Invisible a écrit :
> Trees are really land coral.
> 
> OK, that sounded pretty random. Here me out.
> 
> Coral is a layer of living goo coating a lump of dead limestone. The 
> coral grows by adding more limestone to the surface.
> 
> I know almost nothing about tree biology. However, I hypothesize that 
> the wood inside a tree is actually dead (but not inert), and it is only 
> the bark which is actually alive and growing. The wood is fiberous, and 
> so conducts liquid and nutrients around the place, but it is the bark 
> itself which forms a living skin over the dead wood underneith, and it 
> is the bark that grows by adding new layers of wood.
> 

Basically, yes, this is correct. But trees also grow from their buds, so 
the overall functionning is more complex. Also, I don't think corals get 
much nutrients from the soil, and of course they don't have to mine for 
water either ;-)

In fact cells in trees are more specialized than individuals from a 
coral colony. But there are indeed similarities in the principle...

> Corollary: Do corals have growth rings?

Yes they do. Google is your friend too :-)
http://www.niwa.co.nz/news-and-publications/publications/all/wa/12-4/coral

-- 
Vincent

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