People are awe-inspiring structures that are considered to be great benefactors of our environment; they give us shade, oxygen, homes, or dwelling places for various living things.
However, this formidable group can only exist if balanced by key conditions that are often not considered.
In this blog, we will unveil the basics of 5 things trees need to grow, the conditions necessary for trees to be healthy, and the challenges trees face in contemporary society.
Thus, the concerned authority, the South Carolina Forestry Commission, has pointed out that the survival rate of newly planted trees is as low as 50% after the first year due to transplant shock.
Trees are light-sensitive structures that also need proper ventilation, water, nutrients, and space to expand. This implies that the early tree species needed to be better equipped to develop survival strategies in frozen climates.
To develop special methods for struggling with severe climate conditions, the adaptation process started.
Other adaptations include the natural production of an ‘antifreeze’ in the form of sugary sap and leaf shedding in months that experience freezing conditions.
Thus, stressing trees’ specific needs and hurdles, people can do more to help trees grow, but keep in mind that every tree has different growth stages. For example, peach tree growth stages are slow compared to mango tree growth stages.
Let us follow the pathway as we discover the mysteries behind tree biology and also get to know what drives the sustainment of these noble tree-living bodies.
5 Things Trees Need to Grow And Survive
Trees are incredible living objects that are part of our environment and are responsible for creating shelter, providing shade, and supplying oxygen for several species. However, their survival and growth are conditional on several factors that should be given more attention.
Here, we listed down the things for “what do trees need to survive.”
01 Sunlight
The energy essential to trees is light energy, which hails from sunlight. Just like food plants, trees harness energy from sunlight through photosynthesis and convert it chemically into sugars that provide energy for growth and other metabolic activities.
The molecule of chlorophyll located in the chloroplasts of a tree’s leaves absorbs sunlight and starts the process of photosynthesis. Thus, apart from energy generation, trees also experience the impact of sunlight on their growth. Similarly, trees will bend towards light, which is considered an essential factor referred to as phototropism.
02 Water
Concerns about the fact why do trees need water? Water plays an important role in the physiological functioning of trees. It is taken up through the roots from the ground and is transported to various parts of the tree through a conducting tissue called the xylem.
However, water plays an important function in photosynthesis since it is the solvent through which chemical reactions take place in the chloroplasts.
Further, several aspects are associated with water tent making, including transpiration, a process by which water evaporates from the trees’ leaves, cooling the tree and replenishing its water requirements.
Trees require water for their growth, and any condition that compromises this will harm their well-being.
03 Nutrients
Trees need nutrients to grow and develop properly, and the following are some nutrients. These nutrients are absorbed from the soil through the root of the tree all through the dry season.
These include nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which depend on the biochemical processes that occur in the trees, such as the synthesis of protein and energy transfer, as well as cell division.
However, trees also need small amounts of other nutrients, such as iron, zinc, and manganese, which are classified as micronutrients. Therefore, soil fertility affects the availability of nutrients essential to the trees, and nutrient deficiencies or imbalances are a responsive regulation.
04 Air
Like all other living things, trees need oxygen to breathe, a process through which energy is derived from sugars to support cellular processes. Absorption of oxygen occurs in the tree through stomata, which is present on the leaves, where through aerobic respiration, oxygen is used to produce ATP, the main energy currency in the cell.
Free space around trees is also very crucial for proper air circulation, which helps to reduce the formation of fungus-related diseases and pests around the trees and their leaves. Application of compaction pressure to the soil or the occurrence of water logging hinders the supply of oxygen to the roots, a factor that causes stress and slow growth in trees.
05 Space to Grow
Space should be provided for trees above and below the ground. If you want to grow a specific tree for your home or any place, make sure to clear other trees with tree removal services. Trees need enough space to accommodate the heads and trunks so that their canopies can grow and receive sunlight.
Light is known to play a key role in determining the growth form of trees, especially in compounds, mainly forests, which are usually grown tall and narrow to reach the source of light.
Above ground, trees require horizontal space to anchor their trunks and extension laterals and stretch down to take up nutrients and water from the soil.
Soil compaction, which may result from high population pressure or poor tillage practices, limits root growth and may cause nutrient deficiencies and water stress. Sufficient space helps trees grow and develop without hindrance, which is important for the proper growth of trees.
Do Trees Need Carbon Dioxide
The fact is that trees do require a certain amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) for their development. Carbon dioxide is an input in photosynthesis, which is how plants, including trees, feed themselves and produce energy.
While in the process of photosynthesis, trees synthesize glucose from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide in addition to generating oxygen. It mainly takes place in the tissues of the leaves of a tree; cells containing chlorophyll gather sun-beam and turn them into chemical ones.
The basic equation for photosynthesis is:
6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight = (C6H12O6 glucose) + 6O2
In this equation, carbon dioxide (CO2) is transformed by reacting with water (H2O) and energy from sunlight to synthesize glucose (C6H12O6) and produce oxygen (O2). Carbon dioxide is absorbed into the tree and used for digestion, while oxygen, the other waste product, is donated to the environment.
Carbon dioxide plays a vital role in the search for what do trees need to grow. When it is scarce, trees cannot perform photosynthesis optimally, which would be highly unbeneficial to their growth and existence.
However, it should be made clear that though CO2 is useful for photosynthesis, excessive emission of the gas into the atmosphere due to industrial activities like the burning of fossil fuels leads to negative environmental outcomes such as climate change, among others. Carbon dioxide should, therefore, be regulated to optimize the growth of trees and the earth.
Final Advice
Thus, these above 5 things trees need to grow are essential for wildlife support, upkeep, and improvement of aquatic habitat conditions, as well as climate moderation. Civilized as they may seem, they are also a source of survival needs such as shelter, water, fire, and food.
There are special attributes of trees preferred by survivalists, including the Basswood tree, where one can eat the leaves and relish on the sap, which acts as water, and the softwood good for friction fire kits.
To ensure trees are well established after planting, it is imperative to select the right species of trees for the area, establish the right time of planting, utilize proper planting techniques, pay attention to the trees’ needs, and consider protecting the trees with tree guards to prevent them from pests and animals.
When the needs and problems facing trees have been identified, appropriate measures to help trees survive can be implemented to ensure that forests in the future will be as healthy as the ones we have today.