Tuesday, August 23, 2016 |
Sacramento, CA
A problem that scientists are calling a "botanical calamity" is plaguing California: dead trees.
More than 70 million trees in the state are dead because of oak disease, drought and wildfires and milllions more are dying.
CAL Matters reporter Julie Cart joins Insight from Los Angeles to further explain the threat dead trees pose to the environment.
Some of the dangers from dead trees include the following as described by Cart in her article:
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Dead and dying trees become more flammable
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Treeless slopes foster soil erosion, threatening the Sierra's watershed supply that makes up more than 60 percent of the state's water
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Less carbon dioxide is absorbed with less trees
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Black carbon is released from a burnt tree, which is worse than any other greenhouse gas
