Wonders of an Old-Growth Forest, Part 27: Pillar of Heaven | Warren Woods State Park, Michigan, USA

rwgabbro1
recent  |  interesting  |  random  |  favorites  |  contacts  |  sets  |  tags:  
Wonders of an Old-Growth Forest, Part 27: Pillar of Heaven | Warren Woods State Park, Michigan, USA
Wonders of an Old-Growth Forest, Part 27: Pillar of Heaven | Warren Woods State Park, Michigan, USA

In the old-growth forest just north of the Galien River footbridge, west of the hiking trail, and south of Warren Woods Road.

I suspect that this is the same American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) shown in Part 26 of this set.

As with the preceding shot, this photo was taken not after a drenching shower, but during it. So the smooth, light-gray bark of this grand old fellow has been transformed into a glistening metallic surface.

Inside this great cylinder are a myriad of cells, some still living, some nothing more than dead and hollowed-out vessels, which have kept this complex and giant organism both metabolically healthy and structurally supple for two or three centuries.

Earlier in this series I outlined the amazing inner architecture of tissues that conducts vital substances up, down, and about the plant. These substances include water and nutrients (moving from the roots all the way to the top of the crown) and photosynthate food products (sent from the solar-powered factories of the leaves to wherever they're needed or stored). See Part 10 for the specifics.

To see the other photos and descriptions of this series, go to my Wonders of an Old-Growth Forest album.

© All Rights Reserved
Taken on: August 19, 2007
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with botany botany Everybody's photos tagged with dendrology dendrology Everybody's photos tagged with nature nature more » Everybody's photos tagged with parks parks Everybody's photos tagged with plants plants Everybody's photos tagged with TREES TREES Everybody's photos tagged with Michigan Michigan Everybody's photos tagged with Warren Woods State Park Warren Woods State Park Everybody's photos tagged with Fagus grandifolia Fagus grandifolia Everybody's photos tagged with American Beech American Beech Everybody's photos tagged with old-growth forest old-growth forest Everybody's photos tagged with forests forests Everybody's photos tagged with woodland ecosystems woodland ecosystems « less
Sets appears in:   • Natural History: Michigan    • Overt Tree Worship    more » • Phytophilia    • Wonders of an Old-Growth Forest | Warren Woods State Park, Michigan    « less
Groups appears in:   • Botany    • Midwest    more » • GeoTagging Flickr    • Geotagged    • Michigan Parks (3/day)    • Geotagged: Michigan    • Forest & Tree    • Scenic West Michigan    • USA - UNITED STATES OF AMERICA    • nature and landscape photography    • Tree appreciation    • Michigan Native Plants    • North American Nature & Wildlife Photography    • Plant photography    • Tree Fanatics    • Michigan Woods, Water and Nature    • Tree Photos    • American Photography    • Nature Photography //    • All U.S. State Parks    • Midwest Nature    • Natural Midwest *Please invite friends*    • Michigan Nature!!    • Nature Album    • Photography with a Story    • Nature and all that is beautiful    • The Very Great Outdoors    « less
Camera: NIKON COOLPIX S4, f/3.5, 1/23 sec, 6.3mm, ISO 50 (more info) (hide info)
Camera: NIKON COOLPIX S4
Aperture: f/3.5
Exposure Time: 0.043 sec (1/23)
Focal Length: 6.3mm
ISO: 50
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program: Program AE
Metering Mode: Multi-segment
White Balance: Auto
Color Space: Uncalibrated
Show full info
Stats: 213 views