Torrpine

In the Antarctic, the ever common douglas firs have slowly developed a very unique characteristic that may have saved Antarctica from another eternity of being locked in ice. The torrpines (calidolignaceae) are a large tree family that make up the rhigocene shadowforests of Antarctica. They usually measure in from 60-200 feet in height.

The tree appears to be just like it's ancestors save for the fact that it has a thicker trunk. However, they harbor a strange ability, they can generate their own heat. They can do this due to an enzyme called alternative oxidase, which generates heat when undergoing cellular respiration. This ability first evolved to warm cones to draw in pollinators, then it became used as a means for inducing growth in young trees. Once the rhigocene came around, the heavy snowfalls and icy winds struck Antarctica for the first time in years. The shock of the trees experiencing this harsh weather eventually spurred on the thermogenic trees to just keep getting warmer and warmer to prevent themselves from being buried in the snow.

The heating mechanism itself would use lots of energy and be counterproductive. However, the trees have found ways to circumvent the energy waste. Inside of the tree, the wood is full of pockets that hold in warm air. The internal temperature of the tree can go as high as 60 degrees fahrenheit. Furthermore, the roots have nodules that hold in warm air. These nodules have cells that produce heat faster than the other cells of the tree. The heat generated keeps soil bacteria and microfauna alive so that nutrients can continue to be delivered and the ground will not freeze. Furthermore, noctebacteria in the soil will provide the tree with nutrition when the sun is gone. When the sun is out, the heat reaction will slow down and the tree can get to rest while the bacteria continue to give it the energy to stay alive.