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The tallest forests on Earth are the Redwoods of Northern California. They are inexorably linked with the eerie fog banks that bathe the Pacific coastline. The treetop ecology and physiology (functioning) of these ancient majestic forests is beginning to reveal both astounding discoveries and serious environmental concerns. Global Forest scientists have discovered amazing new life in the Redwoods: tiny (250 microns) aquatic crustaceans, which crawled straight up the trunks of redwoods are thriving in mats of arboreal soil some 90 metres (300ft) above the ground in the forest canopy. Prior to this discovery these organisms were believed to live only in streambeds and lakes. Global Forest is studying the very serious problem of Redwood top dieback or dying from the top down, which is threatening the outer edges of the few remaing protected Redwood reserves. Our scientists are pioneering methods to determine the causes and potential extent of this catastrophic forest decline so that these precious forests may remain healthy for generations to come.
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