Baobab

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Scientists are shocked at the sudden death of most of Africa’s largest baobabs

Post by Lisbeth »

Business Insider SA
Jun 12, 2018, 10:39 AM


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Baobab tree on the beach in front of the Royal Lodge, Saloum Delta National Park, Senegal. (Getty Images)

- Nine of the 13 oldest and five of the six largest African baobabs have died, or their main stems collapsed

- The African baobab is the largest and oldest known angiosperm, or flowering plant

- Scientists do not know why they are dying, but suspect climate change


The Zimbabwean sacred baobab, Panke, was more than 2,400 years old when all its stems toppled and died in 2010-11. It is one of a number of ancient African baobabs that have died since 2017 across southern Africa, according to new research published in Nature Plants. The region is home to the oldest and largest African baobabs. Baobabs have broad trunks, or multiple stems coming out of the ground. When they are not flowering, these iconic trees’ branches resemble roots reaching into the sky.
Nine of the 13 oldest and five of the six largest African baobabs have died, or their main stems collapsed.

Since 2005, an international team of researchers has investigated and dated practically all known very large and potentially very old African baobabs on the continent, about 60 trees in total. Using radiocarbon-dating, in which researchers date carbon atoms inside the tree stem, they found that baobabs’ unique architecture is responsible for their longevity. The baobab puts out new stems in the same way that other trees grow new branches. This creates a central ring-shaped cavity surrounded by stems, which can fuse to create a single trunk.

The researchers set out to date the trees, but discovered that they were dying in an “event of unprecedented magnitude”, they write.

The team does not believe that the deaths were caused by an epidemic, and suspect climate change in southern Africa. However, they call for more research.

Elsie Cruywagen, a researcher at the Agricultural Research Council in Pretoria, says that there have been many reports over the decades of baobabs dying in times of drought. “It is mostly the most conspicuous ones, the biggest and oldest ones, that have died in a relatively short time that is so striking.

The African baobab is the largest and oldest known angiosperm, or flowering plant.


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The demise of the baobabs – a climate change warning?

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Posted on 25 June, 2018 by Guest Blogger in People, Research, Wildlife

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The Platland tree/ Sunland baobab – one of the many casualties © Dr. Adrian Patrut

Written by Ryan Mizzen


A Research released earlier this month showed that some of the largest and oldest baobab trees in Africa died within a 12 year period. For trees that have lived for millennia to suddenly succumb over such a short space of time and in different countries, suggests that a major cause may be to blame.

The research paper in Nature Plants listed climate change as a potential suspect, but also noted that further research was necessary. Recently I interviewed Adrian Patrut from the Babeș-Bolyai University in Romania, who co-authored the research paper. He explained that “southern Africa is one of the fastest warming areas worldwide. We suspect that an unprecedented combination of temperature increase and extreme drought stress were responsible for these demises”.

Taking one example of the Chapman’s baobab in Botswana, Patrut went on to explain that it produced leaves and flowers well before the rainy season started, depleting its water reserves so that it wasn’t able to support itself and collapsed in the space of a day. He also noted that the rainy season had started later than usual that year. These weather extremes and shifting rainfall patterns are set to become the new normal as a result of climate change, putting more of our flora and fauna at risk.

The reason why the loss of these baobabs is so concerning is because these trees are renowned for being particularly difficult to kill. When the inside of baobabs are burned by fire, they’ll continue growing. When bark is stripped away by large mammals such as elephants, they’ll grow new bark. For climate change to have killed them sends a very worrying message.

When we lose our great trees, we also lose part of human history. Baobabs are regarded as sacred trees by certain tribes and used for ceremonies and other tribal traditions. In West Africa, important meetings would take place beneath baobab trees to resolve conflicts. When these trees go, so do the customs and folklore that have grown with them.

Climate change is one of the biggest threats to life on this planet, and there is a sad irony that baobabs which are known as ‘the trees of life’, are amongst the first casualties. Unless we wish to see more species heading for a similar fate, then we need to urgently reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions to meaningfully tackle climate change. We stand to lose more than we may realise if we fail.

https://africageographic.com/blog/baoba ... 3cf4ca8e69


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Baobab

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Villagers tap into trend for 'superfood' baobab

Monday 24 September 2018 - 8:34am


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Annah Muvhali and Cristina Ndou hold baobab fruits they harvested in the village of Muswodi Dipeni in Limpopo.
Marco Longari
AFP

MUTALE - From before dawn, 54-year-old grandmother Annah Muvhali weaves between baobab trees that loom over her rural home, collecting fruit that enthusiasts worldwide hail as a "superfood".

About 1,000 women in the village of Muswodi Dipeni, in the northern province of Limpopo, earn a living by harvesting the furry, hard-shelled baobab fruit pods.

The seeds and chalky powder inside the pods have become a global health craze celebrated for their vitamin-packed properties and now used in everything from flavoured soda, ice cream and chocolate to gin and cosmetics.

"Before, I never knew there was any value in baobab. My family and I would eat the fruit simply because it makes a delicious yoghurt-like porridge that is nutritious and filling," Muvhali told AFP.

"I always use it for my grandchildren when their stomachs are troublesome."

Known locally as "baobab guardians", women like Muvhali also plant and nurture baobab saplings in their gardens and earn an income for each centimetre that the trees grow.

Sarah Venter, an ecologist who runs the Ecoproducts company behind the baobab cultivation, said the scheme rewarded women for their skills and care.

"They get paid a certain amount until the tree reaches three metres high and after that it will live for 1,000 years.

"It has a value chain where everybody benefits, including a rural person picking up something that's already in their environment and getting an income for it," Venter said.

The tree can take up to 200 years to bear fruit, but watering them every day can see that time reduced to 30 years. A tree then produces fruit annually for nearly 200 years.

Historically credited with mythical and spiritual powers in African folklore, the baobab is known as the "upside down tree", as its branches look like roots.

https://www.enca.com/life/villagers-tap ... ood-baobab


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Re: Baobab

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Interesting video of a baobab being transported and saved from construction here in Nelspruit:

phpBB [video]


https://lowvelder.co.za/512245/kyk-krem ... -verskuif/


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Re: Baobab

Post by Lisbeth »

I simply love it, when someone is wise and caring enough to save a special tree ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^ ^Q^

I did not know about the fruits of the baobab tree. That's great news because then we can be sure that someone will take the trouble to save the species O** Excellent idea to pay the locals for growing them, especially the way they do it. Hats off to Sarah Venter \O


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Re: Baobab

Post by Alf »

When i worked in the civil industry 16 years ago the company I've worked for upgraded the N1 toll road between Louis Trichardt and Musina.

While building a few temporary detours while upgrading the main road we found a few young baobabs in the way and then they decided to move them to the baobab toll gate about 50km away. Still today they are proudly displayed there


Next trip to the bush??

Let me think......................
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Re: Baobab

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\O \O Alpheus!


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Re: Baobab

Post by Lisbeth »

In Lugano, a road has been divided into two lanes in order to get around an big old tree :-)


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