What role does the location of a tree play in it's carbon dioxide absorbtion?

Question

I read somewhere that the location of a tree can affect how much carbon dioxide is absorbed. I know that you can't stick a tree in the desert and expect soething, but how much of a role would location play if I stuck a tree in the city. also, can a tree actually take carbon dioxide out of the atmospere or just absorb it before it gets into the atmosphere

Answer 1

So, as you probably know, carbon dioxide is taken up by plants during the process of photosynthesis. Therefore, if you put your plant into a shadier place than it is adapted for, then photosynthesis rates will go down, which would also reduce the rate/volume of carbon dioxide uptake.

The second part of your question is a bit awkwardly worded but, yes, plants uptake carbon dioxide from the air immediately around them (i.e., not the upper atmosphere), so those molecules of carbon dioxide will not (at that time) make it into the atmosphere. That's why it's so important that we don't cut down the lungs of the planet (aka trees) at a time when our use of fossil fuels is at its highest (and probably still growing)! ;)