Researchers at the New York Botanical Garden are coordinating an ambitious new project that will create a database of DNA information from the world’s tree species, according to an AP report. Known as TreeBOL, or tree barcode of life, the project will keep track of where tree species are located and whether they are at risk for extinction.
During the first week of May, representatives from 40 partner organizations based around the globe convened in New York City to plan how the two-year endeavor will proceed.
Why Record Tree DNA?
It is estimated that 25 percent of all plants on earth are trees. According to Damon Little, assistant curator of bioinformatics at the Botanical Garden, there could be up to 100,000 species of tree in the world.
As human populations continue to grow, trees are cleared to make room for development. In the AP report, Little explained why the project is crucial to conservation efforts:
“If you don’t know what you’re potentially destroying, how can you know if it’s important or not?” he said. “We know so little about the natural world, when it comes down to it, even though we’ve been working on it for hundreds of years.”
That’s why TreeBOL will initially focus on endangered tree species, along with flora in certain geographical areas.
Go Hug a Tree
Been a while since you’ve thought about the trees in your life? Don’t be too hard on yourself — after all, they tend to make quiet neighbors. But if you’re looking for some reasons to appreciate our deciduous and conifer friends, remember that trees provide shelter, help absorb CO2, prevent erosion, and give us fruit.
Even if you think you know all there is to know about trees, NATURE Online can help you “branch out.” Here are some special trees with complex lives that may surprise you:
- The vine-like “strangler fig” starts as a seed that falls on or near another tree species. As it grows, the strangler fig’s tendrils encase the host tree, eventually choking it to death.
- The Brazil nut tree drops five-pound, cannonball-like pods to the jungle floor. The rock-hard pods contain the tree’s seeds — but for centuries, no one could figure out what animal was able to open their casing
