The Oak Tree
The OAK TREE Ecosystem
A World of its Own
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
1
The Oak Tree
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
2
Interesting Facts about the OAK
The Oak Tree
July 2000
 The oak tree can live for
hundreds of years.
 An oak tree can grow up
to 40 metres high.
 Oak trees do not start
producing seed until it is
about 35 years old.
 Oak trees appeared in
Ireland about 10,000 years
ago
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
3
General Notes
The Oak Tree
July 2000
 The Oak Tree grows
from the acorn seed.
 The oak tree becomes
an ecosystem of its
own.
 Many animals, plants,
insects and fungi
depend on it for life.
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
4
Oak Tree …Deciduous
 Oak is a DECIDIOUS
tree--- it loses its
leaves every Autumn.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
5
An Dair
The Oak Tree
 The Oak is known as Dair
in Irish.
 Saint Colmcille built a
church from Oak and the
city that grew up around it
is now known as Derry
(Doire Colmcille)
 Derry is known as the Oak
Leaf County.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
6
Types of Oak
 The English oak also
found in mainland Europe,
grows to 36 metres. with a
girth of 15 m.
 Evergreen oak
 Turkey oak
 Cork oak ( Mediterranean
region)
 White oak
 Evergreen live oak
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
7
OAK TREE NEEDS





Water (ground)
Minerals (ground)
Sugar (ground)
Sunlight
Carbon Dioxide (air)
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
8
Roots
 The oak tree roots spread out for
many metres under the ground.
 The main task is to collect water and
other minerals from the ground.
 Many of the minerals come from the
dead leaves from the previous year’s
growth.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
9
Oak Leaf
 The oak leaf is one of
the easiest to
recognise. It has a
serrated edge.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
10
PHOTOSYNTHESIS (food making by Oak)
The leaves of the Oak get
energy from the Sun.
This energy is used to set up a
chemical reaction which makes
carbohydrates.
The carbohydrates are like simple
sugar, or glucose, which provides
the basicfood for plants.
For photosynthesis to occur, the
plant must possess chlorophyll
(green part of leaf) and must
have a supply of carbon dioxide
and water.
July 2000
Photosynthesis takes place
inside chloroplasts which are found
in the leaf cells of plants.
Photosynthesis also means plants make
oxygen, this is of great importance to all
living things especially US.
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
11
Acorn….Oak Tree
 In the autumn the oak
tree produces 50,000
acorns. Only 1 or 2
will eventually grow
into trees.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
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Acorn
 Acorn (cup &saucer)
is the seed of the oak.
 The acorn is eaten by
birds, insects &
animals.
 Only one or two
acorns will eventually
grow into full oak
trees.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
13
Living ON or Using the OAK
Animals and Insects
Insects
Birds
Small Animals
Large Animals
Beetles
Grasshopper
Ladybird
Greenfly
Hawk
Owl
Blue Tit
Sparrow
Wood Mouse
Hedgehog
Rat
Squirrel
Badger
Fox
Bees
Wasp
Ants
Termites
Robin
July 2000
Earthworms
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
14
Growing on or near the OAK
 LICHEN grow on the tree. It
usually looks like a blotch of
colour.
 Lichen is a living fungi.
 Lichens will not live if there is
pollution.
 FUNGI live usually under the
shade of the tree.
 The normal fungi are
mushrooms or toadstools.
 The fungi rots the dead leaves
and branches.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
15
Life on the Oak Tree
 Animals build homes
in or on the tree
 Animals use the tree
for shelter
 Animals eat the fruits,
seeds, bark and leaves.
 Animals catch food on
the oak
July 2000
 Insects feed on the
leaves.
 Insects live on the tree
and use it to reproduce
 Birds build nests on
the oak
 Birds feed on the
insects
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
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Wild Flowers & the OAK
 Many wild flowers
such as cowslips,
primroses and
daffodils grow near
the oak.
 The dead leaves means
that the flowers have
an easy and excellent
food.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
17
Butterflies & the OAK
 The leaves of the Oak
provide an excellent
place for the larvae of
the caterpillar to turn
into a butterfly.
 The butterfly then also
uses the oak as a food
source.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
18
Red Squirrel and the OAK
 The squirrel (red or grey) uses
the tree as its home, safe place
and its foodshop.
 It makes its home (drey) in the
branches and bark.
 It eats thousands of Acorns.
 The squirrel through storing
acorns elsewhere in the forest
spreads the acorns and gives the
acorn the chance to grow into
an oak.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
19
The Fox and the OAK
 Because many small
animals live on or near
the oak the fox often
visits.
 The fox will eat small
animals or birds like
the robin, squirrel and
rabbit.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
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We USE the OAK for:
Oak
Furniture
Boats
Tables
Chairs
Hull of Ship
Furniture on board
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
Handles for
pots
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Protect our Oak… we use it when we need
but we should not forget it is the home of
many plants, insects, birds and animals.
July 2000
(c) Mr. P. R. Hanley
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