The World’s Greatest Trees Are In Trouble

I read an interesting article in New Scientist about how big trees are currently suffering as a result of severe climate changes and the devastating long-term impact this will have on our beautiful forests across the world.

Big trees are incredibly important ecologically as they help define the architecture of forests and store much of the world’s biomass, locking up billions of tonnes of carbon that might otherwise escape into the atmosphere.  They also sustain countless other animal, plant and flower species.

Only a small number of tree species have the genetic capacity to grow really big with the right growing conditions.

I have included examples of these tree species in this post and you can clearly see how they relate in size to our own English Oak.

There is evidence to suggest that tree growth is being slow down by a warmer world, not only severe droughts are devastating for the trees, warmer temperatures cause trees to produce less but consume more energy just to survive, with as a result less energy to grow.

This brings on the vicious circle where killing of big trees means more carbon into the atmosphere and as a result further warming, forest shrinkage and carbon emissions….

Soon enough we will be living in a different world where ancient behemoths are replaced by short-lived pioneers and generalists that can live everywhere, where forests store less carbon and sustain fewer dependent animals, and where giant cathed ral-like crowns become a thing of the past…

And for anyone who might be wondering, the UK’s tallest tree is a Douglas Fir in Argyll  at 63.79 metres, an incredible 209 feet – taller even than the Scott monument in Edinburgh.

You may also like to have a look at our previous post on Redwood National Park in California