
Northern Tree Habitats - Geophysical Institute
Jan 22, 2026 · Interior Alaskan forests have only six native tree species: white spruce, black spruce, quaking aspen, balsam poplar, larch (tamarack) and paper birch. Northern Canadian forests have all …
Cottonwood and Balsam Poplar | Geophysical Institute
Dec 18, 2025 · The Klukwan giant holds the national record for black cottonwood diameter. Its nearest rival, a tree near Salem, Oregon, does hold the national height record. The Klukwan giant belies the …
More on Why Tree Trunks Spiral | Geophysical Institute
Jan 22, 2026 · I eventually found a tree with a spiral lightning mark and it followed the spiral grain exactly. One tree, of course, proves nothing. "But why should the tree spiral? More speculation here: …
Tree Rings and History | Geophysical Institute
Jan 22, 2026 · A tree's age can be easily determined by counting its growth rings, as any Boy or Girl Scout knows. Annually, the tree adds new layers of wood which thicken during the growing season …
Trees as Earthquake Fault Indicators | Geophysical Institute
Dec 18, 2025 · Then using tree ring dating methods, it may be possible to date earthquakes occurring before historical records were kept. The ability to identify and date very large earthquakes occurring …
Burls - Geophysical Institute
Dec 18, 2025 · Burls, spherical woody growths on the trunks of spruce, birch and other trees, are commonly found throughout wooded parts of Alaska.
The secret life of red squirrels | Geophysical Institute
Nov 27, 2024 · Stan Boutin has climbed more than 5,000 spruce trees in the last 30 years. He has often returned to the forest floor knowing if a ball of twigs and moss within the tree contained newborn red …
Witches' Broom | Geophysical Institute
Jan 22, 2026 · Witches' broom on spruce trees is caused by a rust disease (a kind of fungus disease). The rust lives on the spruce tree throughout the year. Each spring, small yellow pustules appear on …
Rock redwoods in Sutton, stone bird tracks in Denali | Geophysical ...
Feb 10, 2011 · The twin stems of a 55-million year old fossil tree resting in the soil near Sutton, Alaska. Photo by Chris Williams. Tracks of a large, crane-like bird that walked in the Denali National Park …
Tropical Fossils in Alaska | Geophysical Institute
Jan 22, 2026 · A 20-inch fossil palm leaf that once waved over a tropical forest in Alaska 45-60 million years ago. The fossil was found in rocks near the Malaspina Glacier. Photo from the U.S. Geological …