The mysterious dead tree makes birds die

Many people have heard of creepy carnivorous plants that trap insects as food. But there is one more scary tree, any bird that accidentally encounters its fruit does not escape death.

Anyone who comes close to this exotic plant has a chill because underneath this tree are the dead corpses of decayed birds.

The mysterious dead tree makes birds die Picture 1
Fruit of Pisonia tree.(Internet photo.)

The scary plant, called Pisonia, or the bird-catcher tree, lives in the tropical waters of India and the Pacific. They use a special method to help the seed not go too far from their area, but it turns out their effects become scary traps for seabirds.

The fruit of the Pisonia tree is about 7-14mm long, has spines and especially produces an extremely sticky substance. If any bad bird accidentally gets into it, it will be like sticking to a trap that can't fly or move.

The mysterious dead tree makes birds die Picture 2 An ill-fated bird caught in the fruit of the Pisonia tree.(Internet photo.)

They can only "powerless" to lie there as "meals" for other carnivores or to die. At that time, their bodies decompose to form nutrient-rich organic matter for the seeds of the Pisonia plant to germinate and grow.

However, the real reason for the mechanism of seed dispersal of this exotic plant is still a mystery to ecologists.

In the 1990s, Alan Burger from Victorya University, Canada went to Cousin Island (Seychelles) to witness firsthand the deadly reputation of the Pisonia tree.

The mysterious dead tree makes birds die Picture 3 The bodies of the birds will decompose under the tree.(Photo: Internet.)

He was amazed to see so many decaying corpses of birds under the tree. Their wings and feathers were all stained by the glue that the pisonia fruit produced.

In about 10 months from 1999 to 2000, Alan Burger made many researches and experiments to find the real answer to the goal of " trapping birds " of Pisonia trees.

He realized that when they removed the seeds of Pisonia plants under seawater, within five days they died of embryos and could not germinate. But thanks to the dead corpses of birds under the tree, the seeds germinate and grow better, while making the soil below rich in nutrients.

The mysterious dead tree makes birds die Picture 4
Internet photos.

Since then, he has concluded, it is very likely that his seed should not be brought to places where conditions cannot be germinated, this plant has released a sticky substance to neutralize its ability. fly of birds, help the seed not be dispersed too far.

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