Trees are ancient living organisms that existed since the creation of the Earth and have been crucial to the Earth’s ecosystem. The age of a tree is determined by cambium, a layer of growing bark, which forms a ring in the wood of the tree. Each ring of cambium, tells the age of the tree. The climate can also determine how fast a tree grows. For instance, in cool climates, cambium only grows in the spring and summer. But there are some cases where you cannot determine the age of trees, like the trees in a tropical rain forest. The cambium grows all year round. Yet these trees do not have rings. Consequently without the cambium rings, it is difficult to tell the age of these species trees. Since trees have an s
As told in the Holy Bible, “And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Just as is stated in the Bible, there are all kinds of trees, in all kinds of shapes and sizes. But how important are trees? If all the trees were removed from the Earth, what impact would this have on the environment? Determining the answers to these questions will be a guide in learning about the importance and value of trees in the ecosystem.
Trees can have a positive effect on the climate, by shading the ground, trees cool off the Earth’s temperature. Strategically planting trees around air conditioners, windows and the walls which receive the most sun will help in reducing energy costs. Normally, the best position to plant trees is on the west, east and south. It really depends on a specific geographical location. However, according to American Forests’ research, even urban cities get the benefit of cooler temperatures from trees within distances of 35 miles. In fact, American Forests’ research determined that trees saved approximately $2.8 million