How Many Years Can a Tree Live? A Guide to the Lifespan of Trees

Big trees can be said to be seen everywhere in our daily lives, and their varieties are extremely diverse, divided into trees, shrubs and woody vines. Trees play an indispensable role in regulating the climate and conserving soil and water. Most of the carbon dioxide we exhale each year is converted into oxygen by trees, so how many years can a tree live?

1. How Many Years Can a Tree Live

Depending on their variety and the region where they are planted, trees have different lifespans. Some long-lived ancient trees are still alive after more than a thousand years, while some short-lived trees may die after just a few years or even less. In addition, the climate of the planting region and the planting method also have a great influence on a plant's lifespan.

Among ordinary trees, the longest-lived are the trees, followed by shrubs and vines. Because of differences in species, the lifespans of trees vary greatly. Generally, conifers live longer than broadleaf trees; for example, pines, spruces and larches all live very long, generally reaching 250-400 years, the Korean pine can reach 3000 years, and the giant sequoia reaches more than 4000 years.

2. Related Information About Trees

In 2015, a report estimated that there are about 3 trillion big trees on Earth, of which about 1.39 trillion are in the tropics and subtropics, 610 billion in the temperate zone, and 740 billion in the boreal forests surrounding the Arctic. Compared with 11000 years ago, human activity has caused the number of trees to be reduced by half. The most direct consequence of the decrease in trees is that it has caused desertification.

In order to prevent and control desertification, our country has carried out the world's largest tree-planting and afforestation program, and the Three-North Shelterbelt has increased China's green area by more than ten percent. Planting trees can prevent soil erosion and withstand strong winds. The Loess Plateau lost large amounts of fertile land to the Yellow River only because there were too few forests. Forests can absorb sound waves and reduce noise; planting trees appropriately in cities can effectively reduce noise from factories, cars, clamor and so on. It can be said that carrying out tree planting and afforestation is also protecting humanity's homeland.

The above is some related information about trees; friends who are interested can also carry out more in-depth investigation.