Old growing tree seeds all new to science are hidden in narrow slices of rainforests in Tanzania’s mountains. Scientists have named the tree that penetrates the canopy Tesmanninappin spusand they suspect it can live for three thousand years.
In 2019, with botanist Andrea Bianchi 2 local plant expertsAloyce and Ruben Mwakisoma were investigating tropical rainforests. Uzunwa Mountains In southern Tanzania, when you suddenly meet a 40-meter (130-foot) tall “unarmed” stranger.
The huge trees on their paths were different from what the group saw previously in their forest census. Its greyish, light brown bark, towering root buttresses, brown-haired leaves, and sweet-scented flowers violated scientific classification.
The newly described evergreen trees are now Tesmania GenusIt contains about 12 other species native to tropical Africa. Scientists say that because of the numerous leaflets, they can be “easily distinguished” from others in the genus.
A thorough investigation at a nearby rainforest patch revealed only 100 other mature individuals T. Princep The oldest species may be more than 2,000 years old, based on a circle of fallen comrades.
To confirm that, further radiocarbon dating is required, but just seeing the trees is pretty obvious that they have been around for a long time. The buttresses on the route sometimes extend to as high as 15 meters, up to the first branch of the canopy.
Trees are part of the critical thing.”Ecosystem Bridge“It combines two forests from Tanzania that were 30 million years ago.
In this green corridor is a private company restoration project. It seeks to protect the remaining forest patches from human influence while raising 5,500 villagers out of poverty. Without continued repair work, Bianchi and his colleagues suspect that the newly identified species will be “quickly threatened by habitat loss.”
Researchers estimate that there are only about 1,000 T. Princep On the left, they believe that the species is primarily restricted to two adjacent valleys. There is a population in the Land Forest Reserve in Bomalamzinga Village and the Land Forest Reserve in Urti Village.
“The historical past of the area where the trees were found is likely to have had a major impact on the decline of this species’ habitat.” write Author of the description of the new species.
“Most of the mountainous forests nearby have been deforested over the past 120 years.”
Old growing trees like these provide A variety of ecosystem services including plant and animal shade, carbon storage and habitat. But they are some of the most threatened plants of our time.
The world’s forests are not only shrinking, they are becoming younger. It is a major issue for forest conservation and climate science.
2018, the world Lost 4 million hectares of old growing rainforestThis is almost Belgian in size.
Tesmanninappin spus He is tall in the face of adversity. But who knows if it can be protected for another three thousand years?
2023, Scientist It was predicted 75% of undescribed plant species were extinct. Based on the current specification, T. Princep Meets criteria listed as vulnerable. It’s one of the lucky things.
This study was published in Phytotaxa.
