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Age and spatial distribution of the world's oldest trees |
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| Authors: | Jiajia Liu Shangwen Xia Di Zeng Cong Liu Yingjun Li Wenjing Yang Bao Yang Jian Zhang Ferry Slik David B Lindenmayer |
| Institution: | 1. MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Eco-Chongming, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China;2. CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yunnan, China;3. MOE Key Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis & Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China;4. Department of Organismic and Evolutional Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA;5. Research Centre for Scientific Development in Fenhe River Valley, Taiyuan Normal University, Jinzhong, China;6. Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China;7. Key Laboratory of Desert and Desertification, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
CAS Centre for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China Qinghai Research Centre of Qilian Mountain National Park, Academy of Plateau Science and Sustainability and Qinghai Normal University, Xining, China;8. Zhejiang Tiantong Forest Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China;9. Environmental and Life Sciences Department, Faculty of Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Gadong, Brunei Darussalam;10. Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
| Abstract: | Extremely old trees have important roles in providing insights about historical climatic events and supporting cultural values, yet there has been limited work on their global distribution and conservation. We extracted information on 197,855 tree cores from 4854 sites and combined it with other tree age (e.g., the OLDLIST) data from a further 156 sites to determine the age of the world's oldest trees and quantify the factors influencing their global distribution. We found that extremely old trees >1000 years were rare. Among 30 individual trees that exceeded 2000 years old, 27 occurred in high mountains. We modeled maximum tree age with climatic, soil topographic, and anthropogenic variables, and our regression models demonstrated that elevation, human population density, soil carbon content, and mean annual temperature were key determinants of the distribution of the world's oldest trees. Specifically, our model predicted that many of the oldest trees will occur in high-elevation, cold, and arid mountains with limited human disturbance. This pattern was markedly different from that of the tallest trees, which were more likely to occur in relatively more mesic and productive locations. Global warming and expansion of human activities may induce rapid population declines of extremely old trees. New strategies, including targeted establishment of conservation reserves in remote regions, especially those in western parts of China and the United States, are required to protect these trees. |
| Keywords: | global distribution large old trees longevity tallest trees tree ring anillo de árbol árboles más altos árboles viejos grandes distribución mundial longevidad 关键词: 古树 全球分布 最高的树 寿命 年轮 |