GARDEN TALES: The importance of the oak tree as a habitat for other creatures

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

The importance of the oak tree as a habitat for other creatures

Oak trees are a habitat for thousands of species of plants and animals. It is important that older oak trees where most of these microscopic plants and animals are found are allowed to grow unharmed. In Scandinavia and Northern Scotland it has been found that a certain species of tick is being dispersed with the oak seeds. Also due to global warming this tick species is carrying other diseases which are harmful for animals. This information was made available on the BBC Radio 4 programme Planet Earth Under Threat on Monday (27.11.06) night.

Another horrible aspect of rising temperatures is the bleaching of coral reefs which is caused by the algae leaving the coral and as they do they rip the coral cells apart. Thus the white bleached colour of the coral which then dies. All of this plant and animal destruction due to global warming. Let's face it human beings are 95% to blame - we have polluted the earth for several centuries. It isn't getting any better. One wonders where it will all end...tsunamis, earth quakes, volcanoes, floods, scorching heat, disease, famine, desert, total destruction of the planet???