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scientist are constitute " living fossil " trees in undercover placement in a bid to bring back the lost species from the brink of extinction — an effort that could take hundred .
Wollemi pines(Wollemia nobilis ) were believe to have disappeared some 2 million year ago . fogey of the specie dating the Cretaceous period ( 145 million to 66 million years ago ) show they have barely changed in appearance since this time .
Wollemi pines were rediscovered in Australia 2 million years after they were thought to have gone extinct.
But in 1994 , hiker in Australia ’s Blue Mountains stumbled upon a relict stand of these ancient conifers . Now , only around 60 of them remain in Wollemi National Park . They are threatened byPhytophthora cinnamomi , a morbific water system mold that cause dieback , and by rampant wildfires that intermittently ramp through this region of New South Wales .
Since its rediscovery , wollemi pines have been grown in botanical gardens and private spaces around the world . And the Wollemi Pine Recovery Team , a partnership between Australian politics scientist and conservationists , has begun the process of reintroduce seedling to three sites in Wollemi National Park .
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The trees were found in 1994 by hikers in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales.
" The sites comprise high - raising sandstone gorge that are sufficiently deep , narrow and unconscionable - sided to provide refugia from frequent , acute wildfire and drouth , " representatives said in a affirmation e-mail to hold up Science . " There was no evidence of infection with pathogenicPhytophthoraspecies at either land site when survey directly prior to the translocations , and there is a low ( but non - zero ) likelihood of unauthorized visitation due to their remoteness . "
In 2021 , 502 more Wollemi pines were planted at the site to replace those fall back in the fires . " Survival has greatly overstep expectations , due in part to several long time of favorableLa Niñaconditions follow the 2021 universe augmentation , " the researchers said . La Niña is a periodic mood pattern that sport inhuman - than - average water in the central and east - central equatorial Pacific . Increased rainfallsdue to the climatic phenomenon profit the new transplantation — but that seems to be coming to an end . Landslides get by heavy rains in 2022 conduct to further fatalities but more than 80 % survived . More will be planted in 2024 .
The squad has engage extensive steps to prevent introduction ofPhytophthorato the sites . Their locations are concealed from the public and even the reintroduction squad limits their prison term near the plants . They repeatedly disinfect their shoes to reduce the likelihood they will cover in traces of the H2O mold . Even a few spores might spell dying for this nascent population .
They have also by choice locate some of the young trees in area that might be subject to bushfires " to serve address knowledge gaps regarding their reaction and ability to stomach flaming , " the squad said .
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While the unexampled populations are being intensively monitored , the fate of the species in the wilderness is far from assured . The young Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree mature less than 0.4 inch ( 1 cm ) a year , so it will take decades for them to reach maturity date and produce seeds . Some may grow offshoot in the meanwhile , though when they may begin circularise themselves in this fashion remains unknown .
flame and other clime - related issues such as reduce rainfall are likely to interfere with the refurbishment travail in the total year . The scientist look at their exertion as a multi - generational one : a Modern cohort of stewards will demand to take their place in the ensuing decades .
" To be successful , the translocated populations must become self - sustaining , and the benchmark is the show of 2nd - genesis seedlings , " the research worker said . " Given the sluggish growth and growing of Wollemi pines in the wilderness , this is potential to take many decades , if not centuries . give call increases in the frequency and severity of flak and drought due to clime change — arguably the two greatest threats to these populations — their farsighted - term security is far from secure . "
