World's Big Trees Are Dying...

Alarming Increase in Death Rates Among Trees 100-300 Years Old

This is really worrying news to me as, like many here I guess, I always enjoy look at these impressive and beautiful trees that witnessed many events in the Human Civilization.


The 1,328 year old Balete Tree (known as lunok in the Visayan dialect and dalakit in Cebuano)

The largest living organisms on the planet, the big, old trees that harbor and sustain countless birds and other wildlife, are dying.

A report by three of the world's leading ecologists in today's issue of the journal Science warns of an alarming increase in death-rates among trees 100-300 years old in many of the world's forests, woodlands, savannahs, farming areas and even in cities.

"It's a worldwide problem and appears to be happening in most types of forest," says lead author Professor David Lindenmayer of the ARC Center of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED) and Australian National University.

Baobab trees, like this giant in Tanzania, are under threat from land clearing, droughts, fungal pathogens, and overharvesting of their bark for matweaving by local villagers. (Credit: Photo by Bill Laurance)

"Large old trees are critical in many natural and human-dominated environments. Studies of ecosystems around the world suggest populations of these trees are declining rapidly," he and colleagues Professor Bill Laurance of James Cook University, Australia, and Professor Jerry Franklin of Washington University, USA, say in their Science report.

Science Daily
Original paper: Science

Is it another warning?

Will we see our oldest living organisms dying as we continue yet to destroy our environment?
As for me, I'm really concerned by these bad news.

Well, naturally, trees die. Unfortunately, I don't know the base percentage of tree death worldwide where I can say for myself if the death rate is increasing, but from the caption of that dead tree you provided, it seems to be the normal causes of death. Interference with the tree itself, pathogens, the usual. I suppose the evidence of this points to Earth's biosphere changing. Only question is will trees die off so fast that our oxygen supply would not be able to accommodate all of us?

reply to post by elevenaugust

Originally posted by elevenaugust

Is it another warning?

Everything that is alive, eventually dies.
There's just no way around it.


What are the numbers that back up this claim?


I'm not gonna lie about it, I did not read every single word in that article. I may have skimmed over some of it, so it is possible that I missed something, but as far as I can tell, no data has been provided that might substantiate this claim.


There are numerous phrases used that give off similar implications, such as:

"....alarming increase in deathrates"
"It's a worldwide problem....."
"....trees are declining rapidly"
"...rapid losses"
"....disturbing trend"
"The alarming decline...."

But without any data to substantiate the claims, one can only assume that it is much less of an issue, than they are implying it to be.

reply to post by elevenaugust


i have taken your fear on board, given it due and deep consideration and have decided to disregard your fear mongering. tree die offs happen for many reasons, but you choose to highlight farming. if we dont grow it/raise it you dont get to eat it. so, if your pushin agenda 21, you have been sprung.

Very sad. If I was a pagan I would worship trees. I think they are better than any God. I hope the oldest tree. the one on Fulufjället will survive for ever.