Deep in the swamps of the American Southeast stands a quiet giant: the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum).
Deep in the swamps of the American Southeast stands a quiet giant: the bald cypress (Taxodium distichum). These majestic trees, with their knobby “knees” and towering trunks, are more than just swamp dwellers – they’re some of the oldest living organisms in Eastern North America. Some have been around for more than 2,500 years, quietly thriving in nutrient-poor, flooded forests where most other trees would wither.
But life isn’t easy for these ancient trees. They’re under siege from a variety of threats: rising seas, insect infestations, wildfires and increasingly erratic weather patterns. Unlike most animals, trees generally don’t die of old age – they succumb to the stresses around them.
A study by Florida Atlantic University, in collaboration with Lynn University; the University of Georgia; the Georgia Department of Natural Resources; and the Georgia Museum of Natural History, reveals how dramatic shifts in climate can have long-lasting effects on even the toughest, most iconic trees – and offers a glimpse into the powerful forces that shape our natural world.
Researchers studied bald cypress trees from a buried deposit, preserved in subfossil form at the mouth of the Altamaha River located in Southeastern Georgia. They used radiocarbon dating, counted tree rings, and measured the width of each ring in the subfossils to investigate how these trees grew in the past. These remains tell a striking story.
Read more at Florida Atlantic University
Image: Pieces of ancient stumps, roots and cypress knees hauled up during maintenance work at the Altamaha Wildlife Management Area on the Georgia Coast lie in the foreground of this flooded field. (Credit: Florida Atlantic University)
