Study Finds Ghost Forest ‘Tree Farts’ Contribute to Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A new study from North Carolina State University finds that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from standing dead trees in coastal wetland forests – colloquially called “tree farts” – need to be accounted for when assessing the environmental impact of so-called “ghost forests.”

In the study, researchers compared the quantity and type of GHG emissions from dead tree snags to emissions from the soil. While snags did not release as much as the soils, they did increase GHG emissions of the overall ecosystem by about 25 percent. Researchers say the findings show snags are important for understanding the total environmental impact of the spread of dead trees in coastal wetlands, known as ghost forests, on GHG emissions. https://news.ncsu.edu/2021/05/study-finds-ghost-forest-tree-farts-contribute-to-greenhouse-gas-emissions/