A tree could help save the world from global warming and climate change, if used properly in reforestation projects. The kiri tree is a viable option when it comes to austere water and land fertility conditions, however, special care must be taken because it can only be planted where the ecosystem receives it without suffering alterations.
Imbalance in the atmosphere
The natural balance is being broken, the millions of tons of carbon dioxide that enter the atmosphere annually are causing a great imbalance in the natural gas exchange processes. The biggest problem is that CO2 levels are exceeding the amount of gases that plants can process through photosynthesis to convert into oxygen. In turn, this generates the so-called greenhouse effect that feeds the , since it does not let the heat that reaches us from the Sun escape, becoming a heat pump.
If we add to this that the main lungs of the Earth, such as the Amazon rainforest and the primordial sequoia forests, are suffering from the excessive extraction of natural resources, the outlook is not positive at all. This is why researchers are trying to decipher the ways in which we could remedy the damage that has been caused to this natural balance.
The kiri, the tree that produces the most oxygen
One of the best-known actions is precisely reforestation to recover forests and it is precisely here where a tree comes to light that could help save the planet from disaster. This is the Kiri tree, whose scientific name is Paulownia tomentosa, which is native to Asia, specifically to .
The Kiri have a great peculiarity, they consume more carbon dioxide and produce more breathable oxygen than the rest of the tree species. This is because they have large leaves with metabolic characteristics. A Paulownia tree captures an average of 21.7 kilograms of carbon dioxide, which it then converts into oxygen, returning about 5.9 kilograms of the vital gas for aerobic beings. This is more than any other known tree by up to almost ten times.
In addition, it is a tree that has very high growth rates of about two centimeters per day. With this growth speed it would reach six meters in less than a year, which is why it is considered for reforestation plantations.
Reforestation yes, but with research
Although the kiri is a promising tree to combat global warming, it must also be taken into account that reforestation is not a matter that should be taken lightly. They require in-depth research to find out if the species in mind for planting is suitable for the ecosystem into which it is planned to be introduced.
On many occasions, although the intention is good, invasive species end up being planted that, far from helping the planet, greatly harm the local ecosystem. For this reason, before introducing kiri, experts are required to help understand how the oxygen-producing tree could help without generating consequences.