Are Evergreens better for reducing carbon?

[Gannet]

Are Evergreens better for reducing carbon?

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Post by Gannet » Sun Apr 13, 2014 3:56 pm

I have an Acuba (Aucuba japonica Thunb.) bush http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aucub ... ica_01.jpg and last year I trimmed it and put the cuttings in my compose pile.
The cuttings from the Acuba still look the same as the day I cut them, which got me wondering that maybe evergreens, because of their slow decay have a smaller carbon footprint then deciduous plants.

[JackBean]

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Post by JackBean » Tue May 13, 2014 5:10 pm

It seems to be covered with wax or something alike, which will slow the decay, but I don't see really a reason, why should that be an advantage in reducing carbon footprint.

[BasicBiology]

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Post by BasicBiology » Mon Aug 18, 2014 10:47 am

Obviously plants are carbon sinks, but unless the carbon that they remove form the atmosphere is locked up indefinitely in their tissue, it will find its way back into the atmosphere through respiration.

Leaves are generally poor long term sinks of carbon as they have relatively quick rates of decomposition when compared to wood. Although there is significant differences in the decomposition rates of leaves from different species, I don't know if I would draw the line between evergreen and deciduous species. There are many evergreen species that have large soft leaves which are easily decomposed but the climate that they evolved in had long enough growing seasons that is wasn't worth dropping their leaves over winter.

[bioscience56]

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Post by bioscience56 » Wed Oct 28, 2015 2:19 am

sounds interesting.