New research suggests that ancient trees possess far more than an awe-inspiring presence and a suite of ecological services to forests—they also sustain the entire population of trees’ ability to adapt to a rapidly changing environment. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/941826
@estherschindler
"ancient trees have survived countless environmental changes over hundreds or thousands of years, and in turn, this genetic resilience is passed on to the forest. Moreover, these old trees provide invaluable services to their ecosystem. They provide a habitat for endangered species and sequester a disproportionate amount of carbon compared to typical mature trees. "
Killing off the old reduces the resilence & capabilities of the entire forest. Or any population...
Makes me wonder if the kind of strange reverence people held (and some people still hold, like me) for especially old trees was based on something more than “dis tree big”
maybe some part of us knows, even when we don't understand.
I feel that way about the planet sometimes. Not as replacable for humanity as some imagine.
I know it might seem oogie-boogie and mystical, which is the kind of talk I am the last person to ever utter unless I’m arguing against it, but I do know humans can pick up on things well below the level of conscious sensory detection. And we don’t realize it but our brains still process and interpret that information and it affects how we behave, often in subtle ways but sometimes profound.
I wonder if there’s something about old trees we can pick up on.
@estherschindler
@corlin relates to your evolution thread i think