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Earth Climate and Plants as Climate Change Mitigators

Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Botany, Kanoria P. G. Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302015, India

Res. J. Recent Sci., Volume 5, Issue (7), Pages 36-40, July,2 (2016)

Abstract

Climate change is one of the most potent universal environmental challenges faced by humankind with close connection for food production, natural ecosystems, freshwater supply, health, etc. The changing lifestyle (industrialization, urbanization, population explosion, changed eating habits, more fuel dependency etc.) has resulted in overburdening of the ecosystem resources and lot of greenhouse gas emissions resulting into global warming and climate change. According to recent scientific estimation, the earth’s climate system has changed both universally and regionaly since pre-industrial time. Scientific data shows that most of the warming (0.1°C per decade) experiential over the last 50 years, is due to activities of man. Climate change is affecting the vegetation and leading to their habitat fragmentation, phenological variations, spread of invasive species, increased number of forest fires, pest attacks and extinctions. This review article discusses the impacts of climate change on plants and how plants could be used as mitigators of climate change. Trees can prevent climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide, a very potent greenhouse gas and storing it in their biomass, in roots, as phytoliths, bioenergy crops and by afforestation, reforestation and agroforestry practices. Thus by planting trees and leading a fuel efficient and sustainable lifestyle can further combat climate change.

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