Section 2 Introduction
Targets
At the end of this Unit you should be able to answer the following questions
2. What makes trees unique?
2.1 How can you identify various trees?
2.2 What can you learn from leaf shapes and tree growth patterns?
Every tree has leaves and branches, but that does not mean they all look the same! Depending on the species and where they are found in the world, trees can look very different from each other.
A good example is the acacia tree that grows naturally on the African Savannah. Likely, you have seen the shape of these trees before. Did you know that the branches of these trees have long, extremely sharp spines? Because many Savannah animals such as monkeys, elephants, and giraffes like to eat acacia leaves, the spines protect the acacia from having all its leaves eaten. Of course, animals have answers to that! Monkeys learn to climb among the spines, and giraffes have very tough tongues!
Video
Watch this video: Giraffes feeding on acacia trees