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Baobab tree in Wadi Hinna, Oman Source
1 An interesting application of dendrochronology is to try to find the age of trees growing in Oman. In fact, a German university botanical expedition to Oman (Preissel, 2007) visited Wadi Hinna in the Dhofar mountains where they found about 200 tree species. Most of these trees do not grow more than 3 metres high due to the dry conditions, except for the most interesting one, the Baobab (Adansonia digitata). There is a group of more than a hundred of these trees growing in the region. There are 9 species of this tree and the Dhofari type also grows in tropical Africa. Baobabs can grow up to a height of 25 metres with a trunk diameter of 8 metres. The trees in Oman are between 10-15 metres with a trunk width of 2 metres. They are therefore the largest wild trees in Oman.
2 It is believed baobabs can reach an age of 1,000 years. However, according to their shape, height and trunk diameter, the baobab trees in Wadi Hinna are probably about 70 years old. The German team could not take good samples from the trees because the increment borer they used was too small for taking a sample of the core. Also the cores were often rotten in the smaller trees. Finally, the tree-rings of the samples they managed to get showed irregular patterns. It is therefore suggested that genetic analysis or carbon-14 dating be used to more accurately determine the age of these baobab trees.
Note: The words in bold are assessed. See Unit 7 Vocabulary
Analysing the text: Skimming & Scanning
Analysing the text: Skimming & Scanning
Why do most trees in Oman only grow to about 3 meters tall?
How large do baobab trees grow in Oman?
Name two reasons why it was not possible to take good samples from the baobab trees in Wadi Hinna.
Analysing the text: Critical thinking skills
Analysing the text: Critical thinking skills
Why do dendrochronologists think that the Baobab trees of Wadi Hinna are only about 70 years old?
Where do the scientists think these Baobab trees came from?
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