration

Seventy percent of the 226 tree species in forests around the world routinely function near the point where a serious drought would stop water transport from their roots to their leaves, says plant physiologist Brendan Choat of the University of Western Sydney in Richmond, Australia. Trees even in moist, lush places operate with only a slim safety margin between them and a thirsty death. Forests cover some 30 percent of the Earth’s land, sheltering a rich share of the diversity of life. Woodlands provide timber and other products and lock up carbon that would otherwise enter the atmosphere and contribute to global warming. Tree species that produce flowers — such as maples and oaks — proved overall more vulnerable than conifers to drier conditions. But the researchers show that the majority of trees operate with only the slimmest of safety margins. wet forests were as vulnerable as the dry ones. trees are maximizing their carbon capture for food even though it strains the plumbing. We have to care about our environment.A barrier to this solution is when people don't take care of the environment. I know that keeping trees is important and that we rely on trees to live. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/346630/description/Trees_worldwide_a_sip_away_from_dehydration