The land is a steep slope with limestone slabs visable at the back right corner. Only the largest trees seem to be effected, maybe 10 trees, so far. It looks like they've been snatched out of the ground. The root balls are between 10 and 20 feet in diameter and they are now vertical.
2006-10-10 14:49:07 · 6 answers · asked by lucy 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
the trees are hickory and oak
2006-10-10 16:29:47 · update #1
Sounds like wind throw to me. Have you recently had bad storms with high winds? Windthrow usually happens to shallow rooted trees and since your trees are on a steep slope with a limestone bedrock it is highly likely that they had shallow root zones.
2006-10-11 05:08:32 · answer #1 · answered by guitar4peace 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What kind of trees are they? I'm thinking there is limestone slabs underneath these trees, therefore, the tree roots are not going deep enough to support the larger trees. For large trees they would need to go deeper than 10-20 feet. Hope this helps.
2006-10-10 22:02:11 · answer #2 · answered by old_woman_84 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like the trees have grown bigger above ground than what the rootball can support.
If there is limestone preventing the roots from growing deep enough to support the tree, when it gets to a ceretain size, gravity will pull it over.
2006-10-10 21:58:18 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Soil Erosion? if there were other shrubs or plants around that held the dirt together, less soil would be washed downhill. Soil erosion leaves the large tree roots a shallow amount of earth to hang onto
2006-10-10 21:57:16 · answer #4 · answered by upf_geelong 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would have to see it .... but it sounds as if there has been some shifting of the earth/stone in that area
2006-10-10 22:27:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree, it's probably erosion.
2006-10-10 21:58:16 · answer #6 · answered by littleblondemohawk 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋