No, trees do not have lungs like humans and other animals. However, they do perform a vital function analogous to breathing.
How Trees "Breathe"
Trees utilize a process called photosynthesis to take in carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen. This is fundamentally different from the respiratory function of lungs, which involve the intake of oxygen and the expulsion of carbon dioxide. While trees don't have lungs, they absorb CO2 through tiny pores on their leaves called stomata and release oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis. This process is essential for their survival and plays a crucial role in maintaining the Earth's atmosphere. Sources like the Boston University article, "City Trees and Soil Are Sucking More Carbon Out of the Atmosphere Than Previously Thought," explicitly state that "They may not have lungs like we do, but the soil and trees are breathing in and out all of the time." The Royal Horticultural Society also confirms that "Plants don't have lungs to inhale and exhale the air that blows around them, but they do, in their own way, 'breathe' in and out oxygen and carbon dioxide."
The Analogy to Lungs
The comparison of forests to the "lungs of the world" is a metaphor highlighting their crucial role in atmospheric oxygen production and carbon dioxide absorption. This doesn't imply that trees possess the same respiratory organs as animals. The structure of the lungs, with their branching bronchi (as described in Cleveland Clinic's article on bronchi), is fundamentally different from the vascular system of a tree. The analogy is useful for understanding the ecological significance of trees but shouldn't be taken literally.
Conclusion
While the imagery of a tree's branching structure might evoke the image of lungs, the biological reality is distinct. Trees do not possess lungs, but they perform a vital atmospheric exchange process through photosynthesis.
