How would mankind have coped if trees didn't exist?

Question

How would mankind have coped if trees didn't exist?

Answer 1

This is a chicken and egg question.  

From an evolutionary viewpoint, if trees did not exist, then the planet would be a different place to the one we live on today, and it is arguable whether humans as we know them would have evolved.  

As to the supply of oxygen, there has never been any 'need' for oxygen to be produced by any lifeform.  Various theories state that the initial atmosphere held little oxygen, and it was initially a toxic by-product of some of the earliest lifeforms.  Evolutionary processes meant some organisms eventually developed the ability to utilise the energy released from oxidation reactions, while others (i.e. trees) may produce oxygen as by-product in circumstances, and use it others.  But it did not 'need' to be this way: effectively, the world we live in is the way it is, but there are many other worlds that could have evolved.

So, realising that we are here, and trees currently exist, the loss now of trees would have huge consequences.  As others have stated, they are sources (at times) of oxygen, integral elements of vast ecosystems, and highly utilised in many forms by humans (for shelter, fuel, and sustenance -fruit, nuts, spices).  

Can mankind cope without trees now - no.  But equally, most of the global environment as we know it would cease to exist.  

Answer 2

We'd have had to make canoes out of fibre glass instead of tree trunks.

Answer 3

they wound of. with out the trees most of the meat we eat would be dead. also when we were wild we depended on trees for shade and shelter

Answer 4

Something would evolve to take their place.  

Answer 5

We might have evolved a bit differently, or perhaps not. Some people live in areas where there's hardly any trees, and they are coping.

What got me thinking, how would wildlife cope if the trees didn't exist? There's a whole niche of life that depends on trees.

Answer 6

If trees didn't exist, then the chances are that the earliest forms of apes wouldn't of existed either. Since humans have evolved from apes, then that means humans would of also not have existed.

Not to mention the amount of oxygen trees have produced over millions of years, food as in fruit, protection etc.

Answer 7

If trees had never existed then we would of coped fine(you make use of what you have). Early weapons and tools were made of stone,Other plant materrial burns so fire would be ok, then with fire came metal work etc. Wood wouldn't of been missed that much, they just would of used something else.

If all trees were to suddenly disappear now then it would cause chaos.

Answer 8

Tree's take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen or something so there'd be more carbon dioxide and that can't be good.

And how would we build houses and things and there'd be no paper or nice wooden stuff. Wow revelation life would be quite **** without tree's lol. People would probs just like make paper from like grass and stuff and they'd find other ways of doing things though. xxxx  

Answer 9

God is not wicked. Mankind would have coped without trees as alternatives would have been provided by God.

Animals survive on tree leaves. Human beings take shelter on Trees. Trees are turned into planks. The roots are used as medicine for mankind etc.

If  Trees does not exist, animals would have been eating animals, human beings would have been used to their weather, houses would have been springing up from stones and iron, while medicines would have been from grass, water and salt.

Answer 10

Without trees, all of the plant life that is grasses or weeds would have changed over time to produce more oxygen.  Besides, the "man" upstairs would have taken care of us.

Remember, kelp is a HUGE provider of oxygen, as well.  So, I think we could have made it, but it would be very different.

What does suck is that without trees, there wouldn't be any toilet paper.........LOL

Answer 11

they couldnt, without the oxygen they make mankind would have died out

Answer 12

With great difficulty.