A few years ago, photos of bizarre circles from trees in the forest of the Japanese Prefecture Miyazaki appeared on the Web. The pictures were taken from a bird's eye view and did not believe in their reality. The trees grew not just concentric circles. They were also built in rows like rays, from the center of the circle to its edge. Internet users have expressed a lot of assumptions about this mysterious phenomenon. Someone claimed that these were tricks of skillful photoshopers, someone suspected aliens, as in the case of circles in the fields. But everything turned out to be much easier.
The cedar forest in the Prefecture Miyazaki, part of which grows correct circles, is the result of the experiment. Moreover, not at all secret, conducted by special services, but the most ordinary. It was carried out by biologists by order of the Ministry of Rural, Forest and Fish of Japan.
In 1973, a plot of land near the city of Nitinan was allocated for scientific work. It was an experimental forestry that studied an important problem. Biologists wanted to find out how the distance between the trees affects their growth. The cedars planted ten degrees in steps. It was they who ultimately formed ten concentric circles. To the center of the circle, the distance between plants is reduced.
As the coniferous grew, the distance between them was reduced. The radial ranks became more compact. Now, after 50 years, it is clearly clear that the distance actually affects the growth of trees. Cedars planted closer to the center grew small. The highest and sprawling trees were in external circles.
In tight, but not offense?
Measurements conducted after the completion of the experiment showed impressive results. The trees that grew up in cramped were below their brothers by an average of 5 meters. Cedars, the distance between which is larger, received enough resources for rapid growth. Trees planted closer to the center were forced to fight among themselves for sunlight, moisture and nutrients.
The experiment lasted half a century has come to an end. First, forestry workers planned to cut down experimental cedars by 2023. But after conferring, they decided to leave them nevertheless. A significant role in the salvation of trees was played by the popularity that intriguing pictures received on the Internet.
Due to the fact that in 2016, intriguing photos of an unusual forest hit the Internet and raised a hype around the experiment-it was decided to leave an unusual as a tourist place.
See also – the mysterious circles of Namibia
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