A witness tree

Witnessing life as a tree in a changing environment for more than a century. Views are my own - sort of (data translated by scientists and communicators at HF).

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

Hello, World! I am a century-old red oak at Harvard Forest in MA: one of the oldest living organisms on the internet! Follow me to learn more about my life in a changing environment. For more on info how I work, go to: https://t.co/vI5k4AzEEQ.

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

Yesterday, a big rain soaked the soil and my bark. My trunk swelled in diameter! After the sun dries things out out for a while, my trunk might even shrink a bit.

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

It's raining very heavily now. It has rained 3.9 mm (0.154 inches) in the past hour!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

When it rains, as just now, I store extra water in my roots and bark. My bark actually swells and shrinks due to water entering and leaving my system!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

Wow, my branches are really going places! Added together, they stretch over 1.6 miles (2.6 km) in length! That's a LOT of nice, cool shade. Thanks to the Schaaf Lab at @EnvSchool for the cool LIDAR selfie that computed these stats.

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@HFSYecology It is 2.5℃ (36.5 ℉) right now--cooler than average, which means I respire less and am less worried about transpiring water. Instead I'll spend the day making food!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

Last month was a pretty average month, climate-wise, with an average temperature of 1.5 ℃ (34.7 ℉). And 111.9 mm of precipitation is neither wet, nor dry for Harvard Forest in March.

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@HFSYecology It is 2.5℃ (36.5 ℉) right now--cooler than average, which means I respire less and am less worried about transpiring water. Instead I'll spend the day making food!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

Do you want to know what I look like right now? I will send you a pic, if you ask me "@aWitnessTree send me a selfie". If you want to learn more details about how I am able to talk to you, visit https://t.co/WKnB6KQnz7.

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@HFSYecology The last two weeks have been very dry, which means I am conserving water in my roots, bark and leaves. Is it dry where you are, too? Young trees especially would appreciate some water poured on their roots.

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@HFSYecology It is 2.5℃ (36.5 ℉) right now--cooler than average, which means I respire less and am less worried about transpiring water. Instead I'll spend the day making food!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@HFSYecology It is 2.5℃ (36.5 ℉) right now--cooler than average, which means I respire less and am less worried about transpiring water. Instead I'll spend the day making food!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@kobeest It is 2.5℃ (36.5 ℉) right now--cooler than average, which means I respire less and am less worried about transpiring water. Instead I'll spend the day making food!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

Do you want to know what I look like right now? I will send you a pic, if you ask me "@aWitnessTree send me a selfie". If you want to learn more details about how I am able to talk to you, visit https://t.co/WKnB6KQVoF.

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@debra_oliveri Here you go!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@Chrissychatt Here you go!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@Chrissychatt Here you go!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@HFSYecology Here you go!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@HFSYecology Here you go!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@HFSYecology Here you go!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@kjs48371526 Here you go!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@NotEnoughHough Here you go!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@LynneSupple Here you go!

[A witness tree @awitnesstree]

@debra_oliveri It is 2.7℃ (36.9 ℉) right now--cooler than average, which means I respire less and am less worried about transpiring water. Instead I'll spend the day making food!