Figure 8.22
Montane forests are home to ancient trees. (A) The longest-lived tree species is the bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva). The oldest known individual is 5,062 years old. (B) The oldest giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum) are over 3,000 years old. They are the heaviest single-stemmed trees on the planet. The General Sherman tree, shown here, is 31.3 m (102 ft) in circumference and 83.8 m (275 ft) tall. It weighs almost 2,000 metric tons.(Left, © Rob Blakers/Lonely Planet Images/Getty Images; right, Bruce Gervais)