African Baobabs with a Very Large Number of Stems and False Stems: Radiocarbon Investigation of the Baobab of Warang

TitleAfrican Baobabs with a Very Large Number of Stems and False Stems: Radiocarbon Investigation of the Baobab of Warang
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2017
AuthorsPatrut, A, Garnaud, ébastien, Ka, O, Patrut, RT, Diagne, T, Lowy, DA, Forizs, E, Bodis, ő, von Reden, KF
Corporate Authorsş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 11 Arany Janos, RO-400028, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, apatrut@gmail.com, INECOBA, 8 Charles Vaillant, 93600 Aulnay-sous-Bois, France, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal, ş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Biology and Geology, 44 Gheorghe Bilascu, RO-400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, African Chelonian Institute, P.O.Box 449, 33022 Ngaparou, Mbour, Senegal, Nova University, 5000 Dawes Ave., Alexandria, VA 22311, U.S.A., ş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 11 Arany Janos, RO-400028, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, ş-Bolyai University, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 11 Arany Janos, RO-400028, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Geophysics, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, U.S.A.
JournalStudia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Chemia
Volume62
Issue1
Pagination111 - 120
Date PublishedMay-03-2018
ISSN12247154
KeywordsAdansonia digitata, Age determination, AMS radiocarbon dating, inner cavity, multiple stems, tropical trees
Abstract

The article presents the AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry) radiocarbon dating results of the baobab of Warang, Senegal. The investigation of the baobab revealed that it consists of 18 partially fused stems, which represents the largest number of stems reported for an African baobab. Three stems build the ring that closes a false cavity, while 15 stems grow outside the ring. Seven wood samples were collected from the false cavity and from the outer part of other stems. The dating results evinced that the stems belong to four different generations, out of which the first generation is around 500 years old. We also documented the presence of false stems, which emerge from a large adjacent stem, are triangular in horizontal section and act as an anchor. The baobab of Warang possesses 12 ordinary stems and 6 false stems.

URLhttp://chem.ubbcluj.ro/~studiachemia/http://chem.ubbcluj.ro/~studiachemia/chemia2017_1.htmlhttp://www.chem.ubbcluj.ro/~studiachemia/issues/chemia2017_1/09Patrut_etal_111_120.pdf
DOI10.24193/subbchem10.24193/subbchem.2017.110.24193/subbchem.2017.1.09