Hollow trees make such ideal habitats for so various types of birds, squirrels and other animals so it almost seems as if nature created them primarily to fulfill such purpose. Hollow trees across the entire world are home to various types of wildlife, and also have played important roles in folklore through the years. Based on National Geographic News, male tree-hole frogs in the pouring rain forests of Borneo have been found to make use of the initial acoustics of hollow trees to tune the pitch of these mating calls to be louder and more inviting to females. Rotting, hollow tree branches serve as the mating and breeding habitat for these tree-hole frogs because they take advantage of the sheltered, moist environment to lay eggs. Hollow trees fall naturally into living cycle, but perhaps you have wondered why some trees are hollow in the first place?
Understanding the reason why some trees are hollow involves first taking a look at how trees sustain life. Hollow Knight Tree trunks and branches are composed of some layers, with each serving a vital purpose. The visible outer bark of the tree protects the inner of the tree from the weather along with disease, fungi, animals, insects and dehydration. The following three layers just in the outer bark transport food and sugars from the leaves to the rest of the tree, create new growth and transport water and nutrients from roots to other parts of the tree. The innermost layer of the tree, called heartwood, serves as a supportive core and is composed of strong woody tissue that's no longer alive. Tree growth occurs when new layers of tissue form and push outward, while dead cells become part of the supportive heartwood.
For a tree to protect itself, exterior layers must compartmentalize decay before it spreads to the supportive heartwood of the tree. If outer layers fail to do this, a gap known as a rot cavity will form, that will be likely caused by fungi causing decay in the heartwood of the tree. This often happens after the tree has acquired a wound, such as for instance from pruning or damage from the storm. As time passes, this rot cavity may become larger, eventually producing a complete hollowing of the tree's heartwood. So long as the outer, living layers of the tree remain intact and are of sufficient thickness as set alongside the hollowed area, a tree can often survive after developing a hollow.
While historically hollow trees have been filled up with cement and a number of other substances, most experts now agree that filling a cavity or hollow trunk is more detrimental than good at supporting the tree. It is essential to notice that though some hollow trees are structurally sound, others represent a hazard and should really be supported or removed. Hollow trees that are weak may become hazardous and pose threats to people, buildings and other property in the vicinity. If you have a worthless tree on your own property, it is preferred to possess it inspected by a certified arborist, who are able to determine whether it is living and assess its strength. If the tree is structurally weak, an arborist can determine whether it may be salvaged through effective cabling and bracing techniques, or if removal is necessary.
