Trees find safety in numbers when it comes to storms

TREES that grow close together fare better in powerful storms and typhoons, a new study has revealed.

In one of the few experiments of its kind, researchers from Shinshu University in Japan monitored how trees respond to extreme wind pressures.

Dr Kana Kamimura’s team said that as a result of climate change “we expect more forest and tree damage due to the increasing strength and changing trajectories of tropical cyclones”.

The study was therefore conducted to “minimise future damage” in forests by predicting “where, how, and when trees will fail during strong winds”.

Using sensors to monitor stem strains and crown positions, the researchers were able to collect data from trees that survived and trees that collapsed.

The sway data showed that trees that were closer together were aided in absorbing wind pressure by frequent crown interaction, whereas those farther apart transferred greater wind force from the crown to the roots “resulting in soil and root fracture”.

Overall, greater forest density helped to prevent tree damage.