Which would do maximum harm to a tree?

Question

Which would do maximum harm to a tree?

1) loss of all its bark

2) loss of half of its leaves

3) loss of all of its branches

4) loss of all of its leaves

And why?

Answer 1

The loss of its bark. The only part of a tree that is really alive is the thin layer of cells right under the bark. If the bark is gone that layer dries out and dies.

The tree might send up suckers from the roots, if the roots are able to generate new stems and have enough energy stored to do that..

Answer 2

bark just sounds more logical

Answer 3

Loss of all of its leaves. This means that the tree will loose its ability to perform photosynthesis.

Answer 4

Removing the bark; in its entirety or as a circumferential removal as in ringbarking.

Ringbarking was a common practice used in Australia before systemic herbicides were used to kill and clear trees.

This is because the trees transport system, the xylem and phloem are just under the bark layer, the growing layer. Interrupt  water, minerals and energy going up and there will be no maintainance of leaves, no growth, no photosynthesis - no tree.

Answer 5

5) Fire.

i would go with loss of its branches.  leaves generally connect to branches.  that makes it a 2fer.  Lot of healing to be done on that one.

Answer 6

in Africa bark are usually removed for medicinal use, trees are usually affected by wind and half of its leaves are carried by it,in winter some of the trees loss all of their leave and neither get affected so i think losing all of its branches can cause maximum harm

Answer 7

loss of all its bark

Answer 8

Loss of leaves, because leaves are necessary for food manufacturing.

Answer 9

maximum harm would be removing all its bark, because the bark protects the tree from many insects and other potentially deadly diseases. but if the tree is mature enough, it probably still won't die, if that's what you're trying to do.

all the other options won't kill it either, in fact, they would probably make the tree grow back more vigorously the coming year. you can cut a tree from it's trunk, and it can possibly still grow back the next season. trees are very hard to kill and the best way would be to attack the root system or inject some salt into the trunk of the tree to kill it. (cut the tree from the trunk, drill a hole about 1 foot into the freshly cut trunk, and flood it with salt and some water, chlorine works too, but you don't want that inside the soil after the plant decomposes)

Answer 10

I would guess bark.  Leaves grow back, bark is a longer process.

It would rot away like that.