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Fig trees convert atmospheric CO2 to stone
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1089863Fig trees convert atmospheric CO₂ to stone
Research presented at the Goldschmidt Conference in Prague
Reports and Proceedings
European Association of Geochemistry
Some species of fig trees store calcium carbonate in their trunks – essentially turning themselves (partially) into stone, new research has found. The team of Kenyan, U.S., Austrian, and Swiss scientists found that the trees could draw carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) from the atmosphere and store it as calcium carbonate ‘rocks’ in the surrounding soil.
…
The trees – native to Kenya – are one of the first fruit trees shown to have this ability, known as the oxalate carbonate pathway.
All trees use photosynthesis to turn CO₂ into organic carbon, which forms their trunk, branches, roots and leaves; this is why planting trees is seen as a potential means to mitigate CO₂ emissions.
Certain trees also use CO₂ to create calcium oxalate crystals. When parts of the tree decay, these crystals are converted by specialised bacteria or fungi into calcium carbonate – the same mineral as limestone or chalk. This increases the soil pH around the tree, while also increasing the availability of certain nutrients. The inorganic carbon in calcium carbonate typically has a much longer lifetime in the soil than organic carbon, making it a more effective method of CO₂ sequestration.
…
https://conf.goldschmidt.info/goldschmidt/2025/meetingapp.cgi/Paper/26094Research presented at the Goldschmidt Conference in Prague
Reports and Proceedings
European Association of Geochemistry
Some species of fig trees store calcium carbonate in their trunks – essentially turning themselves (partially) into stone, new research has found. The team of Kenyan, U.S., Austrian, and Swiss scientists found that the trees could draw carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) from the atmosphere and store it as calcium carbonate ‘rocks’ in the surrounding soil.
…
The trees – native to Kenya – are one of the first fruit trees shown to have this ability, known as the oxalate carbonate pathway.
All trees use photosynthesis to turn CO₂ into organic carbon, which forms their trunk, branches, roots and leaves; this is why planting trees is seen as a potential means to mitigate CO₂ emissions.
Certain trees also use CO₂ to create calcium oxalate crystals. When parts of the tree decay, these crystals are converted by specialised bacteria or fungi into calcium carbonate – the same mineral as limestone or chalk. This increases the soil pH around the tree, while also increasing the availability of certain nutrients. The inorganic carbon in calcium carbonate typically has a much longer lifetime in the soil than organic carbon, making it a more effective method of CO₂ sequestration.
…