New "Tree King", 76.8 meters! The tallest tree known in mainland China was discovered in Medog County, Tibet

Recently, the reporter learned from the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Medog County that through cooperation with a scientific research team led by Peking University, a 76.8-meter-tall Bhutan pine was recorded in Green Village, Beibeng Township, Medog County, breaking the previous record of the 72-meter Taiwania baldii tree king located in Gaoligong Mountain, Yunnan. It is currently the tallest tree known in mainland China and has become a veritable new "tree king."

Image source: People's Daily official Weibo

The research team suggested that the tallest Bhutanese pine tree that was accurately measured in Green Village, Medog County be named "Sindabu", which means "sacred tree" in the local Monba language.

Data show that Bhutan pine is a narrowly distributed tree species only in the eastern Himalayas. Its main distribution range is the mountain rain forest and subtropical climate zone at an altitude of 1,400-2,500 meters. This area has excellent water and heat conditions and extremely rich biodiversity. According to Li Cheng, the head of the Xizijiang Ecological Conservation Center, a variety of epiphytic protective plants and Medog-specific plants were found on the "Xindabu" tree, including the knotted stone fairy peach, ear-lipped orchid, eye-spotted Fritillaria orchid, creeping stem roll-petal orchid, Medog bilberry, small-pointed leaf bilberry, medium-sized tree radish, etc., which further confirmed that the Medog and Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon area where "Xindabu" is located has extremely high protection value and cultural significance, and the name also implies the importance of virgin forests to biodiversity protection.

How tall is a tree and how do you measure it?

It is reported that LiDAR is the most authoritative and universal tree measurement method in the world, which is more objective, accurate and precise than traditional measurement methods. In this survey, drones were combined with backpack LiDAR to obtain 3D point cloud models of 11 potentially tall trees over 70 meters, and then these trees were measured with high precision.

After 10 days of field investigation, data collection and processing, the research team obtained the detailed 3D point cloud data of the tallest tree, and used drones to take photos and stitch them into life-size photos of the giant tree. In addition, the measurement team also used drones to suspend measuring ropes and tape measures to verify the height and breast diameter, and recorded detailed data.

Image source: People's Daily official Weibo

Science Question—How tall can a tree grow?

A tree starts growing from the moment it sprouts.

The growth of most trees goes through four stages: germination, development, growth, flowering and fruiting .

During the growth process, the leaves will continuously absorb sunlight, carry out photosynthesis, form the nutrients needed by the tree, and continuously be transported to various parts of the plant. In addition, the roots will absorb water and various nutrients from the soil to promote the growth of various parts.

The shape of a tree is determined by its genes and the environment it lives in. Some trees are tall, some are short, some grow fast, and some grow slowly. If there is no "tall" label in the gene, no matter how good the environment is, it will not grow indefinitely. However, genes cannot determine everything, and the influence of the external environment is still crucial to the growth of trees.

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External factors also affect the performance of trees.

The tree that seems to be growing forever cannot actually grow infinitely tall. The main reason is the existence of gravity. As we all know, the growth of plants mainly relies on the evaporation of water from the stomata on the surface of the leaves to generate power, which in turn enables the vessels of the root stem to transport water to the branches and leaves, and combined with photosynthesis, to provide themselves with the necessary nutrients for growth.

In the magazine Science and Culture (2005), the article "Why Trees Can't Grow Infinitely" introduces that Dr. George Koch of Arizona State University once found leaves at the top of a 100-meter-high tree that were extremely short of water. Although there was plenty of water in the local soil, it took as long as 24 days for the water to be transported from the roots to the top.

Through this research, scientists concluded that the maximum height of trees on Earth is 122-130 meters. If the height exceeds this, it will be extremely difficult for water to reach the top of the tree, and photosynthesis at the top of the tree will not be able to proceed normally.

In nature, the larger the tree, the more vulnerable it is to natural disasters such as strong winds, heavy rains, and lightning. It may also be affected by insufficient supply of sunlight, oxygen, water, nutrients, and temperature. Therefore, as trees continue to evolve, their height is gradually restricted. Their inability to grow indefinitely is also the result of natural selection.

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What are the tallest trees in the world?

It is understood that the tallest tree known in the world is an American redwood, which is 116.07 meters high, equivalent to the height of more than 30 floors. It can be said to be truly "towering into the clouds."

Guinness World Records tallest living tree

Image source: Guinness World Records official website

The coast redwood nicknamed Hyperion was discovered on August 25, 2006 by Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor (both USA) and in 2006 had a height of 115.55m, which is the average between the low and high sides of the tree as it grows on a slope. By 2019, the height had grown to 116.07m. The tree has a diameter of 4.94m and an estimated above-ground dry weight of 209 metric tons. Hyperion is estimated to be between 600 and 800 years old.

Comprehensive sources: People's Daily Client, China News Network, China Digital Science and Technology Museum, etc.