In the tropical forests of Panama, a towering tree thrives, growing even stronger after enduring lightning strikes. The almendro tree, which can grow up to 180 feet tall (55 meters), often takes direct hits from lightning. But instead of suffering, it seems to thrive. Scientists say these strikes may actually help the tree live longer and grow more.
Its great height makes it more likely to get hit by lightning. But this may actually help the tree survive, according to a new study published in New Phytologist.
Lightning strikes recorded over five years
Researchers tracked lightning strikes in the forest between 2014 and 2019. They placed cameras and sensors around Barro Colorado Island to find exactly where lightning struck. They recorded 94 strikes during that time.
Each time lightning hit, researchers checked the damaged trees. They returned later to see how the trees were doing. One type stood out.
All nine almendro trees that were struck survived. They lost only small amounts of leaves. Trees of similar height from other species were hit harder. Nearly half their upper branches were destroyed, and about two-thirds of them died within two years.
The almendro appears built to survive lightning, said Evan Gora, a forest ecologist who led the study. It handles the energy better than other trees.
The old almond tree.
El viejo almendro.#photography #trees pic.twitter.com/w65Lwb9INL— Jesús Poza (@Herudeldin) March 13, 2024
The team believes the almendro’s wood may help it survive. The tree moves water very efficiently, which may allow the electricity to pass through without causing too much heat. Less heat means less damage.
The tree’s size may also be part of the reason it gets hit so often. Drone images showed almendro trees are taller than their neighbors and have wide tops. This shape makes them 68% more likely to be struck by lightning than nearby trees, researchers said.
But lightning doesn’t only affect the almendro. It also damages nearby trees. Electricity can jump from the almendro’s branches or move through shared vines. Many surrounding trees lose leaves and die over time.
Tree’s shape may attract more lightning
Trees growing near an almendro are 48% more likely to die after a strike, the study found. This opens space and lets the almendro collect more sunlight. The tree may also produce up to 14 times more seeds when it has less competition.
It “makes a lot of sense,” that lightning strikes give almendros a competitive benefit, said Gabriel Arellano, a tropical ecologist not involved in the study.
Experts believe the almendro may not be the only tree that benefits this way. Reports from other forests suggest that trees in tropical areas may also be built to survive lightning.
“It seems very likely that certain trees are benefitting from lightning across forests globally.” Gora said.
This unusual relationship between trees and lightning is changing how scientists view storms in the forest. What once seemed destructive may, in fact, be helping the strongest trees survive and spread.