Here are some photos that Bot took when he visited Earth, as usual click on each image for a large version:
Above: left and centre, a beech tree, Fagus sylvatica in the Lickey Hills (Midlands, UK). Notice how the fallen leaves
create a blanket that inhibits the growth of competitor plants underneath. The shallow roots characteristic of this
species may also contribute to this effect. The leaves of this tree species turn a beautiful golden colour in autumn.
These trees usually live about 200 years, but may live much longer if pollarded. On the right is my pastel rendition of
the same. Right: an old beech in Dorset, England. Click here to explore a beech wood in autumn.
Click here to learn more about beech trees.
create a blanket that inhibits the growth of competitor plants underneath. The shallow roots characteristic of this
species may also contribute to this effect. The leaves of this tree species turn a beautiful golden colour in autumn.
These trees usually live about 200 years, but may live much longer if pollarded. On the right is my pastel rendition of
the same. Right: an old beech in Dorset, England. Click here to explore a beech wood in autumn.
Click here to learn more about beech trees.
Is this a yew tree, Taxus baccata, or a dryad capable of talking?
Yew trees can live for at least 5000 years. Indeed the oldest one in Britain is thought to be at least this old, but cannot
be dated exactly since it is hollow, indeed it has split into a circle of living fragments. Yew wood also lasts the test of
time and the oldest wooden artefacts are yew spears. Little wonder then, that this tree came to symbolise rebirth and
immortality.
Click here to learn about the yew tree.
Yew trees can live for at least 5000 years. Indeed the oldest one in Britain is thought to be at least this old, but cannot
be dated exactly since it is hollow, indeed it has split into a circle of living fragments. Yew wood also lasts the test of
time and the oldest wooden artefacts are yew spears. Little wonder then, that this tree came to symbolise rebirth and
immortality.
Click here to learn about the yew tree.
Above: left and centre, Cromwell's tree is an ancient English Oak (Quercus robur) that is dated to be about 600 years
old (I guessed correctly!). Oaks can live for over a thousand years. In old age oaks, such as Cromwell here, often
carry a reduced crown as many of the branches die back to produce what is commonly known as a 'stag's head'.
Right: an old oak pollard in Staverton Park, England. Click here to see the oak dance with the ivy!
Click here to see more old oaks.
Click here to learn more about oak trees.
Click here to explore the summer woodland.
old (I guessed correctly!). Oaks can live for over a thousand years. In old age oaks, such as Cromwell here, often
carry a reduced crown as many of the branches die back to produce what is commonly known as a 'stag's head'.
Right: an old oak pollard in Staverton Park, England. Click here to see the oak dance with the ivy!
Click here to see more old oaks.
Click here to learn more about oak trees.
Click here to explore the summer woodland.
| Who is this who guards Cromwell's Oak? Click on the image to enlarge and click here to listen to what he has to say. |
Undergrowth, above: bluebells. No picture can do the spectacle justice, and may be replaced at some point with
better photos. Every spring (April-May) in Britain the floors of natural woodland are carpeted with the blue
Hyacinthoides non-scripta which gives off a subtle fresh fragrance that fills the woodland air. This spectacle is
really unique to Britain and to see it with your own eyes in a nice peaceful wood is unparalleled. Notice that
some of the oak trees in this photo are covered with tumours, possibly caused by bacteria or insects. Older
trees seem to have fewer such obvious tumours, perhaps they grow out of it?
Bluebells form part of the so-called herb layer. Every natural woodland is divided into the tree canopy layer, the
shrub layer, the herb layer and then the ground layer. The bluebells grow and flower early before the trees
have fully unfurled their leaves and blocked out too much sunlight. Within about a month or so, they turn to
seed, until next year when they regrow from their bulbs. Click here to explore an ancient mixed deciduous
woodland (mostly oak and hazel) in England to see more bluebells.
better photos. Every spring (April-May) in Britain the floors of natural woodland are carpeted with the blue
Hyacinthoides non-scripta which gives off a subtle fresh fragrance that fills the woodland air. This spectacle is
really unique to Britain and to see it with your own eyes in a nice peaceful wood is unparalleled. Notice that
some of the oak trees in this photo are covered with tumours, possibly caused by bacteria or insects. Older
trees seem to have fewer such obvious tumours, perhaps they grow out of it?
Bluebells form part of the so-called herb layer. Every natural woodland is divided into the tree canopy layer, the
shrub layer, the herb layer and then the ground layer. The bluebells grow and flower early before the trees
have fully unfurled their leaves and blocked out too much sunlight. Within about a month or so, they turn to
seed, until next year when they regrow from their bulbs. Click here to explore an ancient mixed deciduous
woodland (mostly oak and hazel) in England to see more bluebells.
This is a mystical bit, for those who like that sort of thing. Below we return to Bio-Tech.
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Left an old birch tree (Betula, probably pubescens judging by the brown colour of the older bark) in the Malvern Hills -
this is an unusual size and girth for a birch tree as birch trees are relatively short-lived at 80-100 years and rarely grow
such thick trunks. The young silver birch trees (Betula pendula) in the centre are far more typical. As silver birch trees
mature, the bark turns from a smooth papery white to a thicker bark with black ridges, especially at the base of the
trunk. Right: a Pov-Ray rendition of a Birch tree using TomTree.
Click here to learn about the silver birch.
this is an unusual size and girth for a birch tree as birch trees are relatively short-lived at 80-100 years and rarely grow
such thick trunks. The young silver birch trees (Betula pendula) in the centre are far more typical. As silver birch trees
mature, the bark turns from a smooth papery white to a thicker bark with black ridges, especially at the base of the
trunk. Right: a Pov-Ray rendition of a Birch tree using TomTree.
Click here to learn about the silver birch.
Trees are aesthetic, but are they technical? Yes they are! A tree is a machine far more sophisticated than
any built by human hands. The links below will reveal more about this and other amazing creatures. Trees
are a masterpiece of natural engineering - that is of both chemical and mechanical engineering.
Also coming soon - more about planet Cronodon! This section will begin by telling you something about the
properties of life on Earth and then we shall look at how life varies on other planets where the environment is
very different.
any built by human hands. The links below will reveal more about this and other amazing creatures. Trees
are a masterpiece of natural engineering - that is of both chemical and mechanical engineering.
Also coming soon - more about planet Cronodon! This section will begin by telling you something about the
properties of life on Earth and then we shall look at how life varies on other planets where the environment is
very different.
| Woodlands and Forests |
Cronodon and Nature Tech
Cronodon was once a heavily populated world, and like your planet Earth it too was undergoing a spoiling
process as our activities poisoned it and we exterminated many other living things out of greed, stupidity or
necessity. However, unlike your Earth our planet was united and at peace, so we were able to put our
resources into much more important things - like space colonisation. It is foolish to put all your eggs in one
basket! What would you Earthlings do if a Malosian apocalypse class dreadnought arrived in your star
system? What will you do when its neutron beam batteries bombard your cities, irradiating several cities a
second? What will you do when its laser beam batteries ignite thousands of fires in your cities? What will you
do if its nuclear fusion warheads exploded above your capitals, destroying whole cities? One day your star,
Sol, will die. Stars are like people, they are born, shine for a while, then die. (However, when stars die new
stars rise from their ashes!) Long before that a meteorite might smash the Earth into pieces. In the end, you
must colonise space if you are to survive Earthlings, and the sooner the better ... you have no idea what is
out there!
Click here to find out what you can do to help humanity pass the big test and colonise space!
Once we had colonised space we could move our industry to barren worlds and our populations to nice new
cities. What were we to do with Cronodon? Well, we decided to turn into a planetary nature reserve. We
regenerated our planet, and now it looks great! We still have universities on Cronodon and ecotourist
centres where people come to study the wildlife of Cronodon. We also terraformed several other planets and
used that as a wildlife park for endangered species from around the galaxy.
Bot is fascinated by Nature. I like both the aesthetic beauty of it (though it can get brutal sometimes!) and the
scientific fascination of studying Nature's inventiveness and her technology. This section will be about both
these aspects of Nature, both of alien and Earth origin.
Cronodon was once a heavily populated world, and like your planet Earth it too was undergoing a spoiling
process as our activities poisoned it and we exterminated many other living things out of greed, stupidity or
necessity. However, unlike your Earth our planet was united and at peace, so we were able to put our
resources into much more important things - like space colonisation. It is foolish to put all your eggs in one
basket! What would you Earthlings do if a Malosian apocalypse class dreadnought arrived in your star
system? What will you do when its neutron beam batteries bombard your cities, irradiating several cities a
second? What will you do when its laser beam batteries ignite thousands of fires in your cities? What will you
do if its nuclear fusion warheads exploded above your capitals, destroying whole cities? One day your star,
Sol, will die. Stars are like people, they are born, shine for a while, then die. (However, when stars die new
stars rise from their ashes!) Long before that a meteorite might smash the Earth into pieces. In the end, you
must colonise space if you are to survive Earthlings, and the sooner the better ... you have no idea what is
out there!
Click here to find out what you can do to help humanity pass the big test and colonise space!
Once we had colonised space we could move our industry to barren worlds and our populations to nice new
cities. What were we to do with Cronodon? Well, we decided to turn into a planetary nature reserve. We
regenerated our planet, and now it looks great! We still have universities on Cronodon and ecotourist
centres where people come to study the wildlife of Cronodon. We also terraformed several other planets and
used that as a wildlife park for endangered species from around the galaxy.
Bot is fascinated by Nature. I like both the aesthetic beauty of it (though it can get brutal sometimes!) and the
scientific fascination of studying Nature's inventiveness and her technology. This section will be about both
these aspects of Nature, both of alien and Earth origin.
Travelling to other parts of the Earth we see similar patterns of life, but with considerable differences that add
to the richness and diversity of life on Earth. Consider the tallest trees of all, which are found in their wild
state only in California in the USA - the redwoods.
to the richness and diversity of life on Earth. Consider the tallest trees of all, which are found in their wild
state only in California in the USA - the redwoods.
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