Part 2/10:
The Composition of Trees: Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen
To understand the life of a tree, it’s essential to explore its elemental makeup. The nutrients trees consume can be categorized into macronutrients—like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—and micronutrients—like iron, manganese, zinc, and copper. Together, these nutrient elements account for less than 5% of a tree’s weight. In stark contrast, approximately 95% of a tree's mass is composed of three fundamental elements: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.