不是普通的歪树！野外看到这种树一定要跑？
科普中国约 6 分钟前不久，网络平台上兴起了热门话题“在野外看到马刀树，快跑”，称外观奇特的“马刀树”是预报山体滑坡的最重要信号之一，要尽快远离。
许多网友对此感到好奇：“马刀树”是一种特定的树吗？在野外看到它就必须马上撤离吗？在山体滑坡发生前，还有哪些典型的环境变化可以作为征兆？
图源：某社交平台
A trending topic on Chinese social media warns people to "run if you see a saber tree in the wild", calling the oddly shaped trees one of the most important warning signs of a landslide.
The claim has sparked widespread curiosity: Is a saber tree a specific species? Does spotting one really mean you should evacuate immediately?
马刀树和山体滑坡有什么关系？
马刀树又名弯刀树、“J”形树，并不是固定的树种，而是在山体斜坡不稳定环境影响下改变外形的一类树的统称，基本为高大的乔木，如松柏等常绿针叶树、池杉、水杉等。它们生长在山坡上，树干向外弯曲出一个弧度，树冠仍然指向天空，长成奇特的马刀形。
图源：网络
The term "saber tree" comes from Chinese madaoshu (马刀树). English-speaking researchers more commonly call them diverted trees, bent trees, tilted trees, or J-shaped trees, a reference to their distinctive silhouette.
They are not a specific species but an umbrella term for trees whose shape has been deformed by an unstable slope. They are typically tall trees such as pines, cypresses, pond cypresses and dawn redwoods. Growing on a hillside, the trunk curves outward while the crown still points skyward, forming a saber-like shape.
树木变形，主要源于曾经发生过的山体滑坡。滑坡时，表层土壤移动速度比深层更快，对树木在地面层的推力更大，导致树木向滑动方向倾斜。此后如果滑坡移动非常缓慢，甚至在数年、数十年里基本停止，树干上部会继续向上生长，下部仍保留被外力扭弯的形态，如同马刀。弯曲程度也体现出山坡土壤的移动规律。
The deformation is usually the legacy of a past landslide. When a slope fails, surface soil moves faster than deeper layers, exerting greater force on trees at ground level and tilting them in the direction of the slide. If the movement is slow, or stops for years or even decades, the upper trunk continues growing upward while the lower part retains its twisted shape. The result is a tree bent like a saber.
有的马刀树弯曲弧度明显、弯曲段较短，说明滑坡影响其生长后便停滞了；有的弯曲弧度平缓、弯曲段较长，说明滑坡持续较久，树木长期抵抗土壤推力；有的新生枝干也向坡下倾斜，则说明山坡在滑坡停止一段时间后，又处于缓慢滑动状态。观察马刀树的弯曲形态，既有助于复原滑坡明显滑动的时间，也能指示滑坡现今的运动状态。
The shape of the curve carries information. A sharp bend over a relatively short section suggests the landslide stalled after affecting the tree's growth. A gentler, longer curve indicates the sliding continued for a prolonged period, with the tree resisting soil pressure over a longer stretch of its life. If new branches also lean downhill, the slope may have entered a phase of slow creeping after a period of stability.
By reading these shapes, researchers can reconstruct when a landslide moved significantly and assess whether it is still active.
图源：网络
需要注意的是，在野外看到马刀树并不意味着马上会发生山体滑坡，无需过于恐慌。但它们的存在说明所在区域地质条件不稳定，仍有一定滑坡风险。如果同时处于长期降雨、降水量较大的气候条件，地质灾害风险会进一步加大，因此不建议在发现马刀树的山坡附近长时间逗留、露营等。
Spotting a bent tree in the wild does not mean a landslide is about to happen, so there is no need to panic. But their presence indicates that the local geological conditions are unstable and that some landslide risk remains.
If the area is simultaneously experiencing prolonged or heavy rainfall, the risk of geological disaster rises further. Experts therefore advise against lingering, camping or spending long periods near slopes where bent trees are found.
有趣的是，波兰一片平原上也出现类似马刀树的神秘现象，其形成显然与山体滑坡无关。这片树林共有400多棵树，树龄近百年，树身都有类似的“J”形弧度，因而得名“弯曲森林”。研究认为，这些树可能在树苗时期被一场大暴风雪掩埋，从而改变了树身形状；也有观点认为，这片“弯曲森林”是人为干预形成的。
图源：网络
真正要小心的是“醉汉林”！
在出现滑坡的山体上，有时还会发现“醉汉林”的现象。顾名思义，树木像醉汉一样东倒西歪，或是新生长的枝干与原枝干不在一条直线上，或是停止生长的老枝干发生弯曲。它们的生长形态看似杂乱无章，却记录了滑坡的运动规律，是新滑坡整体、慢速滑动的标志。
Slopes that have experienced landslides sometimes host "drunken forests", where trees lean in different directions like intoxicated people.
New growth may not align with older trunks, or old branches may bend. Though the shapes appear chaotic, they record the movement of the slope and are a hallmark of slow, ongoing sliding.
醉汉林 图源：网络
不同造型的“醉汉”，形成原因不完全一样。顺斜坡方向倾倒的树木，是下部滑体运动后坡体相比原来变陡而形成的；逆斜坡方向倾倒的树木，则是坡体相对原来斜坡变缓形成的。处于不同生长阶段的树，在同一变形斜坡上呈现的反应也不同，老树树木上部枝干的重力更大，会顺着斜坡倾角变化方向弯曲，而小树的弯曲方向通常与倾角变化方向相反。
Different shapes form for different reasons. Trees leaning downhill indicate that the lower slope has moved and steepened relative to the original gradient. Trees leaning uphill suggest the slope has become gentler. Trees at different growth stages respond differently on the same deformed slope: older trees, with heavier upper branches, tend to bend in the direction of the slope change, while younger trees often bend the opposite way.
需要注意的是，如果发现山上的树本来是直立的，忽然从正常状态变成树身倾斜、根部拱起的“醉汉”造型，伴随着山坡裂缝的出现，是滑坡正在缓慢滑动、山体发生变形的征兆之一，危险程度很高，必须尽快撤离。
The critical warning sign is a sudden change. If trees that were previously upright abruptly tilt, their roots arch up and cracks appear in the ground, it indicates that a landslide is creeping and the slope is deforming. The risk is high, and people should evacuate as soon as possible.
生命无价，安全第一。希望大家的假期欢乐祥和！
来源：科普中国
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前不久，网络平台上兴起了热门话题“在野外看到马刀树，快跑”，称外观奇特的“马刀树”是预报山体滑坡的最重要信号之一，要尽快远离。
许多网友对此感到好奇：“马刀树”是一种特定的树吗？在野外看到它就必须马上撤离吗？在山体滑坡发生前，还有哪些典型的环境变化可以作为征兆？
图源：某社交平台
A trending topic on Chinese social media warns people to "run if you see a saber tree in the wild", calling the oddly shaped trees one of the most important warning signs of a landslide.
The claim has sparked widespread curiosity: Is a saber tree a specific species? Does spotting one really mean you should evacuate immediately?
马刀树和山体滑坡有什么关系？
马刀树又名弯刀树、“J”形树，并不是固定的树种，而是在山体斜坡不稳定环境影响下改变外形的一类树的统称，基本为高大的乔木，如松柏等常绿针叶树、池杉、水杉等。它们生长在山坡上，树干向外弯曲出一个弧度，树冠仍然指向天空，长成奇特的马刀形。
图源：网络
图源：网络
The term "saber tree" comes from Chinese madaoshu (马刀树). English-speaking researchers more commonly call them diverted trees, bent trees, tilted trees, or J-shaped trees, a reference to their distinctive silhouette.
They are not a specific species but an umbrella term for trees whose shape has been deformed by an unstable slope. They are typically tall trees such as pines, cypresses, pond cypresses and dawn redwoods. Growing on a hillside, the trunk curves outward while the crown still points skyward, forming a saber-like shape.
The term "saber tree" comes from Chinese madaoshu (马刀树). English-speaking researchers more commonly call them diverted trees, bent trees, tilted trees, or J-shaped trees, a reference to their distinctive silhouette.
They are not a specific species but an umbrella term for trees whose shape has been deformed by an unstable slope. They are typically tall trees such as pines, cypresses, pond cypresses and dawn redwoods. Growing on a hillside, the trunk curves outward while the crown still points skyward, forming a saber-like shape.
树木变形，主要源于曾经发生过的山体滑坡。滑坡时，表层土壤移动速度比深层更快，对树木在地面层的推力更大，导致树木向滑动方向倾斜。此后如果滑坡移动非常缓慢，甚至在数年、数十年里基本停止，树干上部会继续向上生长，下部仍保留被外力扭弯的形态，如同马刀。弯曲程度也体现出山坡土壤的移动规律。
The deformation is usually the legacy of a past landslide. When a slope fails, surface soil moves faster than deeper layers, exerting greater force on trees at ground level and tilting them in the direction of the slide. If the movement is slow, or stops for years or even decades, the upper trunk continues growing upward while the lower part retains its twisted shape. The result is a tree bent like a saber.
The deformation is usually the legacy of a past landslide. When a slope fails, surface soil moves faster than deeper layers, exerting greater force on trees at ground level and tilting them in the direction of the slide. If the movement is slow, or stops for years or even decades, the upper trunk continues growing upward while the lower part retains its twisted shape. The result is a tree bent like a saber.
有的马刀树弯曲弧度明显、弯曲段较短，说明滑坡影响其生长后便停滞了；有的弯曲弧度平缓、弯曲段较长，说明滑坡持续较久，树木长期抵抗土壤推力；有的新生枝干也向坡下倾斜，则说明山坡在滑坡停止一段时间后，又处于缓慢滑动状态。观察马刀树的弯曲形态，既有助于复原滑坡明显滑动的时间，也能指示滑坡现今的运动状态。
The shape of the curve carries information. A sharp bend over a relatively short section suggests the landslide stalled after affecting the tree's growth. A gentler, longer curve indicates the sliding continued for a prolonged period, with the tree resisting soil pressure over a longer stretch of its life. If new branches also lean downhill, the slope may have entered a phase of slow creeping after a period of stability.
By reading these shapes, researchers can reconstruct when a landslide moved significantly and assess whether it is still active.
The shape of the curve carries information. A sharp bend over a relatively short section suggests the landslide stalled after affecting the tree's growth. A gentler, longer curve indicates the sliding continued for a prolonged period, with the tree resisting soil pressure over a longer stretch of its life. If new branches also lean downhill, the slope may have entered a phase of slow creeping after a period of stability.
By reading these shapes, researchers can reconstruct when a landslide moved significantly and assess whether it is still active.
图源：网络
图源：网络
需要注意的是，在野外看到马刀树并不意味着马上会发生山体滑坡，无需过于恐慌。但它们的存在说明所在区域地质条件不稳定，仍有一定滑坡风险。如果同时处于长期降雨、降水量较大的气候条件，地质灾害风险会进一步加大，因此不建议在发现马刀树的山坡附近长时间逗留、露营等。
Spotting a bent tree in the wild does not mean a landslide is about to happen, so there is no need to panic. But their presence indicates that the local geological conditions are unstable and that some landslide risk remains.
If the area is simultaneously experiencing prolonged or heavy rainfall, the risk of geological disaster rises further. Experts therefore advise against lingering, camping or spending long periods near slopes where bent trees are found.
Spotting a bent tree in the wild does not mean a landslide is about to happen, so there is no need to panic. But their presence indicates that the local geological conditions are unstable and that some landslide risk remains.
If the area is simultaneously experiencing prolonged or heavy rainfall, the risk of geological disaster rises further. Experts therefore advise against lingering, camping or spending long periods near slopes where bent trees are found.
有趣的是，波兰一片平原上也出现类似马刀树的神秘现象，其形成显然与山体滑坡无关。这片树林共有400多棵树，树龄近百年，树身都有类似的“J”形弧度，因而得名“弯曲森林”。研究认为，这些树可能在树苗时期被一场大暴风雪掩埋，从而改变了树身形状；也有观点认为，这片“弯曲森林”是人为干预形成的。
图源：网络
图源：网络
真正要小心的是“醉汉林”！
在出现滑坡的山体上，有时还会发现“醉汉林”的现象。顾名思义，树木像醉汉一样东倒西歪，或是新生长的枝干与原枝干不在一条直线上，或是停止生长的老枝干发生弯曲。它们的生长形态看似杂乱无章，却记录了滑坡的运动规律，是新滑坡整体、慢速滑动的标志。
Slopes that have experienced landslides sometimes host "drunken forests", where trees lean in different directions like intoxicated people.
New growth may not align with older trunks, or old branches may bend. Though the shapes appear chaotic, they record the movement of the slope and are a hallmark of slow, ongoing sliding.
Slopes that have experienced landslides sometimes host "drunken forests", where trees lean in different directions like intoxicated people.
New growth may not align with older trunks, or old branches may bend. Though the shapes appear chaotic, they record the movement of the slope and are a hallmark of slow, ongoing sliding.
醉汉林 图源：网络
醉汉林 图源：网络
不同造型的“醉汉”，形成原因不完全一样。顺斜坡方向倾倒的树木，是下部滑体运动后坡体相比原来变陡而形成的；逆斜坡方向倾倒的树木，则是坡体相对原来斜坡变缓形成的。处于不同生长阶段的树，在同一变形斜坡上呈现的反应也不同，老树树木上部枝干的重力更大，会顺着斜坡倾角变化方向弯曲，而小树的弯曲方向通常与倾角变化方向相反。
Different shapes form for different reasons. Trees leaning downhill indicate that the lower slope has moved and steepened relative to the original gradient. Trees leaning uphill suggest the slope has become gentler. Trees at different growth stages respond differently on the same deformed slope: older trees, with heavier upper branches, tend to bend in the direction of the slope change, while younger trees often bend the opposite way.
Different shapes form for different reasons. Trees leaning downhill indicate that the lower slope has moved and steepened relative to the original gradient. Trees leaning uphill suggest the slope has become gentler. Trees at different growth stages respond differently on the same deformed slope: older trees, with heavier upper branches, tend to bend in the direction of the slope change, while younger trees often bend the opposite way.
需要注意的是，如果发现山上的树本来是直立的，忽然从正常状态变成树身倾斜、根部拱起的“醉汉”造型，伴随着山坡裂缝的出现，是滑坡正在缓慢滑动、山体发生变形的征兆之一，危险程度很高，必须尽快撤离。
The critical warning sign is a sudden change. If trees that were previously upright abruptly tilt, their roots arch up and cracks appear in the ground, it indicates that a landslide is creeping and the slope is deforming. The risk is high, and people should evacuate as soon as possible.
The critical warning sign is a sudden change. If trees that were previously upright abruptly tilt, their roots arch up and cracks appear in the ground, it indicates that a landslide is creeping and the slope is deforming. The risk is high, and people should evacuate as soon as possible.
生命无价，安全第一。希望大家的假期欢乐祥和！
来源：科普中国
跟着China Daily
精读英语新闻
“无痛”学英语，每天20分钟就够！
↓↓↓
推 荐 阅 读
来源：科普中国
跟着China Daily
精读英语新闻
“无痛”学英语，每天20分钟就够！
↓↓↓
推 荐 阅 读