Every now and then you come across an article about a white conifer, usually a redwood. These are special trees, no chlorophyl and yet they live. It is no wonder they take on spiritual connotations.
Now, a real scientific explanation has evolved. It seems that the ghost redwood trees all contain large quantities of cadmium, copper and nickel. These are toxic in the concentrations usually found at twice the levels of their green cousins with some having as much as 10 times more. What gives.
Well, first, the plants seem to have something wrong with their stomata. They leak. This means more water, and hence some of the minerals in it, go through the plants. The water leaves, but the metals remain.
Second, the plants get “paid” for their work. They clean up the soil of toxins and in return are rewarded wit starch from green plants. This is transported thought the mycorrhizal network which connects all of the roots in an area.
This is a big Wow. They mycorrhizal network is real. Paul Stamets calls it the world wide mycoweb and he is correct. Amazing.
But that must make the dead wood fairly concentrated and toxic. If they fell normally, would they create a dead zone? Have these ever been present in preindustrial times, or perhaps only now have toxins entered the system to the degree that this stomatal mutation could have that impact? Very interesting observations and worthy of a bit more investigation, methinks…
all good questions….