Species Spotlight: Oak Trees
Species spotlight:
The mighty oak. Strength, resilience, longevity... and a a serious extinction threat. Read on to find out why.
Size: ‘Mighty Oaks from little acorns grow’, as the saying goes, and Oaks do indeed become mighty. Well, it varies by species, average oaks can get to around 20-40 metres tall with a leaf spread of around 20 metres, but some behemoths can reach over 60 metres and more than 30 metres in spread.
Smell: This can again vary by species, with some smelling better than others, but often oaks smell earthy, woody, and slightly sweet. Mmmm.
Communication: Although they might not sound very chatty, trees like oak trees actually communicate with each other through a network of underground fungi, known as the Wood Wide Web. The trees can exchange resources and respond to threats using this network to support each other.
Favourite Hangout: Oak trees are perhaps unsurprisingly mostly found in woodlands and forests. They particularly like well-drained soils like clay, loam, and sand, and generally require full sunlight or partial shade.
Favourite Snack: Tasty, yummy, sunshine. They use special structures in their leaves called chlorophyll to combine sunlight with carbon dioxide to create food for the plant.
Love Language: Oak trees spread their love through the air, literally. During springtime, male flowers on the trees will release pollen, which is carried by the wind to female flowers, usually in the upper branches of the same tree.
If you see them: Take a minute and relax, maybe even give it a little hug. Research suggests that spending time in nature, especially near trees, can reduce stress, boost your immune system, and improve your mood, and physically hugging trees is thought to give you a big old boost of calm and connection. Just be careful not to damage the tree; it's probably been around a lot longer than you have!
Red Flags: Oak Trees are often thought of as symbols of strength, endurance, and longevity, but sadly, around a third of all Oak Tree species are potentially threatened with extinction. Some of their major threats include Pests, diseases, extreme weather, pollution, and climate change.
Glow-up: When a pollen grain has successfully found its way to a female flower (see Love Language section), it can fertilise an ovule in the female flower, and an acorn begins to develop. The acorn contains an Oak Tree seed, and when it is mature, it will fall to the ground and will be spread to other locations by animals such as squirrels and birds who eat the acorns, or it might simply fall and sprout where it lands, beginning the very VERY long process of growing another mighty Oak Tree.
Facts: Oak Trees aren't just majestic to look at; they are crucial for the entire ecosystem, providing food and shelter for numerous animals such as insects, birds, squirrels, deer, and so many more.
Who are they in the friendship group: Ancient, wise, and always supportive.
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Name:
Oak Trees
Habitat:
A variety of habitats, primarily woodlands and forests. They are found across Europe, Asia, and North America, particularly across the Northern Hemisphere.
Diet:
Photosynthesis
Size:
Varies depending on species, but up to 60m high and 30m wide for the largest specimen
Behaviour:
Perennial
Predators:
A variety of pests, including insects like caterpillars, borers, and scale insects. Animals like deer, squirrels, and birds also consume oak acorns and other parts of the tree.
Lifespan:
~600 years, but potentially 1000+
Threats:
Pests, diseases, extreme weather, pollution, and climate change
Conservation status:
182/534 species are potentially threatened with extinction, and 32 species are Critically Endangered
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