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Beautiful cracks in the canopy cover of forests and woodlands have been captured in a series of stunning images.

A naturally occurring phenomenon, called 'crown shyness', is responsible for the stunning visual effect, which looks like winding rivers when viewed from below.

Scientists have yet to reach an agreement on the exact cause of the occurrence since it was first observed in the 1920s. 

 

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Beautiful cracks in the canopy cover of forests and woodlands have been captured in a series of stunning images. A naturally occurring phenomenon called 'crown shyness' is responsible for the stunning visual effect, which look like winding rivers when viewed from below

Crown shyness, in which the crowns of fully grown trees do not touch each other, is only visible in certain species of trees.

This forms a canopy with channels running through it, which light can shine through to create the illusion of waterways.

The effect usually occurs between trees of the same species of trees but it has also been observed between different species.

Some theories have suggested that it is the result of the upper most branches rubbing against each other.Share

 

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Crown shyness, in which the crowns of fully grown trees do not touch each other, is only visible in certain species of trees. This forms a canopy with channels running through it, which light can shine through to create the illusion of waterways

Trees in windy areas may suffer damage as they collide with each other and the result of these abrasions could lead to a crown shyness response.

Writing in his 1955 book 'Growth habits of the eucalypts', Australian forester M.R. Jacobs detailed his studies of crown shyness patterns in eucalyptus trees.

He argued that their growing tips were sensitive to abrasion, resulting in canopy gaps.

And in 1986, Dr Miguel Franco observed that the branches of Picea sitchensis (Sitka spruce) and Larix kaempferi (Japanese larch) suffered physical damage due to abrasion, which killed the leading shoots. 

 

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The effect usually occurs between trees of the same species of trees but it has also been observed between different species. Scientists have yet to reach an agreement on the exact cause of the occurrence since it was first observed in the 1920s

'Under certain circumstances, this can also produce a visual impression of ‘shyness’.'

But this theory has been rejected by some in the scientific community.

Others have suggested that the avoidance of touching is to prevent the spread of leaf eating insects. 

Ants, for example, are known to build bridges between plants and trees with their bodies in order to travel between them.

The insects can lock legs and work together to slowly extend off a branch to create structures of around four inches (ten centimetres) in length, and longer. 

 

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Some theories have suggested that it is the result of the upper most branches rubbing against each other. Trees in windy areas may suffer damage as they collide with each other and the result of these abrasions could lead to a crown shyness response

By avoiding touching and creating larger gaps in the leaf cover at the top of the trees, this could help to prevent this from happening.

Other theories have suggested that crown shyness may be a mutual response to light sources by neighbouring trees. 

Plants are able to sense how close they are to their neighbours by detecting a specific frequency of light, at the extreme red end of the spectrum, called far-red light. 

This is thought to be achieved by activity in the phytochrome photoreceptors of the plant. 

 

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Others have suggested that the avoidance of touching is to prevent the spread of leaf eating insects. Ants, for example, are known to build bridges between plants and trees with their bodies in order to travel between them

Many plant species will avoid growing towards neighbours, and therefore having to compete for light needed for further growth. 

They also use blue light from the opposite end of the spectrum to avoid growing toward shade.

A combination of these factors could allow the trees to detect their neighbours and direct their growth away from them. 

 

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Other theories have suggested that crown shyness may be a mutual response to light sources by neighbouring trees. Plants are able to sense how close they are to their neighbours by detecting specific frequencies of light and direct their growth away from them