Some trees can move water from their roots to their leaves at a rate of 25 millimetres (1 inch) per second.
The mighty falling
The mighty falling Oak trees in Europe have been ravaged by disease
and decline over the last decade. Between 1992 and 1997, 51 percent
of European oaks deteriorated significantly. Although oaks have
declined in large numbers in the past, the reason for their recent
degeneration still remains a mystery. Air pollution, fungi, drought
and insect pests are thought to be to blame, though the causes for
decline differ from country to country. Researchers found that oak
trees suffered most on soils that had nutrient imbalances, but the
worst declines were in northern Spain and southwest France where
there is relatively little air pollution, and nobody knows
why. 14 NOVEMBER 1998, P. 14
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