The baobab’s journey from Madagascar to Africa and Australia

Sub: Environment

Sec: Species in news

Context:

The origins and history of the baobab tree have been clarified through a new genomic study.

Details of the study:

The baobab lineage began in Madagascar around 21 million years ago and spread to Africa and Australia within the past 12 million years.
Two baobab lineages went extinct in Madagascar but established themselves in Africa and Australia.
Baobab seed pods likely floated from Madagascar to Africa and Australia via ocean currents and Indian Ocean gyres.

About the Baobab tree:

Adansonia is a genus made up of eight species of medium-to-large deciduous trees known as baobabs.
They are placed in the Malvaceae family, subfamily Bombacoideae.
They are native to Madagascar, mainland Africa, and Australia.
The trees have also been introduced to other regions such as Asia.
The baobab tree has a unique appearance, especially when leafless, resembling upside-down roots.
Baobabs provide food, shelter, and nesting sites for wildlife in dry savannahs and produce nutrient-rich fruits and edible leaves for people.
The trees have large, fragrant flowers attracting nocturnal pollinators and primates like lemurs and bush babies.
Baobabs can grow very large and live for thousands of years, with extensive root systems that help prevent soil erosion and aid in nutrient recycling.

Environmental significance of Baobab tree:

Baobab trees are crucial to the dry African savanna ecosystem, maintaining soil humidity, aiding nutrient recycling, and preventing soil erosion with their extensive root systems.
Their large whitish flowers open at night and fall within 24 hours.
As succulents, baobabs store water in their trunks during the rainy season, producing nutrient-dense fruit in the dry season, containing tartaric acid and Vitamin C, vital for many species.
Baobabs provide water and shelter for various animals, including birds, lizards, monkeys, and elephants, which consume the bark for moisture. Bats pollinate the flowers by feeding on their nectar.
The African baobab is notable for its size, lifespan, fruit, bark, and unique growth of multiple fused stems with regenerating bark in the spaces between them, known as false cavities.

Source: TH