Book 24, Question 71 · Video
How can a forest of trees be one single living thing?
Quaking aspens can grow new trunks from a single wide root system. A forest in Utah called Pando has about 47,000 trunks, all genetically identical and connected underground. Each trunk lives about a century, but the roots live much longer. Aspens on the Canadian prairies grow in clusters like this, too.
Read the full answer →Watch on YouTubeSee the series on Amazon
What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. How can a forest of trees be one single living thing?
The Big Idea
A whole forest of trees can be one living thing! It sounds impossible, but it is true. Quaking aspens can do it!
One Root System
Step one: One Root System. Quaking aspens can grow new trunks from a single wide root system. All the trunks are copies of the same tree.
Pando
Step two: Pando. A forest in Utah called Pando has about 47,000 trunks. They are all genetically identical and connected underground.
Long Life
Step three: Long Life. Each trunk lives about a century, but the roots live much longer. Aspens on the Canadian prairies grow in clusters like this too.
A Closer Look
Let's take a closer look! Roots spread wide. New shoots pop up. Each shoot becomes a trunk. All turn color together.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! Pando covers about 100 acres. In the fall, all the leaves of a clone turn color together. Aspen leaves tremble in the slightest breeze. Aspen roots can send up new trunks after a fire.
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Look for a stand of aspen trees near you. Watch them in the fall. Do their leaves turn color at the same time? Write down the dates. Do different groups change on different days?
Outro
A forest of quaking aspens can be one living thing because many trunks grow from a single connected root system, like Pando in Utah with about 47,000 trunks. Science is amazing! What will you discover next? Every question is a new adventure, so keep wondering and keep exploring with me! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!