Hollow trees make such ideal habitats for so many types of birds, squirrels and other animals so it almost seems as though nature created them primarily to fulfill such purpose. Hollow trees across the entire world are home to many types of wildlife, and have played important roles in folklore through the years. Based on National Geographic News, male tree-hole frogs in the rain forests of Borneo have already been found to make use of the initial acoustics of hollow trees to tune the pitch of the mating calls to be louder and more inviting to females. Hollow Knight Rotting, hollow tree branches serve as the mating and breeding habitat for these tree-hole frogs while they take advantage of the sheltered, moist environment to lay eggs. Hollow trees fall naturally into living cycle, but have you ever wondered why some trees are hollow in the initial place?
Understanding the reason some trees are hollow involves first taking a review of how trees sustain life. Tree trunks and branches are composed of a series of layers, with each serving an important purpose. The visible outer bark of the tree protects the interior of the tree from the weather as well as disease, fungi, animals, insects and dehydration. The next three layers just within the outer bark transport food and sugars from the leaves to the remaining tree, create new growth and transport water and nutrients from roots to the rest of the tree. The innermost layer of the tree, called heartwood, serves as a supportive core and is composed of strong woody tissue that is no further alive. Tree growth occurs when new layers of tissue form and push outward, while dead cells become the main supportive heartwood.
In order for a tree to guard itself, exterior layers must compartmentalize decay before it spreads to the supportive heartwood of the tree. If outer layers fail to take action, a gap called a rot cavity will form, which can be likely the consequence of fungi causing decay in the heartwood of the tree. This often happens following the tree has acquired a wound, such as for instance from pruning or damage from a storm. With time, this rot cavity may become larger, eventually causing a complete hollowing of the tree's heartwood. Provided that the outer, living layers of the tree remain intact and are of sufficient thickness as compared to the hollowed area, a tree can often survive after having a hollow.
While historically hollow trees have already been filled with cement and several other substances, most experts now concur that filling a cavity or hollow trunk is more detrimental than able to supporting the tree. It is very important to notice that while some hollow trees are structurally sound, others represent a hazard and should be supported or removed. Hollow trees which can be weak may become hazardous and pose threats to people, buildings and other property in the vicinity. When you have a hollow tree in your property, it is preferred to possess it inspected by an avowed 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 can be salvaged through effective cabling and bracing techniques, or if removal is necessary.
