Oak in open grassland (IMAGE) Aarhus University Caption Quercus robur (English Oak) in an open grassland. Oak trees are fire-tolerant and benefit from canopy openings driven by fire or large grazers - and they were abundant in the ancient European woodlands. Credit Jens-Christian Svenning Usage Restrictions Credit must be given to the creator. Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. License CC BY-NC-SA Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.