Interesting! I believe we had what is called a 'mast' year last year, meaning the oaks dropped an astonishingly high number of acorns more than they normally do. It hurts me to have to remove so many of these hardy volunteer trees, but I just can't let them grow six inches from the foundation of our house. Fingers crossed some of them will migrate far enough away that I can leave them be.
Hi! I liked what you mention about the "mast" year. It's a shame to remove the seeds of these future trees, but it's completely reasonable otherwise they would destroy the pavement near home. Surely, this "mast" year served them to move to other areas and reinforce their presence in places where they already exist. Thanks for sharing your story! :D
Interesting question! Logically the human is a mammal, however in these cases we are talking about deer, foxes and other similar animals that can eat fruit from trees and then walk for miles to release the seeds with their excrement.
If we were still eating like this, we would be just another seed disperser, so yes, humans could potentially be included. Hahaha.
Humans do indeed disperse seeds and sometimes whole plants. When the pioneers came across the American continent, they brought tree seeds and cuttings. The Great Basin has "fortresses" of cottonwoods planted around ranch houses that stand in the midst of hay and crop fields. Trees were planted in rows along pastures to break the erosive power of the daily winds. These trees, of course, spread their seeds on those winds. It looks like snow in summer.
The American folktale about Johnny Appleseed may be allegorical, but it also shows how fruit trees have crossed continents and oceans because of migrating humans. Some trees failed to take root in unsuitable conditions. Others thrived and, by modern standards, became "invasive." Sometimes people simply walking or driving from place to place brought seeds on their shoes or tires, accidentally spreading them across the landscape. More recently, people moving to newly built subdivisions plant trees to enhance their landscape. Barren desert valleys become forests and cities foster the growth of trees along avenues for shade. Ironically, suburban sprawl has become a way for trees from hundreds, thousands of miles away, to grow and thrive.
These days, it seems that anything humans do is to be considered destructive. If we could ask the tree that migrated along with people if it feels displaced and brought to ruin, it would probably say, "Hell, no! I love it here. Let me introduce you to my children."
Interesting! I believe we had what is called a 'mast' year last year, meaning the oaks dropped an astonishingly high number of acorns more than they normally do. It hurts me to have to remove so many of these hardy volunteer trees, but I just can't let them grow six inches from the foundation of our house. Fingers crossed some of them will migrate far enough away that I can leave them be.
Hi! I liked what you mention about the "mast" year. It's a shame to remove the seeds of these future trees, but it's completely reasonable otherwise they would destroy the pavement near home. Surely, this "mast" year served them to move to other areas and reinforce their presence in places where they already exist. Thanks for sharing your story! :D
On the other hand, the squirrels are getting fat!
Hahaha, that's completely true. That's how the ecosystem works, nothing goes to waste.
Could the mammals include man? Obviously squirrels.
Interesting question! Logically the human is a mammal, however in these cases we are talking about deer, foxes and other similar animals that can eat fruit from trees and then walk for miles to release the seeds with their excrement.
If we were still eating like this, we would be just another seed disperser, so yes, humans could potentially be included. Hahaha.
Humans do indeed disperse seeds and sometimes whole plants. When the pioneers came across the American continent, they brought tree seeds and cuttings. The Great Basin has "fortresses" of cottonwoods planted around ranch houses that stand in the midst of hay and crop fields. Trees were planted in rows along pastures to break the erosive power of the daily winds. These trees, of course, spread their seeds on those winds. It looks like snow in summer.
The American folktale about Johnny Appleseed may be allegorical, but it also shows how fruit trees have crossed continents and oceans because of migrating humans. Some trees failed to take root in unsuitable conditions. Others thrived and, by modern standards, became "invasive." Sometimes people simply walking or driving from place to place brought seeds on their shoes or tires, accidentally spreading them across the landscape. More recently, people moving to newly built subdivisions plant trees to enhance their landscape. Barren desert valleys become forests and cities foster the growth of trees along avenues for shade. Ironically, suburban sprawl has become a way for trees from hundreds, thousands of miles away, to grow and thrive.
These days, it seems that anything humans do is to be considered destructive. If we could ask the tree that migrated along with people if it feels displaced and brought to ruin, it would probably say, "Hell, no! I love it here. Let me introduce you to my children."
I thought perhaps the northern people who may have worshipped Oaks assisted in the spread as they migrated west. Thanks for an interesting post!