The Queen of the Forest

Beech  Fagus sylvatica

Moving to a new place for university has been an exciting experience, but of course there will always be things I miss from home. One of those things is my local woodland, a mosaic of ancient semi-natural woodland and plantation, in which grow many tree species. On the northern side of the woodland is an area my family call 'cathedral wood' - here, beech is the dominant species, their trunks creating towering columns holding up the high canopy. Naturally, this was the first place I went once I was home for Christmas, as beech trees are not only beautiful, but fascinating, and are important resources for other wildlife. 

A predominantly beech woodland 

Native to much of mainland Europe and southern England and Wales, beech is now widespread Great Britain. The leaves are oval shaped, with a pointed tip and undulating edges. They emerge in spring a pale green with hairs on their margins and lower surface. As they mature, the leaves become a darker green and the hairs are lost. The thin bark is smooth and grey, sometimes with horizontal markings. Beech trees generally reach 30-40m tall at maturity and have a dense canopy. Both male and female flowers appear on the same plant (meaning they are monoecious). Wind disperses the pollen released from the male catkins, pollinating the female flowers which sit in cups in pairs.

An impressive, hugable-by-three-people beech tree

Once pollinated, the female flowers develop into beechnuts, and the surrounding cup becomes a woody case. This whole structure is called a beech mast. The amount of beech mast produced varies massively each year; those years with high production are 'mast years'. Multiple factors seem to influence the quantity of beech mast produced in any given year, including the previous year's crop and frost damage to flowers in late spring. The most important factor appears to be the weather of the preceding July - high temperatures and more sunshine correlates with more beech mast production the following spring. This affects production as the flowering buds differentiate in July and August then develop in the following months. Understanding the cycles and triggers for mast years is important as masting affects forest regeneration, community composition, nutrient availability and food sources for other species.

Beech nuts are eaten by many species such as mice, voles, squirrels, birds, and in some places, wild boar. The foliage of these trees are also an important food source for invertebrates - the caterpillars of many moth species feed on beech leaves, including the rare olive crescent moth. In total, beech can support almost 100 insect species. The bark of beech trees can host lichens, bryophytes and fungi, especially on old and dying wood. Ancient and dead trees provide habitats for deadwood specialists, which include wood-boring insects and hole nesting birds. 

Many fungi, lichen and mosses can grow on beech bark

The dense canopy of beech means that the forest floor is usually sparse in vegetation, and those plants that do grow are shade tolerant, such as some orchids and bluebells. 

The dense canopy of a beech woodland

Dense canopies aren't the only characteristic feature of these deciduous trees - they also exhibit marcescence, the retention of dead leaves until spring. This is more common in young trees and on lower branches. It is not known why beech trees exhibit this, but there are a few theories, one being that the leaves release hormones which inhibit shoot growth, so retaining the leaves helps to prevent new growth being damaged by frost. Another idea with possibly more supporting evidence is that the dead leaves deter herbivores by reducing the nutritional value of browse through the winter, thus protecting new buds. Whatever the mechanism behind it, marcescence has ecological importance as the retained leaves provide shelter for invertebrates including winter-active spiders.

Marcescent leaves

Another interesting trait of beech trees is foliar water uptake. This has been shown to occur through foliar trichomes (microscopic hairs) on the upper and lower surfaces on the leaves. Generally, foliar trichomes are used for light reflection, UV-B protection and, in glandular trichomes, secretion of defensive substances. In the case of beech, the trichomes are non-glandular and can take up water from the leaf surface. This is thought to give an advantage to the tree in times of drought, as it can delay leaf dehydration by absorbing water from dew and mist. 

Drought is one threat faced by beech trees, as they have shallow root systems. Other threats include fungal pathogens like Phytophthora, which causes root rot. Another fungus, Nectria coccinea, along with the insect Cryptococcus fagisuga can cause beech bark disease, fatal to trees in severe cases. 

Beech can be useful to people, as its timber can be used for fuel, furniture and tool handles among other things. Beech nuts can be fed to pigs and young leaves are edible to humans. This species can also be used as a hedging plant, its dense leaves providing a barrier almost year-round. There is also cultural significance to beech; the scientific name Fagus sylvatica came about as 'Fagus' was god of beech trees in Celtic mythology. In more recent times, oak is sometimes known as the king of the forest, and beech the queen. Personally, beech has always been one of my favourites trees, both for its ecological value and its beauty.

Step inside a beech woodland in late April (with a guest Badger, but not the usual kind):


And here is a rather lovely song about beech:
Cosmo Sheldrake - Beech

More information on beech trees can be found at:

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/a-z-of-british-trees/common-beech/
https://forestryandland.gov.scot/learn/trees/beech
https://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/tree-identification/beech/
Relevant papers:
Identifying the pathways for foliar water uptake in beech
The influence of the weather on the frequency of beech mast years in England
Spatial patterns and broad-scale weather cues of beech mast seeding in Europe
Seasonal dynamics of arboreal spider diversity in a temperate forest
Effects of marcescent leaves on winter browsing by large herbivores in northern temperate deciduous forests
Why beech and oak trees retain leaves until spring

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