524:
496:
81:
339:
629:. Climate change may also affect the species as temperatures increased 0.5–1 °C (0.90–1.80 °F) over a 30-year period throughout the southern Rocky Mountain range. These changes in climate would mostly affect trees in higher elevations. With these problems, the genetic diversity within the species has become a concern; old specimens of bristlecone pine, however, have survived previous warmer periods.
546:
49:
488:. Those factors tend to exclude other plant species, allowing bristlecones to thrive. Because of cold temperatures, dry soils, high winds, and short growing seasons, the trees grow very slowly. Even the tree's needles, which grow in bunches of five, can remain on the tree for forty years, which gives the tree's terminal branches the unique appearance of a long bottle brush.
63:
532:
color of these cones helps to absorb heat. After maturity, which takes about two years, the cones will become brown in color. These ancient trees have a gnarled and stunted appearance, especially those found at high altitudes, and have reddish-brown bark with deep fissures. As the tree ages, much of its
503:
The wood is very dense and resinous, and thus resistant to invasion by insects, fungi, and other potential pests. The tree's longevity is due in part to the wood's extreme durability. While other species of trees that grow nearby suffer rot, bare bristlecone pines can endure, even after death, often
491:
The bristlecone pine's root system is mostly composed of highly branched, shallow roots, while a few large, branching roots provide structural support. The bristlecone pine is extremely drought tolerant due to its branched shallow root system, its waxy needles, and thick needle cuticles that aid in
531:
The green pine needles give the twisted branches a bottle-brush appearance. The needles of the tree surround the branch to an extent of about one foot near the tip of the limb. The name bristlecone pine refers to the dark purple female cones that bear incurved prickles on their surface. The dark
512:(IUCN) red list. The species are labeled under Least Concern (LC), the justification for this being that no subpopulations for Great Basin bristlecone pines are decreasing. Subpopulations seem to be increasing or remaining stable. Many bristlecone pine habitats have been protected, including the
580:; specimens of both have been measured or estimated to be up to 3,000 years old. The longevity of the trees is believed to be related to the proportion of dead wood to live wood. This high ratio reduces respiration and water loss, thereby extending the life of the tree.
303:
species, tending to occupy new open ground. They generally compete poorly in less-than-harsh environments, making them hard to cultivate. In gardens, they succumb quickly to root rot. They do very well, however, where most other plants cannot even grow, such as in rocky
288:, is among the longest-lived life forms on Earth. The oldest of this species is more than 4,800 years old, making it the oldest known individual of any species. Many scientists are curious as to why this tree is able to live so long. In one study, they discovered that
536:
layer may die. In very old specimens, often only a narrow strip of living tissue connects the roots to a handful of live branches. Even though the trees' needles may age, they still remain functional in regulating water and by their ability to photosynthesize.
507:
The bristlecone pine has an intrinsically low rate of reproduction and regeneration, and it is thought that under present climatic and environmental conditions the rate of regeneration may be insufficient to sustain its population. The species are on the
614:, because they provide the longest continual climatically sensitive tree-ring chronologies on Earth. By cross-dating millennia-old bristlecone pine debris, some chronologies reach beyond 9,000 years before present. In addition,
504:
still standing on their roots, for many centuries. Exposed wood on living and dead trees does not rot, but rather erodes like stone due to wind, rain, and freezing, which creates unusual forms and shapes.
1180:
Schoettle, AW; Goodrich, BA; Hipkins, V; Richards, C; Kray, J (2012). "Geographic patterns of genetic variation and population structure in pinus aristata, rocky mountain bristlecone pine".
684:
Flanary, B. E., & Kletetschka, G. (2006). Analysis of telomere length and telomerase activity in tree species of various lifespans, and with age in the bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva.
292:
has higher levels of telomerase activity, which further slows or prevents the attrition rate of telomeres. This potentially contributes to the extended life of the bristlecone pine.
618:
from bristlecone pine tree rings are sensitive to past variations in moisture availability. This information can be used to reconstruct precipitation changes in the past.
472:, between 5,600 and 11,200 ft (1,700 and 3,400 m) elevation on dolomitic soils. The trees grow in soils that are shallow lithosols, usually derived from
509:
1118:
Bale, RJ; Robertson, I; Salzer, MW; Loader, NJ; et al. (2011). "An annually resolved bristlecone pine carbon isotope chronology for the last millennium".
523:
495:
428:). A small outlying population was reported in southern Oregon, but was proven to have been misidentified. Forms the thickest groves of the three.
437:
1021:
849:"Regeneration of rocky mountain bristlecone pine (pinus aristata) and limber pine (pinus flexilis) three decades after stand-replacing fires"
799:
774:
80:
1349:
1359:
1250:
638:
343:
1334:
1319:
432:
At least some of the three species can hybridize in cultivation, but the ranges of wild populations do not overlap. The
347:
31:
212:
1354:
1324:
284:). All three species are long-lived and highly resilient to harsh weather and bad soils. One of the three species,
848:
402:. The most populous species; capable of forming closed canopies and, unlike the other two, is commonly cultivated.
1314:
517:
1329:
1267:
749:
596:
476:
and sometimes limestone, and occasionally sandstone or quartzite soils. Dolomitic soils are alkaline, high in
836:. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory.
557:
Bristlecone pines are known for attaining great ages. The oldest bristlecone pine in the White
Mountains is
1339:
984:
558:
1093:
316:
1127:
626:
562:
513:
421:
622:
588:
180:
909:
1229:
1143:
833:
708:
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in
Eastern California. However, the specific location of Methuselah is a closely guarded secret.
305:
300:
196:
75:
1246:
805:
795:
770:
621:
The Rocky
Mountain population is severely threatened by an introduced fungal disease known as
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413:
405:
247:
1221:
1189:
1135:
904:
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This standing tree may have died hundreds of years ago. Scientific matching of dead trees'
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473:
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1040:
338:
1344:
433:
383:
357:
295:
Despite their potential age and low reproductive rate, bristlecone pines, particularly
240:
233:
105:
1308:
1212:
Bailey, D.K. (1970). "Phytogeography and taxonomy of Pinus subsection
Balfourianae".
1147:
895:
886:
1292:
1097:
592:
545:
449:
320:
765:
Moore, Gerry; Kershner, Bruce; Tufts, Craig; Mathews, Daniel; et al. (2008).
48:
864:
1286:
1280:
1139:
516:'s Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains of California and the
17:
1299:
607:
samples date individual, above-ground trees at an average of about 130 years.
587:
can be considered to be much older than bristlecone pines. A colony of 47,000
485:
395:
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118:
959:
809:
481:
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312:
62:
391:
271:
158:
1233:
733:
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477:
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327:
319:. Bristlecones, along with all related species in class Pinopsida, are
263:
148:
138:
128:
1271:
753:
603:, United States, has been estimated to be 80,000 years old, although
369:
1225:
1193:
663:
767:
National
Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America
544:
522:
494:
337:
276:
92:
600:
561:, which has a verified age of 4,856 years. It is located in the
365:
267:
168:
27:
Three species of pine trees native to the
Western United States
1022:"At Age 4,600-Plus, Methuselah Pine Tree Begets New Offspring"
934:
353:
There are three closely related species of bristlecone pines:
1276:
998:
576:, are also long-lived, though not to the extreme extent of
440:
produce a 160-mile (260 km) gap between the ranges of
520:
in Nevada, where cutting or gathering wood is prohibited.
452:
provides a 20-mile (30 km) gap between the ranges of
468:
Bristlecone pines grow in isolated groves just below the
330:; the name comes from the prickles on the female cones.
885:
Stritch, L.; Mahalovich, M. & Nelson, K.G. (2011).
553:
with living ones has created a 9,000-year-long record.
376:. The famous longest-lived species; often the term
315:groves at high altitude in arid regions of the
510:International Union for Conservation of Nature
910:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T34024A9830878.en
412:) with two disjunct populations found in the
8:
595:"), covering 106 acres (43 ha) in the
308:soils in areas with virtually no rainfall.
61:
47:
38:
1245:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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908:
954:
952:
745:
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880:
878:
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655:
979:
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827:
825:
823:
821:
819:
702:
700:
698:
1163:"Old Trees May Soon Meet Their Match"
1058:Grant, Michael C. (October 1, 1993).
342:Great Basin bristlecone pines in the
56:A Great Basin bristlecone pine grove
7:
610:Bristlecone pines are invaluable to
311:Bristlecone pines grow in scattered
1182:Canadian Journal of Forest Research
1161:Robbins, Jim (September 27, 2010).
896:IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
794:. Kneeland, CA: Backcountry Press.
666:. Rocky Mountain Tree Ring Research
769:. New York: Sterling. p. 83.
380:refers to this tree in particular.
25:
1243:Ecology and Biogeography of Pinus
847:Coop, JD; Schoettle, AW (2009).
639:List of longest-living organisms
616:ratios of stable carbon isotopes
79:
1020:Kinkead, Gwen (June 17, 2003).
713:Fire Effects Information System
384:Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine
344:Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
1241:Richardson, D.M., ed. (1998).
1041:"Explore the Methuselah Grove"
960:"The Ancient Bristlecone Pine"
790:Kauffmann, Michael E. (2012).
1:
987:. U.S. National Park Service.
853:Forest Ecology and Management
499:Gnarled bristlecone pine wood
1300:Prometheus: The Martyred One
1045:NOVA Online: Methuselah Tree
865:10.1016/j.foreco.2008.10.034
358:Great Basin bristlecone pine
32:Bristlecone (disambiguation)
1140:10.1016/j.yqres.2011.05.004
348:White Mountains, California
1376:
1350:Pinus taxa by common names
29:
1360:Trees of Northern America
999:"The Gymnosperm Database"
518:Great Basin National Park
229:
224:
76:Scientific classification
74:
69:
60:
55:
46:
41:
1039:Bain, G. Donald (2001).
597:Fishlake National Forest
583:Trees that reproduce by
1214:Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard
935:"Global Trees Campaign"
832:Fryer, Janet L (2004).
623:white pine blister rust
568:The other two species,
541:Oldest living organisms
70:The eponymous bristles
554:
528:
500:
350:
1094:National Park Service
686:Rejuvenation Research
627:mountain pine beetles
548:
526:
498:
341:
317:Western United States
903:: e.T34024A9830878.
612:dendroclimatologists
563:Inyo National Forest
514:Inyo National Forest
30:For other uses, see
1335:Flora of New Mexico
1320:Flora of California
1277:Gymnosperm Database
1132:2011QuRes..76...22B
1120:Quaternary Research
1066:. Discover Magazine
1062:The Trembling Giant
985:"Bristlecone pines"
707:Howard, JL (2004).
420:) and the southern
1167:The New York Times
591:trees (nicknamed "
555:
529:
501:
351:
326:commonly known as
1355:Plant subsections
1325:Flora of Colorado
1294:Pinus balfouriana
801:978-0-578-09416-8
776:978-1-4027-3875-3
570:Pinus balfouriana
527:Needles and cones
492:water retention.
448:and the northern
414:Klamath Mountains
410:Pinus balfouriana
334:Species and range
256:
255:
248:Pinus balfouriana
42:Bristlecone pine
16:(Redirected from
1367:
1315:Flora of Arizona
1256:
1237:
1198:
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834:"Pinus longaeva"
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814:
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750:Bristlecone pine
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736:
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709:"Pinus longaeva"
704:
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534:vascular cambium
378:bristlecone pine
301:first-succession
299:, are usually a
260:bristlecone pine
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83:
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51:
39:
21:
18:Bristlecone Pine
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1330:Flora of Nevada
1305:
1304:
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1226:10.2307/2395110
1211:
1207:
1205:General sources
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1194:10.1139/x11-152
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1288:Pinus aristata
1282:Pinus longaeva
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1268:Pinus longaeva
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1262:External links
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1258:
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1220:(2): 210–249.
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1026:New York Times
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889:Pinus longaeva
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859:(3): 893–903.
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574:Pinus aristata
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458:P. balfouriana
434:Colorado River
430:
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388:Pinus aristata
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362:Pinus longaeva
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297:Pinus longaeva
290:Pinus longaeva
286:Pinus longaeva
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1340:Flora of Utah
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1088:Quaking Aspen
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962:. August 2003
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280:, subsection
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270:tree (family
269:
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262:covers three
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1188:(1): 23–37.
1185:
1181:
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1166:
1156:
1126:(1): 22–29.
1123:
1119:
1113:
1101:. Retrieved
1098:Bryce Canyon
1087:
1080:
1068:. Retrieved
1061:
1053:
1044:
1034:
1025:
1015:
1003:. Retrieved
1001:. March 2008
993:
964:. Retrieved
939:. Retrieved
937:. March 2008
914:. Retrieved
900:
894:
888:
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852:
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717:. Retrieved
712:
689:
685:
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668:. Retrieved
658:
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609:
582:
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573:
569:
567:
556:
551:growth rings
530:
506:
502:
490:
467:
457:
453:
450:Owens Valley
445:
441:
431:
425:
424:(subspecies
417:
416:(subspecies
409:
406:Foxtail pine
387:
377:
372:and eastern
361:
352:
321:cone-bearing
310:
296:
294:
289:
285:
282:Balfourianae
281:
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259:
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246:
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218:Balfourianae
217:
213:
209:Subsection:
197:
185:
181:
169:
119:Gymnospermae
112:
99:
36:
1270:media from
916:January 10,
752:media from
719:December 2,
692:(1), 61-63.
578:P. longaeva
464:Description
454:P. longaeva
446:P. aristata
442:P. longaeva
438:Green River
418:balfouriana
324:seed plants
1309:Categories
670:January 8,
645:References
559:Methuselah
486:phosphorus
396:New Mexico
374:California
177:Subgenus:
125:Division:
1148:140565055
810:798852130
664:"Oldlist"
650:Citations
625:, and by
605:tree ring
482:magnesium
470:tree line
313:subalpine
306:dolomitic
258:The term
216:subsect.
193:Section:
139:Pinopsida
129:Pinophyta
89:Kingdom:
1005:July 30,
966:July 30,
941:July 30,
633:See also
474:dolomite
426:austrina
392:Colorado
328:conifers
274:, genus
272:Pinaceae
225:Species
159:Pinaceae
155:Family:
1234:2395110
1128:Bibcode
585:cloning
478:calcium
400:Arizona
346:of the
264:species
186:Strobus
165:Genus:
149:Pinales
145:Order:
135:Class:
93:Plantae
1272:ARKive
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1103:May 7,
1070:May 8,
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370:Nevada
202:Parrya
184:subg.
1345:Pinus
1230:JSTOR
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593:Pando
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113:Clade
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1247:ISBN
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1072:2008
1007:2011
968:2011
943:2011
918:2020
901:2011
806:OCLC
796:ISBN
771:ISBN
721:2008
672:2013
601:Utah
572:and
480:and
456:and
444:and
436:and
398:and
366:Utah
268:pine
1222:doi
1190:doi
1136:doi
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857:257
734:EOL
599:in
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198:P.
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