Scientists from the University of Tuscany said that they managed to find the oldest tree in Europe. He was found in the Pollino National Park in southern Italy, Naked Science.

According to researchers, the tree is about 1230 years old, and it is still growing - in recent decades, it has several new annual rings. Researchers also know older trees, but their age can be estimated only approximately.

Pine from the Park Pollino - the oldest tree, whose age was established directly, using the analysis of annual rings. The plant belongs to the species Pinus heldreichii, coxna Geldreich (Bosnian pine). This species also belonged to the previous candidate for the most ancient trees of Europe - a 1075-year-old pine growing in the north of Greece.

Researchers studied the oldest trees of the Park Pollino for four years. The oldest pine was dated in two ways. To analyze the annual rings, a few cores were extracted from the tree, but it turned out that the central part of the trunk, containing the oldest rings, fell apart into dust. The age of the tree was refined by radiocarbon dating of root samples, which were much better preserved.

According to researchers, the pine grew at the end of the VIII century AD, this era was characterized by a relatively cold climate.

Then the plant survived several periods of high temperature, including long severe droughts. Scientists say that studying the growth pattern of a long-living pine will help to understand how modern forests will respond to global warming.

Recall, on April 27, the leader of the DPRK Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Mun Zhe Ying were planted on the demarcation line in the border area of ??Panmunjom pine as a symbol of peace and prosperity.

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