Why Do Trees Die Suddenly?
Mohammed Ahmed Al-Feelabi
(Environmental Specialist)
Our ancestors used to record events in their memories, linking them to the date of death, in the manner of “the year so-and-so died.” As the human population increased, death became an almost daily occurrence. Since hundreds of families were displaced to our village after the outbreak of war in Sudan, people now visit the cemetery almost every day for burials, sometimes more than once a day. Among those being buried are some who have died suddenly.
In the village of Umm Dafis in western Sudan, “Umm Safafir” was the most famous and oldest baobab tree (130 years old), and its sudden death shocked the local memory. The tree had lived for more than 13 decades, but it died suddenly. The elders recount that in 1919, a British expedition heading to Darfur passed through the village. For no apparent reason, the expedition’s commander fired a shell at the trunk of a massive tree, emptying dozens of barrels of water it had stored for the dry season. To atone for his mistake, he ordered a well to be dug, which became a sustainable source of water for the region.
Despite the significant differences between humans and trees, experts say that between 15 and 50% of the genes in living organisms are similar or have overlapping functions, especially those responsible for essential biological processes such as photosynthesis (energy production), DNA repair, and cell division. Humans share some genetic mechanisms with trees for coping with environmental stress, making us biologically connected to trees on a deeper level than we imagine.
Sudden death in humans is most often caused by undiagnosed heart disease, drug-related poisoning, drug overdoses, pulmonary embolism, and cerebrovascular accidents, the latter of which have recently become more prevalent, linked to the excessive use of mobile phones. The sudden death of trees has a story no less tragic. Trees, like humans, may appear healthy and upright in the morning, only to collapse suddenly. Botanists describe this as “hydraulic wilt,” which occurs when roots are unable to absorb enough water due to prolonged heat waves, soil salinization, or altered rainfall patterns caused by climate change. When the flow of water to the trunk is abruptly interrupted, the cells cease functioning, and the tree collapses, much like a human being.
Even long-lived trees are now facing pressures that exceed their capacity to cope. The soil is becoming depleted, and groundwater levels are declining. Their death has become an environmental and social alarm bell, for trees are a barometer of the health of the environment and of our own well-being as human beings.