Getting hit by lightning is good for some tropical trees

In the dense forests of Panama, where competition for sunlight is fierce, one tree species has evolved an unusual survival strategy—getting struck by lightning. New research reveals that Dipteryx oleifera trees not only survive direct lightning strikes with minimal damage but actually thrive afterward, gaining significant competitive advantages in the crowded tropical ecosystem.

The study, published March 26 in New Phytologist, challenges conventional wisdom about lightning’s destructive force in forests. Led by Evan Gora of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the research provides the first concrete evidence that some trees can benefit from lightning strikes.

“Seeing that there are trees that get struck by lightning and they’re fine was just mind-blowing,” recalled Gora, whose interest was piqued in 2015 when his team encountered a Dipteryx tree that had survived a powerful strike—a jolt strong enough to destroy a parasitic vine in its crown and kill more than a dozen neighboring trees.

This chance observation led to a systematic investigation. Over two to six years, Gora’s team tracked 93 lightning-struck trees in Panama’s Barro Colorado Nature Monument, including nine Dipteryx specimens. The contrast in outcomes was stark.

All nine Dipteryx trees survived with minimal damage, while directly struck trees of other species suffered severely—losing nearly six times more foliage and experiencing a 64% mortality rate within two years. When lightning hit a Dipteryx tree, it killed an average of 9.2 neighboring trees as electricity traveled through interconnected vegetation.

Perhaps most intriguingly, lightning strikes reduced parasitic vine infestations on Dipteryx trees by 78%. These vines, known as lianas, typically compete with trees for light and nutrients. Their removal represents a significant competitive advantage in the resource-limited tropical forest.

Using drone technology, the researchers created 3D models showing that Dipteryx trees typically stand about four meters taller than their neighbors. This height difference likely results from lightning killing taller neighboring trees, giving Dipteryx specimens uncontested access to sunlight—a precious commodity on the forest floor.

“These data provide the first evidence that some trees benefit from being struck by lightning,” the authors write in their paper. Or, as Gora puts it more plainly, “It’s better off for a Dipteryx oleifera tree to be struck than not.”

The research suggests these trees may have evolved to attract lightning strikes. Their distinctive height and unusually wide crowns make them up to 68% more likely to be struck than average trees, according to the team’s calculations. With lifespans potentially exceeding 1,000 years and an estimated strike frequency of once every 56 years, individual trees may survive multiple strikes during their lifetime. The researchers even documented one tree that was struck twice in just five years.

This lightning tolerance provides a remarkable reproductive advantage. According to the scientists’ calculations, it boosts the species’ ability to produce offspring by 14 times compared to what would be expected without this adaptation.

The implications extend beyond mere scientific curiosity. With climate change increasing lightning frequency in many regions, lightning-tolerant species like Dipteryx oleifera may gain further advantages. This could reshape forest composition, affecting both biodiversity and carbon storage capacity.

The research team, which includes scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Florida Gulf Coast University, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and the University of Louisville, plans to investigate what specific traits allow these trees to survive lightning strikes and whether other species share this remarkable ability.

As forests continue to face multiple climate-related challenges, understanding these unexpected ecological relationships may prove crucial for conservation efforts and tropical reforestation strategies. Sometimes, it seems, what doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger—especially if you’re a Dipteryx tree in a lightning storm.