Question

Tall trees of what range of height have strong buttresses at their base?
(a)15m and above
(b)5-7m
(c)7-10m
(d)3-5m

Answer 1

Buttresses are specially developed for providing additional strength and support to the trees. Its requirement is directly related to the height of the tree, that is lesser the height less sits requirement.

Complete answer:
Tall trees having a height of 15 m and above have strong buttresses at their base. The buttress is large, wide roots on all sides of the shallowly rooted tree. Buttresses are modified roots that appear from the basal parts of the main stem and spread in different directions in the soil. They are typically found in tropical forest soils that are poor in nutrient content, which may not be very deep.

Additional Information: -Buttresses prevent the tree from falling over or provide support as the roots are not very deep that is why they are named buttresses, they also help in gathering more nutrients.
-The roots may be intertwined with buttress roots from other trees and create an intricate mesh, which may help in supporting trees surrounding it.
-They can grow up to 30 feet or 9.1 m tall and spread for 30 meters above the soil.
-When the roots spread horizontally, they can cover a wider area for collecting nutrients and they stay near the upper soil layer because all the main nutrients are present there.
-Example of trees with buttress roots is ficus, bombax, etc.
-Some notable and historic specimen trees with buttress roots Artocarpus heterophyllus , India, Terminalia arjuna , India, Ceiba pentandra of Vieques, Puerto Rico, Moreton Bay Fig Tree, and Ficus macrophylla in Queensland, Australia.
So, the correct answer is,’15m and above’.

Note: -Buttress roots are also aerial extensions of lateral surface roots and found only in certain species.
-During heavy rain buttresses prevents nutrients and nutrient-rich litter from being washed away from the upper layer of the soil.
-Buttresses are tension resistant elements, they spread larger on the sides away from the stress of asymmetrical canopies.