I don’t think trees are older than bacteria in general. Bacteria still existed, it’s just that bacteria didn’t develop the ability to break down wood until long after trees had come on the scene
The ancestors of bacteria were unicellular microorganisms that were the first forms of life to appear on Earth, about 4 billion years ago.[23] For about 3 billion years, most organisms were microscopic, and bacteria and archaea were the dominant forms of life.
I don’t think trees are older than bacteria in general. Bacteria still existed, it’s just that bacteria didn’t develop the ability to break down wood until long after trees had come on the scene
It’d be remarkably fortuitous if bacteria evolved to break down wood before wood existed.
The earliest trees evolved around 400 million years ago.
Source
The ancestors of bacteria were unicellular microorganisms that were the first forms of life to appear on Earth, about 4 billion years ago.[23] For about 3 billion years, most organisms were microscopic, and bacteria and archaea were the dominant forms of life.
Source
Yeah, I was quick in writing that comment