Trees use a 'muscle' to correct their posture—a newly discovered role for tension wood
A research team from INRAE and the University Clermont Auvergne has shown that trees are capable of correcting a curvature they detect in their stems through a specific biological process.
A research team from INRAE and the University Clermont Auvergne has shown that trees are capable of correcting a curvature they detect in their stems through a specific biological process.
The short version
- In the study, young trees with bent stems were placed in an experimental set-up that prevented them from sensing their orientation relative to light and gravity.
- The only sense remaining to the trees was the perception of their own curvature.
- Under these conditions, the scientists observed the formation of a particular type of wood, known as tension wood, which acts like a muscle to correct the curvature of the stem, allowing it to realign within a few weeks.
What happened
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Why it matters
Proprioception is the sense through which living organisms perceive the position of their body parts, and it was long believed to be specific to animals.
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