Do trees in rainforests have seasonal growth rings?
Rings appear in line with seasonal extremes in weather, something that rainforest habitats often don't experience, but some tropical trees do have rings.
Asked by: Steve Collins, Northampton
Tropical rainforests don’t experience the winter and summer extremes seen in temperate rainforests. Often, tropical trees grow in a similar way all year round, meaning growth rings are not apparent. However, tropical regions do experience seasonal changes, such as rainy versus dry seasons. Some tropical trees, like teak, have obvious growth rings that reflect this. Others have more subtle rings, revealed only by chemical analysis of the wood.
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