Cottonwood and Balsam Poplar | Geophysical Institute The Klukwan giant holds the national record for black cottonwood diameter Its nearest rival, a tree near Salem, Oregon, does hold the national height record The Klukwan giant belies the belief that trees tend to get smaller the farther north one goes Both balsam poplar and cottonwood have value for fuel wood, pulp and lumber
Northern Tree Habitats - Geophysical Institute Interior Alaskan forests have only six native tree species: white spruce, black spruce, quaking aspen, balsam poplar, larch (tamarack) and paper birch Northern Canadian forests have all of those, plus jack pine, balsam fir and lodgepole pine Since northern Canada and interior Alaska share the same grueling climate and extremes of daylength, why are the Canadian tree species absent from
The majesty and mystery of Alaska yellow cedar | Geophysical Institute A tree near one of our campsites had a crack at its base through which we could pass the folded saw Yet the tree was still alive, with just one rope of cambium — the outer bark that transports water and nutrients — snaking up the trunk A few of its blue-green feathery leaves flagged from the top of what otherwise looked like a snag
The largest black spruce in Alaska | Geophysical Institute The tree leans uphill, and its trunk is 45 inches around When I hugged it, I could barely clasp my hands together The largest black spruce in Alaska is a lucky tree, because its neighbors to the north are gone, removed in the mid-1990s during the installation of a power line
Trees as Earthquake Fault Indicators | Geophysical Institute Then using tree ring dating methods, it may be possible to date earthquakes occurring before historical records were kept The ability to identify and date very large earthquakes occurring within the past thousand years is important in establishing earthquake risk and for predicting future earthquakes
More on Why Tree Trunks Spiral | Geophysical Institute I eventually found a tree with a spiral lightning mark and it followed the spiral grain exactly One tree, of course, proves nothing "But why should the tree spiral? More speculation here: Foliage tends to be thicker on the south side of the tree because of better sunlight
Witches Broom | Geophysical Institute Witches' broom on spruce trees is caused by a rust disease (a kind of fungus disease) The rust lives on the spruce tree throughout the year Each spring, small yellow pustules appear on the new needles of the broom A strong sweet odor, which is easily recognizable, usually accompanies the maturation of these pustules
Tropical Fossils in Alaska | Geophysical Institute A 20-inch fossil palm leaf that once waved over a tropical forest in Alaska 45-60 million years ago The fossil was found in rocks near the Malaspina Glacier Photo from the U S Geological Survey, Dept of the Interior
Feltleaf willows: Alaska’s most abundant tree | Geophysical Institute The most plentiful moose food in the state — and probably Alaska’s most numerous tree — is the feltleaf willow, which was once called the Alaska willow As its name implies, the feltleaf sprouts canoe-shaped green leaves that feel fuzzy on the underside
Burls and Human Cancer | Geophysical Institute Photograph of a section cut from a tree with 5 burls that simultaneously grew at the same level on the tree Annual growth rings can be followed around the tree trunk at center and into each of the burls The rings show that the growth of burls began when the tree was about 40 years old This tree was cut on a north slope near timberline by Jim Moore of Fairbanks