I was just randomly thinking about the fact that some trees are over 10,000 years old. Other biennial plants don’t last that long, so what is it that helps trees survive for so long without withering into crumbs like other plants?
In: Biology
I think the oldest tree alive today is Methusaleh which is around 5000 years old. It’s location is kept secret so people don’t maim or kill it which is sad to say.
If trees can live to 10,000 years old that’s news to me. 5000 years is still incredible.
It’s largely due to a handful of characteristics, such as retained stem-cell-ness that allows for pretty solid regeneration of its parts, a system plan that allows for damaged areas to largely *not* just kill the entire organism, a durable form that can endure many physical threats, and generally good cellular defense/control. It also can function well on a comparatively slow scale with long periods of little activity.
The question shouldn’t be how do some trees live so long, but why do trees die off in general?
Trees die off due to storms, flooding, fire, disease. Trees that live long have built up resistances to these things, or are in regions where they are not as common.
The living part of the tree is a thin membrane between the bark and the wood. The leaves fall away and compost around the base. The wood is the bodies of the previous year’s growth.
Latest Answers