Trees correct trunk curvature using tension wood
A research team from INRAE and Clermont Auvergne University has shown that trees can correct curvature they detect in their trunks. As Phys.org reports, they use a specific biological process to do so. In the study, the trunks of young trees straightened over several weeks.
Experimental conditions
Scientists used young trees with curved trunks. They were placed in an experimental setup that prevented the plants from determining their position relative to light and gravity.
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Under these conditions, the only sensation available to the trees was the perception of the curvature of their own trunk. It was under these conditions that the researchers observed the trees' response to the existing bend.
The role of tension wood
The scientists recorded the formation of a special type of wood known as tension wood. According to Phys.org, it acts similarly to a muscle: it corrects the trunk's curvature and allows it to straighten within several weeks.
