Age of a tree can be derived by

Options

A. Measuring the height of the plant
B. Counting the number of leaves
C. Measuring the girth of the trunk
D. Counting the number of annual rings

Answer

To determine the age of a tree, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand Tree Growth**: Trees grow in layers, and their growth can be observed through the formation of annual rings. Each year, a tree adds a new layer of growth.

2. **Identify Types of Wood**: The growth of trees consists of two types of wood:
- **Springwood**: This is produced during the early part of the growing season. It is characterized by larger cells and is generally softer.
- **Autumnwood**: This is produced later in the growing season. It has smaller cells and is denser.

3. **Formation of Annual Rings**: The combination of springwood and autumnwood forms what are known as annual rings. Each complete cycle of springwood and autumnwood represents one year of growth.

4. **Counting Annual Rings**: To estimate the age of the tree, one can count the total number of annual rings present in the cross-section of the trunk. Each ring corresponds to one year of growth.

5. **Approximation**: It is important to note that the age derived from counting the rings is an approximation, as environmental factors can influence growth rates.

### Conclusion:
By counting the number of annual rings in a tree's trunk, we can estimate the approximate age of the tree.