Scientists Hope 'World's Loneliest Tree' Will Help Answer Climate Questions (theguardian.com) 23
It is regarded as the "loneliest tree in the world" but the Sitka spruce on uninhabited Campbell Island has been keeping good company of late -- with a team of New Zealand researchers who believe it could help unlock climate change secrets. From a report: The nine-metre tall spruce holds the Guinness World Record title for the "remotest tree" on the planet. It is the sole tree on the shrubby, windswept island, 700 kilometres south of New Zealand in the Southern Ocean. It's the only tree for 222km around; its nearest neighbour grows on the Auckland Islands. Prior to the Campbell Island spruce, the Tree of Tenere in Niger was said to be the most isolated tree on the planet, until it was killed by a driver in 1973. It is believed the Sitka spruce was planted by Lord Ranfurly, New Zealand's then governor, in the early 1900s -- hence its nickname the Ranfurly tree.
Studies have not been able to confirm its exact age, however, and Guinness World Records notes that although it is popularly referred to as the world's loneliest tree, "there is no universally recognised precise definition of what constitutes a 'tree.'" It is also classified as an invasive species and some scientists would be happy to see it go. But for radiocarbon science leader at GNS Science, Dr Jocelyn Turnbull, the tree could be a valuable tool to understand what is happening with the uptake of carbon dioxide in the Southern Ocean. "Of the CO2 that we produce from burning fossil fuels and put into the atmosphere, only about half stays there and the other half goes into the land and the ocean," Turnbull said. "It turns out the Southern Ocean -- one of those carbon sinks -- has taken up about 10% of all of the emissions that we have produced over the last 150 years."
Studies have not been able to confirm its exact age, however, and Guinness World Records notes that although it is popularly referred to as the world's loneliest tree, "there is no universally recognised precise definition of what constitutes a 'tree.'" It is also classified as an invasive species and some scientists would be happy to see it go. But for radiocarbon science leader at GNS Science, Dr Jocelyn Turnbull, the tree could be a valuable tool to understand what is happening with the uptake of carbon dioxide in the Southern Ocean. "Of the CO2 that we produce from burning fossil fuels and put into the atmosphere, only about half stays there and the other half goes into the land and the ocean," Turnbull said. "It turns out the Southern Ocean -- one of those carbon sinks -- has taken up about 10% of all of the emissions that we have produced over the last 150 years."
Pedantic party pooper rant (Score:2)
How do they know it is lonely? Loneliness is an emotional state. Assuming tress have feelings, which they don't, it could be happy being remote/alone.
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You know, people have this habit of anthropomorphize everything. I think they mean "most isolated".
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Its also not from a scientific source, the Guardian can use what ever flowery language it wants, and I wont waste any breath complaining about that. If this was in a research quarterly, then the science hippies have grounds to complain.
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How do they know it is lonely? Loneliness is an emotional state. Assuming tress have feelings, which they don't, it could be happy being remote/alone.
Using logic on /. is like p1$$1ng into the wind.
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How do they know it is lonely? Loneliness is an emotional state. Assuming tress have feelings, which they don't, it could be happy being remote/alone.
Maybe it looks sad whenever they visit. Maybe the dour appearance of the tree cause sciency folk to think it's lonely when it really just hates being studied.
Also, it's a tree... This might just be an excuse for some grad students to hook-up on a boat that someone else pays for.
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They could see what alkaloids it has, and determine the expression levels thereof, and then claim those are regulated according to loneliness and stress. Probably can get published somewhere with that.
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It may be lonely but it definitely has wood. /. topic that will benefit from the 'first hand' experience of many readers.
Clearly a
Shrubby? (Score:2)
"Bring me a Shrubbery"
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Why is the answer taking 6 years? (Score:3)
Using a hand drill, Turnbull extracted a 5mm core sample from the tree in 2016, but the results are yet to be published.
How do they not have an answer by now? Are they just looking for more funding?
If trees really do have feelings, it would be sad to find that the agony and risk of having a hole drilled in your side resulted in nothing.
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If trees really do have feelings, it would be sad to find that the agony and risk of having a hole drilled in your side resulted in nothing.
I'd be ticked if I was just hanging out at the beach and some jack-ass took a core sample from my side.
Really... (Score:3)
the Tree of Tenere in Niger was said to be the most isolated tree on the planet, until it was killed by a driver in 1973
So, let me get this straight, you have this single tree, not another one in hundreds of kilometers around, and you manage to crash your car in it?
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So, let me get this straight, you have this single tree, not another one in hundreds of kilometers around, and you manage to crash your car in it?
Epic example of why they teach drivers to look where you want to go, not where you are going.
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Apparently as it was the only thing visible for miles around it was used as a navigation waypoint. But somehow drivers couldn't cope with "drive to near that tree, but not too near" - it was hit multiple times over several years, before being flattened by a truck.
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Not really.
First, the general driving concept of "Look where you want to go". Basically where you look, is where you're going to steer. Look down your lane, and you'll follow your lane with extraordinary precision. Look at the tree, and you'll hit it.
It's a tough skill because the eyes are attracted to seeing things - the car in front of you suddenly stops? Your eyes will fixate on the brake lights. And
Now that its location has been disclosed... (Score:2)
A whole team of researchers... (Score:2)
No harm can come of that. The tree will be gone soon.
Can a single non-reproducing specimen be invasive? (Score:3)
The tree was planted 100 years ago and there is still only one. If this is an invasion, it doesn't look like a very successful one.
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Nope.
Anyone who has classified it as "an invasive species" is ignorant of what that phrase means.
It's a non-native species. It is not an invasive species.
It's a fine line between a tumor and cancer.