Techniques for Measuring Vessel Lengths and Diameters in Stems of Woody Plants

Abstract

Results were compared between the latex paint and compressed air methods for determining total vessel lengths, and between the sectioning and maceration methods for determining vessel diameters. The minimum, mean, median, and maximum vessel diameters were less with the sectioning method than with the maceration technique. Vessel diameter distributions were always nonnormal and had roughly similar patterns with the two techniques, but were statistically different from one another. In all six species where the paint and air methods for determining vessel length were compared, both methods showed a similar skewed vessel length distribution, with many short vessels and few long ones. Although there was no consistent pattern to the difference in results with these two methods, the vessel length frequency distributions were statistically different from one another. With the paint method, many vessels, especially many of the narrowest ones, were not paint-filled at the paint infusion port. The air method utilized the paint method, in part, and, in addition, is based upon the incorrect assumption that all vessels in the stem are the same diameter. Both techniques tended to exclude vessel lengths of the narrowest vessels. However, the narrow vessels, although numerous, contributed an insignificant amount to the total theoretical hydraulic conductance in stems.