ISSN:
1365-3040
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
We investigated radial patterns of sap flux density and wood properties in the sapwood of young loblolly pine (Finns taeda L.), mature white oak (Quercus alba L.) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.), which represent three major classes of wood anatomy: non-porous (coniferous), ring-porous and diffuse-porous. Radial measurements of xylem sap flux density were made in sections of xylem extending to 20 mm and 20–40 mm from the cambium. These measurements were compared with measurements of the relative water content (Rs) and sapwood specific gravity (ρr) of corresponding radial sections. In both hardwood species, sap flow differences were rarely significant between the two depth intervals. In pine, a 59% reduction in daily sap flux density from outer to inner sapwood was found. This could not be accounted for by a 3% drop in Rs; rather, an accompanying 9% reduction in ρr indicated a transition between the depth intervals from mature to juvenile sapwood, and is the probable cause of the lower flux rate in the inner xylem of pine.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3040.1996.tb00463.x
