New research refutes claim that the African Baobab is dying due to climate change

Only one of the 106 previously monitored baobabs died in the past 17 years, study finds  
New research refutes claim that the African Baobab is dying to climate change
African Baobab TreesiStock
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New research by South African ecologists has refuted the claim that the African Baobab (Adansonia digitata) tree is dying due to climate change.

A 2018 study published in Nature Plants had suggested that 10 of 15 of the oldest and largest ancient African baobabs monitored in South Africa had died or collapsed on account of climate change.

The South African scientists said in their own study that the claim was speculative but went viral, leading to a wide-ranging belief that climate change was impacting the trees.

‘Trees of life’

Native to the continent, baobabs play a vital role in their ecosystem, mitigate impacts of climate change, providing food and shelter to animals and humans. The super fruit of the tree serves as income for thousands of farmers. It has the potential to scale up a market worth $10 million.

The fruit is known to be sweet and citrusy in flavour, rich in vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, calcium and antioxidants. It is recognised as having high fibre content, acting as a natural prebiotic that promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Known as the ‘Tree of Life’, baobab trees define African landscapes and some are known to exist for over 1,000 years, thus becoming one of the largest living beings on the planet.

The trees play a key role in their ecosystem by providing food and shelter to a range of wild animals. The trees are deeply rooted in the traditions and culture of local communities who use leaves, fruits, seeds, trunks for their sustenance and medicinal use. 

Thriving Baobabs

The paper published by the South African ecologists titled Baobabs as symbols of resilience presents evidence that the tree populations in mainland Africa are thriving and that the oldest and largest trees display resilience.

In a press statement issued by the African Baobab Alliance, a non-profit research organisation, the study provides evidence that baobab populations in Africa are healthy and the loss of trees was owing to natural causes such as hydraulic failure and excessive water retention, as against the perceived notion of climate change.

The study noted that baobabs have historically survived extreme climate fluctuations such as droughts and floods, adapting to the environment. The death of trees reported in the region had no record of extreme changes registered that could have caused their demise.

The authors said the collapse and deaths of the reported vulnerable trees were likely due to structural reasons and retention of excess water, rather than drought conditions.

The baobabs were found to be healthy and stable, with low mortality rates. An assessment from 2023 said only one of the 106 previously monitored baobabs died in the past 17 years. While only five of the trees mentioned in the previous study had died, the others continue to regrow and remain alive.

Sarah Venter, baobab ecologist and lead author of the study, said in the press statement, “Contrary to popular belief, adult baobabs do not appear to be dying at an accelerated rate because of climate change. On the contrary, the trees are icons of endurance and climate resilience.”

Venter said despite their resilience, habitat destruction and herbivory result in lack of recruitment of younger trees and pose a severe threat for their long-term survival. The ecologist underlined the urgent need of mitigating the threats.

Gus Le Breton, board chair of the African Baobab Alliance stated, “The recent narrative about baobabs dying out due to climate change was unhelpful, as it may have suggested to consumers that they should avoid consuming the fruit to preserve the species. In fact, the opposite is true — the more consumers eat baobab, and the more it is included in consumer goods, the more valuable it becomes as a resource.”

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