Scientists discover revolutionary new wood in common garden tree

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It appears a secret has been hiding in gardens around the globe the whole time, and it could revolutionise our understanding of carbon sequestration.

New research has highlighted two types of the tulip tree, which is relatively common in Australia, and its properties have turned out to be pretty extraordinary.

It's pretty unusual, this tree doesn't fit into either the softwood or hardwood category, and biochemists reckon its unique properties could've started to show up 50 million years ago, around the same time that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere took a dive.

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The research is centred on the wood's structure – specifically its macrofibrils, which are much bigger than those found in hardwood trees, and could alter scientific approaches to storing carbon.

Łyczakowski said: "Both tulip tree species are renowned for their exceptional ability to sequester carbon, and their enlarged macrofibril structure could be an adaptation that allows them to more easily capture and store larger quantities of carbon when atmospheric carbon levels were lower."

Tulip trees could become valuable for carbon capture plantations. Some eastern Asian countries are already growing Liriodendron plantations to effectively store carbon, and we now believe this may be linked to its unique wood composition.

The research involved scanning electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-SEM) to examine the cell walls of the trees.

Łyczakowski said: "The key components of wood are the secondary cell walls… [which] are also the biggest store of carbon in the biosphere, making it even more crucial to understand their variety to further our carbon storage initiatives to help combat climate change."

The experts also speculated that the Liriodendron tulipifera and Liriodendron chinense, which are two species of tulip tree, emerged on our planet around 30 to 50 million years ago, coinciding with a big drop in carbon dioxide levels in the air. This might be why it's good at soaking up carbon, according to the researchers.

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