Pine is one of the tree species that make up the largest timber stock on Earth and is also one of the tree species with the highest ecological, social, and economic value in the world.
The most prominent feature of pine trees is their needle-shaped leaves, often in bundles of two, three, or five needles, commonly known as pine needles.
The vast majority of pine trees are tall, sturdy trees with many branches. Their ornamental value is well known.
Pine trees are highly adaptable to terrestrial environments. They can tolerate temperatures as low as -60°C or as high as 50°C.
Pine trees can also grow in bare mineral soils, sandy soils, volcanic ash, calcareous soils, limestone soils, and various soils from podzols to red soils. They are drought-resistant, barren, and tolerant of sunny conditions. Therefore, pine trees are a famous pioneer tree species.
Famous pine trees, pine forests, and ancient pine trees can be found all over the world. For example, the Italian stone pine can be found on the streets of Rome, the black pine forest in the Canadian National Forest Park, and the black pine in the Japanese garden.
The world's oldest pine forest is located in the White Mountains in California, USA, at an altitude of 3048 meters. In the mid-1950s, Dr. Edmund Schulman scientifically calculated that 17 trees were over 4,000 years old, and the oldest tree was 4,600 years old.
1. The bactericidal effect of pine forests
An acre of pine trees can emit 2 kilograms of fungicides in one day and night.
These fungicides can inhibit the reproduction of typhoid, diphtheria, dysentery, and other germs and can also absorb and dissolve sulfur dioxide in the air.
Pine trees can volatilize pine bark aldehyde into the air, which has a strong inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus, Shigella, Bacillus anthracis, and Salmonella Enteritidis. Therefore, there are often many longevity towns located in the pine forest circle.
2. Pine has a super adsorption capacity
Due to the large and loose crown of the pine tree, the dense needles, and the secretion of oil, it has a strong ability to hold dust.
Pine needles have a strong adsorption capacity, and small, heavy metal particles, such as oil fume, carbon particles, lead, and mercury in the air, are easily absorbed.
The branches and leaves of pine trees can absorb a large number of dust particles and reduce floating dust in the air by more than 50%. They act like a natural "vacuum cleaner".
Someone has calculated that one hectare of wood can absorb the carbon dioxide exhaled by 200 people in a day and release a large amount of oxygen every hour.
The leaves of the trees can also absorb and process harmful gases such as carbon dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, and nitrogen in large quantities, making the air in the pine forest clean and fresh.
3. Pine forests can eliminate noise
The role of the forest in eliminating noise is mainly to weaken and dissipate sound waves through the lush leaves.
Therefore, pine trees can eliminate or greatly improve various diseases of the central nervous system and autonomic nervous system dysfunction caused by living in a noisy environment for a long time.
The straight trunk, rough bark, and luxuriant needles of the pine tree play a great role in eliminating noise, providing a quiet and clean space.
4. Edible value of pine trees
Pine pollen is made from pine needles and flowers of pine trees. It is rich in various nutrients and is also a tonic that people use to maintain their bodies. Pine nuts are an indispensable raw material in some sweets we eat every day.
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, pine trees also have great economic value. Pine trees are one of the most important commercial timber species in the world, used in the construction of buildings, furniture, and paper.
Pine trees can also be used to produce turpentine, which is used as a solvent, as well as in the production of paint and varnish.
However, the growing demand for pine trees has led to over-harvesting, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity in some areas. Therefore, it is important to balance the economic benefits of pine trees with the need to protect the environment and preserve the natural habitats of other species.
In conclusion, pine trees are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also have a variety of ecological, social, and economic benefits.
They are highly adaptable, have a long lifespan, and play an important role in maintaining a healthy environment. It is important to protect and preserve pine forests, while also finding sustainable ways to utilize their resources.
