Trees are amazing. They can soak up carbon from the atmosphere, provide wildlife with shelter and improve our mental health. Did you know that trees can also ‘talk’ to each other and send out distress signals when under attack? Well, you do now. We’ve got 10 facts about trees that you may or may not be aware of.
- There are 60,000 different tree species in the world. The Earth has about three trillion trees. Yes, trillion. This fact was confirmed by a Yale research study. This number includes 60,000 different tree species, half of which are endemic. Endemic means that they exist in one country only. Brazil, Colombia and Indonesia are home to the most diverse tree populations in the world. A bit of bad news is that there are 46% less trees now than at the start of human civilization.
- Trees migrate to escape climate change. We know this sounds weird. How can trees move? Obviously, they don’t uproot themselves. However, their population centers can shift over time in response to climate pressures. A study that looked at 86 tree species in the eastern portion of the United States between the years of 1980 and 2015 found that 73% of trees moved westward to follow the rain. Others headed to the poles to escape heat. On average they moved about 10 miles per decade.
- Trees keep cities cool. Trees give us shade, but they also mitigate extreme temperatures via the process of transpiration. What is transpiration you may ask? Briefly, it’s the absorption of the sun’s radiation and release of water into the air through their leaves. Often times, urban areas become ‘heat islands’ in the summer. A 2019 study concluded that a tree canopy cover of 40% or more could reduce temperatures by as much as 5 degrees Celsius.
- Trees suck up pollutants. Trees extract carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere which makes them crucial in the fight against climate change. They can also use their leaves to filter particulate matter and toxic gases like nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide from the air. A recent study in the UK discovered that silver birch, yew and elder trees could reduce particle rates over 70% each. How incredible is that?
- Trees can help heal us. Trees can’t heal physical ailments, obviously, but studies show that trees make us feel happier and healthier. Several studies have shown that spending time in nature or even just looking at trees or flowers through a window can: lower blood pressure, boost the immune system, improve sleep, reduce depression and anxiety, and speed up recovery time after a surgery.
- Trees can ‘talk’ to each other. Researchers have known for a while now that forests have their own communication systems. It’s almost like an underground internet. This ‘network’ allows trees to swap nutrients and send warnings about drought or disease. Trees interact via networks of soil fungi, known as mycorrhizal networks. Ecologist Suzanne Simard has shown that birch and fir trees use this system to send water, carbon and nutrients back and forth.
- Trees can send signals in the air. Trees can’t flee if their leaves are being devoured by a hungry herbivore. What they do instead is release chemicals – volatile organic compounds – into the air to warn nearby members of the same species that there’s a threat in the area. Studies show that other trees respond by boosting their own production of anti-herbivore toxins, which, in case of acacias, makes their lives bitter.
- Trees can call for backup. When under attack from bugs or parasites, some species like apple and tomato trees, release compounds in the air to combat the predator. Most of the time, the predators are insects; however, a European study showed that trees infested with caterpillars also put out chemical signals to attract caterpillar-eating birds. Interesting, right?
- Methusaleh, the world’s oldest tree, has lived nearly 5,000 years. Research shows that trees are the oldest living organisms on planet Earth. An individual tree can survive hundreds or even thousands of years. The oldest known living tree is called Methusaleh, after the ancient biblical old man. It’s located in California’s White Mountains and is a bristlecone pine. Researchers estimate its age as 4850 years. The exact location of the tree is kept hidden to protect it from vandals.
- Hyperion is the world’s largest tree. Redwoods are the tallest trees around. Photos don’t really do them justice. The tallest known living tree is a coast redwood known by the moniker, Hyperion. It measures more than 380 feet and is bigger than Big Ben or the Statue of Liberty. Discovered in California in 2006, Hyperion is believed to be hundreds of years old.
We hope these tree facts help you realize how amazing trees really are. We’ve always known this to be true – and that’s a fact. Thank you for following our blog. We look forward to bringing you new information every week.
