Tree news in links: What’s a dendrochronologist?

Who knows the difference between a dendroclimatologist and a dendrochronologist? Both forms of scientist will soon be studying the growth rings of Herbie, the 110-foot American Elm tree in New England that finally succumbed to Dutch elm disease a few weeks ago.

Of course, the scientists will be looking for clues to Herbie’s age and for answers about the climate, reports The Washington Post.

With thousands of Haitians fleeing the lingering chaos in their nation’s capital for rural settings, some are concerned the few remaining trees will be felled for fuel and sustenance.

“Given the earthquake’s devastation, there is now a mass exodus of people to rural areas, but these areas cannot even support the current population much less the hundreds of thousands of people migrating there,” said Ethan Budiansky, Africa and Caribbean programs officer for Trees for the Future, who regularly travels to Haiti to work on agroforestry initiatives.

“Land will become even more impoverished and the few remaining trees will be cut down unless strict measures are put into place,” Budiansky told the Environmental News Service.

The Microraptor lived 120 million years ago and was likely arboreal, further linking dinosaurs to birds, according to new research.

Scientists from America and China built a three-dimensional plastic replica to test the Microraptor’s hip rotations, making sure it could extend its hind legs for flight, reports MSNBC.com.

What types of trees do elephants in Oakland like? The answer is acacia, apple, oak and hibiscus, according to the Oakland Zoo which is requesting tree donations.

–Toshio Suzuki