Are some plants better than others at sucking up carbon dioxide? (2024)

FAQs

Which plant absorbs more carbon dioxide? ›

By that measure, bamboo might be the best at sucking up CO₂. However, fast-growing plants tend not to live long and when a plant dies, all the carbon in the plant is broken down by insects, fungi and microbes and released as CO₂ again.

Leaves on a "sun plant" tend to be smaller and thicker, with more pronounced lobes than shade plant leaves. Special cells in these leaves allow higher rates of photosynthesis. "Shade plants" photosynthesize at a lower rate, even if a lot of light is available.

While trees have long been used for carbon sequestration, native grasses and forbs are increasing in popularity for this purpose along with other benefits. Grasses like switchgrass and Miscanthus have deep, complex root systems that are ideal for storing carbon in the soil.

Since trees and plants "take in" carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis, planting more trees should reduce CO2 levels. For reference, combined with oceans, the terrestrial biosphere including plants and trees already remove about 45% of the CO2 emitted by human activities each year.

One of the best tree species for absorbing carbon is oaks, thanks to their large canopies, dense wood and long lifespans. Other top carbon-absorbing trees include the common horse-chestnut, black Walnut, London plane, and American sweetgum.

Maize, sugar cane, and sorghum are C4 plants. These plants are economically important in part because of their relatively high photosynthetic efficiencies compared to many other crops.

Some of the light that isn't absorbed bounces off the surface of the leaf and is reflected back up at the sky. This reflectance can change the climate of the entire planet. Darker leaves absorb more light, while lighter-colored leaves reflect more light.

Plants that grow well in low-light conditions have darker green leaves because they have more chlorophyll b, as do older leaves. New leaves in the spring mostly have light green chlorophyll a.

As the planet's greatest carbon sink, the ocean absorbs excess heat and energy released from rising greenhouse gas emissions trapped in the Earth's system. Here are some of the major consequences of the impacts of climate change on the ocean.

In case of giant tropical bamboo, one newly planted bamboo plant can sequester 2 tons of carbon dioxide in just 7 years. In comparison, a typical hardwood tree will sequester 1 ton of carbon dioxide in 40 years. When compared to pine, bamboo can absorb up to 5 times more CO2.

Are there any carbon capture plants? ›

The Sleipner-T plant produces about 1 million tonnes of pure CO₂ per year, which is injected into a deep saline aquifer below the North Sea. Sleipner is a key demonstration site for CCS technology in Europe.

1. Snake Plant. A research study by Naresuan University reveals that the Snake plant has the beautiful strength of absorbing CO2 at a rate of 0.49 ppm/m3, which makes them quite effective in curbing down the CO2 levels in the air.

In daylight, plants are both respiring and photosynthesising, so oxygen and carbon dioxide are diffusing in and out of the leaves. But overnight, without sunlight, photosynthesis stops and stomata close. With just respiration taking place, only oxygen diffuses into the leaves and only carbon dioxide diffuses out.

Pothos is the best indoor plant for oxygen because of its high rate of conversion. It was able to show a 6.5 percent decreased carbon dioxide in an experiment, where the CO2 content was reduced from 454PPM to 425PPM, resulting in higher oxygen levels.

The peepal tree is a tree that gives oxygen for 24 hours. It is also known as the bo or bodhi tree and belongs to the same genus as neem trees. The peepal grows up to 15 m tall and has grey bark on its branches. It's native to India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka but is now found throughout Southeast Asia.