Why are there albino trees in the State of California? A new study determines the reasons for the existence of these curious and incredible white sequoias.
Did you know that there are albino trees? This curious peculiarity draws attention due to the color of the leaves present on the branches of a particular species. It is true that this occurs in various species of trees, but there is one that is particularly striking. The sequoias present in California have, in some of their units, this whitish formation. They are colloquially referred to as “ghost trees” due to their lifeless appearance. Yet they are fully alive and its growth is within the established.
Now, what is it that attracts the attention of these curious living beings? In the State of California, these trees can be counted in the hundreds. Curiously, they are specially protected in the forests with the aim of avoiding indiscriminate felling of them. Now, a study has made it possible to determine what are the causes that make possible the presence of this color. Could this affection be extrapolated to the rest of the vegetation? Quite possibly, yes. The presence of chlorophyll is the sustenance that this hue provides to the plant.
Let us see, therefore, what are the keys to understanding this curious phenomenon that occurs in some Californian forests, what can be learned from albinism that affects certain species and, of course, to what extent we are dealing with a genetic modification that can be extrapolated to many other species. This is a peculiarity that has even become an attraction for the public in the area.
Albinism seen through the California redwoods
The whitish hue seen in the forests of California does not occur exclusively in this geographical area, but the truth is that it is striking to see how one of these trees suddenly appears without the classic greenish color. What is this curious nuance due to? The To find an answer, it is important to analyze What factors can influence this to happen?. For this, an analysis has been carried out in the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, in the State mentioned above. What has been discovered?
They discover key facts about the reasons for albinism in certain redwoods. Image: Laredo Morning Times
The biologist Zane Moore has focused his efforts to determine what could have happened in the stage of germination and formation of the plant so that it loses the characteristic greenish hue. In order to understand the particularity of albinism, in the analyzed park there are only 11 units that have the white color as a differential element. According to The Washington Post, the study analyzed the surroundings of albino redwoods, being able to determine that they tend to thrive in those harshest and most difficult environments. And no, it does not depend on having an application for plants to acquire this hue.
After analyzing the composition of these trees, it was possible to determine that they contained up to twice as much cadmium, copper and nickel as the classic sequoias. This new alternative will open new avenues of research in the coming months. Mr. Moore, who is studying for a Ph.D. at the University of California, will try spraying green and white branches with cadmium in order to determine if the latter maintain their level of vitality. This could confirm the relationship between the presence of these heavy materials and the color tone.
At the same time, a new approach is related to the possible role of redwoods in cleaning up contaminated soil. Would it be possible to feed this type of trees with contaminated material fallen in a given space? The cleaning tasks could be counted for years, but an elimination of this residue would be guaranteed at the same time that this curious vegetation would be obtained. Be that as it may, the first step of the study appears to have been successfully completed. Fortunately, this lack of chlorophyll does not make this tree a true killing machine, which it does represent the so-called manchineel tree.