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Forests are full of surprises. And no, there’s no need to delve into stories about monsters or fairies that inhabit it; Science shows us parts of these ecosystems that we don’t understand. If we stop for a while to observe, we will be able to see the true wonders of nature and questions will begin to fill our minds.
Looking up we can notice what is called “Plant shame cracks“, or how the treetops do not touch each other. This effect allows us to admire a green and seemingly broken canopy. If we look down, we can see a powerful trunk that has grown over the years from carbon dioxide in the air and minerals in the soil. And there , underground, where the trees and forest hide some of their wonderful secrets.
He said walking into the forest
When botanist Sebastian Leusinger was walking with his friend and colleague Martin Bader through a forest in New Zealand, his gaze fell on a tree. Whoever knew him knew that he was A Kaori (Australian AgathisIt is an endemic tree in the region that may exceed 50 meters in height and lives more than 2,000 years. The greatness of this tree is evident in specimens such as: Tani MahutaWhich means “lord of the forest” in Maori, and has a very special place in the culture of the region.
The Tani Mahuta tree is the largest known kauri tree. Its height is 51.2 meters.
But the moment of glory and ultimate splendor of the tree they were seeing had long passed. What Sebastian was really watching was… trunkThat is, the rest of the trunk fixed to the ground and which remains when the tree falls. The torso didn’t look anything out of the ordinary; A cylinder barely half a meter long protrudes from the ground And that it may have served as a buttocks rest for many people who went for a pleasant walk in the woods. But Sebastian’s experienced eyes could see something else. This trunk hid a secret that made it unusual: life.
The secret of the living trunk
The kauri that Sebastian and Martin were watching Maybe it fell long ago. So much so that its leaves, branches, and the rest of the trunk disappeared completely. This trunk cannot survive on its own.So the researchers, overcome with curiosity, tried to find an explanation. After sampling the kauri plants, they set their sights on the surrounding trees. If this trunk can’t live on its own, And there was someone taking care of him The nearby trees were all suspicious.
Sebastian Leuzinger is pictured standing next to the instrument that allows them to measure the flow of water from the trunk of a kauri tree.
Using specialized tools, They measured the water flow On the trunk and in the surrounding trees. These fluid movements are affected by several factors, such as: The presence of sunlight, temperature and precipitation, It allows trees to obtain the nutrients needed for their growth. After setting up the equipment and monitoring the levels for a few weeks, the data collected showed a clear correlation between immobile residents. When the sap moved faster in living trees, the speed of the water in the trunk decreased. Conversely, the slower it moves in the trees, the faster it flows down the trunk. This is how the stump was able to survive.
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, the forest floor hides part of its secrets from us. After analyzing the roots, they noticed that they are related to each other. This is a fact that was already known in other trees of different species. This explains why the trunk survives. But the answer to the question generated other, equally interesting questions. Why would the forest want to keep the trunk alive? What benefits does it bring you? Once again, the answer is hidden underground.
Great being
The phenomenon observed by Sebastian and Martin is not unique in the world. Living trunks of various species are known, Some are unusually long-lasting, e.g Beech tree trunkFagus sylvatica) which is believed to have been cut 500 years ago. This allows us to hypothesize two scenarios: either trees don’t know how to detect when a limb has fallen and how to break away from it, or there is actually some advantage in keeping their trunks alive.
In support of this second hypothesis we find the wonderful world of mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizae are fungi that exist in a symbiotic relationship with tree roots. This relationship provides a mutual benefit, as the roots provide sugars and other nutrients, and the fungi convert minerals and decomposed materials in the soil into compounds beneficial to the trees. The larger and more diverse the network of mycorrhizal fungi that nourish tree roots, the more resilient the ecosystem becomes to changes. Thus it can better withstand stormy weather and other disasters.
The roots of living trunks are also part of this network of trees and fungi, because they are connected to each other. That’s why one hypothesis is that its mere presence helps Expanding the root network, allowing more mycorrhizal fungi to join the trees, which translates into a benefit for the forest as a whole. For this reason, it may be beneficial for the forest to keep its fallen members alive.
In this study, the phrase that you can’t see the forest for the trees is very present. By treating trees individually, only a portion of the superorganisms can be studied. Where all its members are linked. These connections involve different organisms, which together form an ecosystem with an infinite number of members. So when we take the next walk in the woods we might think so We are entering a living world whose complexities we do not understand. When we enter, let us remember to look up, to the sides and to the floor, because, paying enough attention, We will be able to delve into the secrets that these trees hide from us in plain sight.
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