9.27.2005

Leaf It Alone

Giraffes move from tree to tree instead of eating off only one or two because the trees “communicate” with each other. When a giraffe (or elephant or other large species) eats the leaves, it causes stress on the tree. The tree then secretes a noxious chemical that makes the leaves taste bad. Once a tree starts secreting this chemical, it signals surrounding trees to produce the same chemical. (Kind of like how one rotting apple will cause the others to spoil.) Giraffes always start with the tallest tree that is upwind, then take a few bites before moving to the next tree, and thereby largely avoiding the chemical deterrent.

(Info lifted from seadaze.com)

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8 Comments:

Blogger Worldgineer said...

Now that's quality knowlege. Cited sources and everything. It's going to be a good day at YLSNaED.

27/9/05 11:30  
Blogger k_sra said...

Male giraffes tend to sneeze more than the females.

27/9/05 11:48  
Blogger "Honestus" - Raymond Charles said...

so trees and animals are smarter than they look. very cool.

And... i didn't know females sneeze. i though it was only guys. =p

27/9/05 11:51  
Blogger Worldgineer said...

Liar! Now you've made me question how much of what I've learned here was just made up. Years of my life, wasted.

27/9/05 11:52  
Blogger Worldgineer said...

(um, and that was aimed at [k]. I wouldn't call [honest] a liar (well, not yet))

27/9/05 11:53  
Blogger dag said...

If the giraffes are starting upwind, wouldn't all the other trees sense the stench? I would suspect our leaf eating friends start at the furthest tree downwind.

Unless, the wind really has nothing to do with the propagation of the chemicals secreted. Maybe the chemicals are secreted through the root lines into the water tables. Maybe the chemicals aren't really chemicals, but slight pressure changes in the made by the frightened leaves and are attenuated by sound of rustling limbs, branches and leaves.

I think there made be more to this than meets the eye. Or not, maybe I'm just in one of those inventive moods.

27/9/05 12:16  
Blogger Worldgineer said...

I think it was just a mid-type. The Internet tells us [seadaze] is right if you reverse the direction (search for the word giraffe in my link). There is no mention of sneezing.

27/9/05 12:30  
Blogger k_sra said...

Right. It should be 'downwind' not 'upwind.' I bet the giraffe know the difference. And probably the trees too.

World, you have no one to blame but yourself.

27/9/05 12:31  

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