Measuring Maximum Latewood Density By Image Analysis At The Cellular Level

A study was conducted to compare the precision of X-ray densitometry (XRD) and video image analysis (VIA) in measuring wood density of the last-formed latewood. The precision was determined by examining the convergence of the replicated measurements of maximum latewood density (MAXD). by XRD, and maximum percentage of cell-wall area (MAX%), by VIA. VIA was a more precise method for determining density of the last-formed tracheids than XRD. The linear relationship between MAXD and MAX% was significant at P < 0.01. The results indicate that MAX% can be used as an alternative to X-ray measurements of MAXD

The Impact of Ozone on Sequoia Seedling Stem Structure: Implications for Seedling Survival

No publication date on item. / Running Heading: Ozone and Seedling Stem StructureThis item is part of the Natural History Reports collection. It was digitized from a physical copy provided by the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at The University of Arizona. For more information about items in this collection, please contact the Lab's Curator, (520) 621-1608 or see http://ltrr.arizona.edu/collection

Ethylene Production By Different Age Class Ponderosa and Jeffery Pine Needles as Related to Ozone Exposure and Visible Injury

Author's manuscript for published article. See Additional Links field for link to published version.Ethylene production by different needle age classes was characterized using a mercuric perchlorate traps in natural populations of two ponderosa pine varieties (Pinus ponderosa var. arizonica [Engelm] Shaw and var. ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) and Jeffery pine (Pinus leffrevi Grev. and Balf.). All ozone -exposed populations contained individuals which were symptomatic and asymptomatic with respect to visible ozone injury. Ethylene production of different needle age classes was also characterized in Pinus ponderosa var. ponderosa seedlings grown in open top ozone fumigation chambers. Older age class needles produce more ethylene than younger age class needles. Needles of both P. ponderosa var. ponderosa and P. jeffreyi exhibiting ozone injury in the field produced significantly (p >0.05) higher levels of ethylene than asymptomatic conspecifics. Seedlings exposed to highest treatment level of ozone in the fumigation study produced the highest levels of ethylene followed by fumigation with medium and low ozone concentrations and carbon filtered air. These data indicate that measurement of ethylene in conifer needles as a measure of stress needs to be calibrated for needle age class. It also suggests that the sensitivity of a tree to ozone injury may be regulated by the inherent ability of the individual to produce ethylene.Supported by Cooperative Agreement Work Order #8020-1-0002 from the Air Quality Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.This item is part of the Natural History Reports collection. It was digitized from a physical copy provided by the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at The University of Arizona. For more information about items in this collection, please contact the Lab's Curator, (520) 621-1608 or see http://ltrr.arizona.edu/collection

Determining the Germination Date of Woody Plants: A Proposed Method for Locating the Root/Shoot Interface

A method for determining the germination dates of trees is based on wood anatomical characteristics and dendrochronology. This procedure requires destructive sampling of the tree for an extensive analysis of the zone between the roots and the trunk of the tree (root/shoot interface). The method is applicable to forest ecology and woody plant life history studies.This item is part of the Tree-Ring Research (formerly Tree-Ring Bulletin) archive. It was digitized from a physical copy provided by the Laboratory of Tree-Ring research at The University of Arizona. For more information about this peer-reviewed scholarly journal, please email the Editor of Tree-Ring Research at [email protected]

4th International Plant Biomechanics Conference Proceedings (Abstracts)

The 4th International Plant Biomechanics Conference facilitated an interdisciplinary exchange between scientists, engineers, and educators addressing the major questions encountered in the field of Plant Biomechanics. Subjects covered by the conference include: Evolution; Ecology; Mechanoreception; Cell Walls; Genetic Modification; Applied Biomechanics of Whole Plants, Plant Products, Fibers & Composites; Fluid Dynamics; Wood & Trees; Fracture Mechanics; Xylem Pressure & Water Transport; Modeling; and Introducing Plant Biomechanics in Secondary School Education

Climate-Growth Relationships for Native and Nonnative Pinaceae in Northern Michigan's Pine Barrens

Secondary growth responses of native and nonnative trees exposed to the same climatic conditions can elucidate sensitivities and thus adaptability to a particular region. A long-term mixed-species planting in the pine barrens of northern lower Michigan presented an opportunity to discriminate responses from species commonly planted in this region. Mean ring-width chronologies from living native Pinus resinosa Ait. and P. strobus L. and nonnative P. sylvestris L. and Picea abies (L.) Karst. at this plantation were generated, standardized, and analyzed by correlation analysis against mean monthly climatic variables. The native pine chronologies had the highest mean ring widths and signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), were highly correlated to each other, and exhibited positive responses to years with above-normal April temperatures but no significant relationships to variations in precipitation. The P. sylvestris chronology was highly correlated to the other two pine chronologies and responded similarly to April temperatures but exhibited negative correlations to January and April precipitation and positive correlations to September precipitation. The P. abies chronology had the highest mean sensitivity and was correlated with the P. strobus chronology but only responded positively to precipitation from the previous December. The low SNR (P. sylvestris, P. abies), high mean sensitivity (P. abies), and larger number of significant correlations to variations in monthly climatic variables (P. sylvestris) suggest that these nonnative species are more sensitive to this local climate. These results provide insights to the adaptability, establishment, and geographic distribution of the nonnative Pinaceae.This item is part of the Tree-Ring Research (formerly Tree-Ring Bulletin) archive. It was digitized from a physical copy provided by the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at The University of Arizona. For more information about this peer-reviewed scholarly journal, please email the Editor of Tree-Ring Research at [email protected]

Acclimation of mechanical and hydraulic functions in trees: Impact of the thigmomorphogenetic process

The secondary xylem (wood) of trees mediates several functions including water transport and storage, mechanical support and storage of photosynthates. The optimal structures for each of these functions will most likely differ. The complex structure and function of xylem could lead to trade-offs between conductive efficiency, resistance to embolism, and mechanical strength needed to count for mechanical loading due to gravity and wind. This has been referred to as the trade-off triangle, with the different optimal solutions to the structure/function problems depending on the environmental constraints as well as taxonomic histories. Thus, the optimisation of each function will lead to drastically different anatomical structures. Trees are able to acclimate the internal structure of their trunk and branches according to the stress they experience. These acclimations lead to specific structures that favor the efficiency or the safety of one function but can be antagonistic with other functions. Currently, there are no means to predict the way a tree will acclimate or optimize its internal structure in support of its various functions under differing environmental conditions. In this review, we will focus on the acclimation of xylem anatomy and its resulting mechanical and hydraulic functions to recurrent mechanical strain that usually result from wind-induced thigmomorphogenesis with a special focus on the construction cost and the possible trade-off between wood functions

Dendrochronological Reconnaissance of the Conifers of Northwest India

Tree-ring samples were collected from six coniferous species in the western Himalayan ranges during the summer of 1984 in order to evaluate their potential for use in dendroclimatic reconstructions. Picea, Abies, and Pinus spp. had previously been collected for ring widths and densitometric analysis by Hughes and co-workers on relatively mesic subalpine sites near the Vale of Kashmir. Our results support this earlier work in that ring-width series from these habitats are relatively complacent and contain little dendroclimatic information. Density and ring widths are largely temperature-dependent. However, our sampling included Cedrus deodara and Pinus gerardiana from lower altitudes in the dry inner valleys of the Pir Panjal Range, south of Kashmir. Both species exhibit great age, high mean sensitivity and good intra- and inter-specific crossdating, and yielded chronology statistics suggestive of a drought response. We strongly recommend that they receive high priority in future tree-ring research in northwest India.This item is part of the Tree-Ring Research (formerly Tree-Ring Bulletin) archive. It was digitized from a physical copy provided by the Laboratory of Tree-Ring research at The University of Arizona. For more information about this peer-reviewed scholarly journal, please email the Editor of Tree-Ring Research at [email protected]