How the giant sequoia protects itself
The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) has developed effective strategies to protect itself against external influences in its natural environment in the Sierra Nevada. Its bark ensures that the tree survives wildfires and rock fall almost unscathed. Prof. Dr. Thomas Speck from the Cluster of Excellence Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems (livMatS), working with Dr. Georg Bold and Max Langer of the Institute of Biology, have examined the structural properties of its bark in detail for the first time. The University of Freiburg team has shown that the bark fibers form a three-dimensional network with cavities. This network distributes energy acting on the bark across the entire tissue. The results of their study have been published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.