Is this the world's loneliest tree? The 100-year-old tale of survival on an uninhabited New Zealand island

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The world's loneliest tree stands on Campbell Island in New Zealand, with its nearest companion more than 220 kilometres away — but its unlikely existence is helping to advance climate change research.

The Sitka spruce on Campbell Island has been officially recognised as the most remote tree in the world.abc.net.au/news/the-worlds-loneliest-tree-advance-climate-change-research/101247300On a remote and windswept island some 700km south of New Zealand, grows the world's loneliest tree.Sitting in the middle of the permanently uninhabited subantarctic Campbell Island, the nine-metre-tall Sitka spruce is 250 kilometres away from its closest companion. In fact, it is the only tree on the island.

Dr Turnbull and her team specialise in radiocarbon measurement to investigate the source of fossil fuel CO2 emissions over the Southern Ocean to understand its role as a carbon sink. Dr Turnbull said the Southern Ocean is the most important place to analyse the exchange of carbon dioxide because of the westerly winds and the lack of land to slow down the wind."That windiness drives this huge overturning of the water, brings up deep water to the surface and mixes, which allows the ocean to take up more carbon than other areas in the ocean that aren't as dynamic," she said.

To reach a conclusion, Dr Turnbull needs to compare historic and current measurements of radiocarbon and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere around the Southern Ocean. Many believe the tree has survived for so long due to the practically "untouched" nature of the island.

 

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Sitka Spruce. Also being the recommended choice for quality stringed instrument tops (soundboards). Especially with acoustic guitars. Interesting tree

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