Tree stumps that should be dead can be kept alive by nearby trees

Re:Tree stumps that should be dead can be kept alive by near... by chiefalchemist on Friday July 26, 2019 @08:41PM (#20539610)

Fascinating. But why? If the "dead" tree can't contribute what is the (evolutionary) advantage of keeping it alive? As natural selection goes, how does being so "generous" benefit the living trees?

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Re:Tree stumps that should be dead can be kept alive by near... by spacesuitman2 on Friday July 26, 2019 @10:00PM (#20539910)

Perhaps it's the same advantage of living in a society like ants or humans. By keeping each other alive we stand stronger against other forces of nature and/or other species of trees or plants.

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Re:Tree stumps that should be dead can be kept alive by near... by quixoticelixer- on Saturday July 27, 2019 @01:22AM (#20540534)

You get to keep the dead trees root system and remnant trunk for nutrient abortion and water and nutrient storage.

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Re:Tree stumps that should be dead can be kept alive by near... by redler on Friday July 26, 2019 @10:17PM (#20539980)

Perhaps the stump helps the remaining trees in the area by suppressing competitive species growth.

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Re:Tree stumps that should be dead can be kept alive by near... by ctack on Saturday July 27, 2019 @02:17AM (#20540669)

The remaining trees also get to take advantage of the extra canopy space that the fallen tree leaves behind.

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Re:Tree stumps that should be dead can be kept alive by near... by kwk1 on Friday July 26, 2019 @10:48PM (#20540103)

The extra erosion resistance of having a nearby root system is probably significant.

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