Wood Anatomical Features Research Articles

Changes in anatomical characteristics of Falcataria moluccana wood due to Uromycladium tepperianum infection

Serious problems have occurred on Falcataria moluccana plantations because of gall rust disease caused by Uromycladium tepperianum. The disease inhibits tree growth, reduces wood quality, and can cause tree mortality. The presence of galls is a notable symptom of this disease. The study aimed to investigate the anatomy of the galls and the changes in wood anatomical characteristics of F. moluccana due to the infection of U. tepperianum. Wood blocks containing outer bark, cambium and xylem with different levels of severity of gall rust attack were removed from the main stem of F. moluccana trees. Microscopic observations were conducted to observe the anatomical characteristics of the galls, affected wood and healthy wood. The results showed that the anatomy of galls was different from that of affected wood or healthy wood. The percentage of vessel area, diameter of vessel, percentage of ray parenchyma and the length of wood fibres were significantly different between normal wood and affected wood. The results could be useful in understanding gall formation and assessing its impact on wood quality.

Ecological stress memory in wood architecture of two Neotropical hickory species from central-eastern Mexico

BackgroundDrought periods are major evolutionary triggers of wood anatomical adaptive variation in Lower Tropical Montane Cloud Forests tree species. We tested the influence of historical drought events on the effects of ecological stress memory on latewood width and xylem vessel traits in two relict hickory species (Carya palmeri and Carya myristiciformis) from central-eastern Mexico. We hypothesized that latewood width would decrease during historical drought years, establishing correlations between growth and water stress conditions, and that moisture deficit during past tree growth between successive drought events, would impact on wood anatomical features. We analyzed latewood anatomical traits that developed during historical drought and pre- and post-drought years in both species.ResultsWe found that repeated periods of hydric stress left climatic signatures for annual latewood growth and xylem vessel traits that are essential for hydric adaptation in tropical montane hickory species.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate the existence of cause‒effect relationships in wood anatomical architecture and highlight the ecological stress memory linked with historical drought events. Thus, combined time-series analysis of latewood width and xylem vessel traits is a powerful tool for understanding the ecological behavior of hickory species.

Machine learning-based wood anatomy identification: towards anatomical feature recognition

Summary Computer vision-based wood identification has been successfully applied to recognize tree species using digital images of wood sections or surfaces. However, this image-to-species approach can only recognize a limited number of species due to two main reasons: 1) the lack of a good reference database requiring high-quality standardized images from multiple individuals of hundreds or even thousands of traded timber species, and 2) species not included in the reference database cannot be identified without expert knowledge. Another bottleneck is that the feature extraction process used by these species recognition approaches is a black box, thereby creating a discrepancy between machine learning features and wood anatomical features. This discrepancy prevents wood anatomists from understanding how these machine-learning algorithms work. Here, we survey currently existing methods used in feature extraction, classification, and deep learning methods applied in wood identification along with their pitfalls and opportunities. As an example of how the field could move forward, we launch the idea of building an image-to-features-to-species identification approach based on microscopic wood images as well as text files comprising wood anatomical descriptions. If we can manage machine learning-based algorithms to recognize the main wood anatomical traits that experts use to identify species in a (semi-)automated way, this would boost wood identification in two ways: (1) extensive reference databases for each species would become less crucial as the databases are ordered at the trait level, (2) timber identification would become more feasible for species that have not yet been included in the reference database as long as wood anatomical descriptions are available.

Radial Variation of Wood Anatomical Characteristics and Maturation Ages of Six Korean Oak Species

The objective of this study was to examine and compare radial variation of the anatomical characteristics and the transition age from juvenile to mature wood of the six Korean oak wood species: Quercus variabilis (Qv), Quercus serrata (Qs), Quercus mongolica (Qm), Quercus dentata (Qd), Quercus aliena (Qal), and Quercus acutissima (Qac). Quantitative anatomical features were observed from the pith to the bark at five growth-ring intervals using optical microscopy. A segmented regression model was used to evaluate the transition from juvenile wood to mature wood. The clearest transition from juvenile to mature wood was observed in the radial variation of the earlywood vessel diameter and fiber length. The maturation age of the six Korean oak species ranged from 19 to 44 years. Qv exhibited the highest values for latewood vessel diameter, fiber length, and fiber diameter. Qac displayed the highest values for earlywood vessel diameter and fiber wall thickness. The highest fiber lumen diameter was observed for Qm. The differences in earlywood and latewood vessel diameters and fiber lengths could be utilized as identification keys for these species. Earlywood vessel diameter and fiber length have emerged as the most reliable indicators for estimating the transition from juvenile to mature wood.

Anatomical Study for Wood Identification of Shorea Species in Sri Lanka

Wood anatomy is a rapid method for identifying different timber species. Shorea is a diverse genus of trees in the subfamily Dipterocarpaceae and encompasses a group of some 470 tree species that dominate much of the tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia. Many of these are valued commercially for their hardwoods. However, the anatomical identification of Shorea sp. in Sri Lanka has not been fully studied yet. Six Shorea species available in the lowland wet agroecological zone in Ratnapura District, in Sri Lanka, were selected for this study. The study was conducted in the wood Science laboratory of the State Timber Corporation, Sri Lanka. Six Shorea species, including Beraliya dun (S. disticha), Navada dun (S. stupularis), Dun (S. zeylanica), Yakahalu dun (S. trapezifolia), Yakal dun (S. astylosa) and Thiniya dun (S. congestiflora) were used to identify the variation of wood anatomical features to differentiate the species. As a reference, the Publication List of the International Association of Wood Anatomists on anatomical characteristics was used. To determine the microscopic features, six wood sections (Radial, Tangential, and Transverse sections of the wood) representing each species were employed. The anatomical characteristics of the timber were examined using Micrometrics SE Premium 4 software. According to the results, Yakahal Dun species showed the highest number of vessels and Navada represented the lowest number of vessels. The highest value for the vessel diameter showed the Thiniya species and the lowest for the Dun. Beraliya species showed the highest no of rays and the lowest number of rays showed in Yakahalu dun. A Dichotomous key was developed for the exact identification of Shorea species based on the anatomical characteristics.
 
 Keywords: Dichotomous key, IAWA features, Identification, Shore sp., Wood anatomy

Chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr.) Barr) disease incidence and its effect on the morphological and anatomical features of Castanea sativa trees

AbstractSweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) is an ecologically and economically valuable tree species worldwide. Various pathogens, both endemic or introduced, cause severe damage or death to chestnut trees. Chestnut blight, caused by the fungus Cryphonectria parasitica, is one of the most devastating plant diseases known which influences chestnut trees in all major cultivation regions. The work presented here aimed to investigate how the incidence of chestnut blight varied between trees growing at two altitudes (200–400 m vs. 400–600 m) and to determine the impact of chestnut blight on tree‐ring width, morphology and anatomy of C. sativa trees. The incidence of C. parasitica infections was greater at 200–400 m than at 400–600 m. Greater stem diameters were found at 200–400 m than at 400–600 m. There were no differences in stem diameters and heights, however, between healthy and C. parasitica infected chestnut trees. The anatomical characteristics of wood were also compared between healthy and C. parasitica‐infected chestnut trees. Fibre cell traits (length/width, lumen width, lumen area) were higher in healthy trees than in C. parasitica‐diseased trees. Vessel diameters were greater in infected compared with healthy trees. Tree ring widths and wood anatomical characteristics therefore were significantly influenced by C. parasitica infections.

First fossil woods and palm stems from the mid-Paleocene of Myanmar and implications for biogeography and wood anatomy.

The rise of angiosperm-dominated tropical rainforests has been proposed to have occurred shortly after the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition. Paleocene fossil wood assemblages are rare yet provide important data for understanding these forests and whether their wood anatomical features can be used to document the changes that occurred during this transition. We used standard techniques to section 11 fossil wood specimens of Paleocene-age, described the anatomy using standard terminology, and investigated their affinities to present-day taxa. We report here the first middle Paleocene fossil wood specimens from Myanmar, which at the time was near the equator and anchored to India. Some fossils share affinities with Arecaceae, Sapindales (Anacardiaceae, Meliaceae) and Moraceae and possibly Fabaceae or Lauraceae. One specimen is described as a new species and genus: Compitoxylon paleocenicum gen. et sp. nov. This assemblage reveals the long-lasting presence of these aforementioned groups in South Asia and suggests the early presence of multiple taxa of Laurasian affinity in Myanmar and India. The wood anatomical features of the dicotyledonous specimens reveal that both "modern" and "primitive" features (in a Baileyan scheme) are present with proportions similar to features in specimens from Paleocene Indian localities. Their anatomical diversity corroborates that tropical flora display "modern" features early in the history of angiosperms and that their high diversity remained steady afterward.

Quaternary petrified trunks from Kamphaeng Phet, Thailand: Implications for past climate and preservation

Petrified trunks in Mueang Kamphaeng Phet District, upper Central Thailand, were unearthed in Quaternary deposits on the western rim of the Ping River. The sediments consist mainly of semi-consolidated gravel, sand, silt, and clay, indicating that the woods were transported by the ancient Ping River. Macroscopic features revealed that preservation of these fossils (e.g., intercellular spaces, iron oxides, quartz crystals, colors, and weathering conditions) shared many similarities to some petrified trunks in Tak Province. We investigated both large (approx. 0.50–0.7m wide, at least 10–20 meters long) and small fragments of fossils for both wood anatomical features and mineralogy. Diffuse porosity with indistinct growth rings and wide vessels at low densities suggest a tropical lowland forest paleoenvironment. Parenchyma patterns are aliform to confluent, banded, and diffuse-in aggregate. At least four distinct types of wood were recognized from this site. Among them, three wood types originate from legume trees (Fabaceae), while the fourth is from a eudicotyledonous tree. Two of the three legumes show closest resemblance to a tall (canopy emergent) legume tree, Koompassia cf. malaccensis Maingay ex Benth. and one resembles the legume Koompassia cf. malaccensis or cf. Pahudioxylon bankurensis Chowdhury, Ghosh, et Kazmi. The other legume-like wood shows banded parenchyma. Petrified wood from Kamphaeng Phet is correlative with other Quaternary paleofloras found in Northern Thailand in both preservation and taxa. The past climate, as inferred according to the Köppen-Geiger classification, was possibly similar to modern-day tropical rainforests (Af) in southern Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia in contrast to the modern vegetation in Mueang District, Kamphaeng Phet that is a mixed deciduous and dry dipterocarp forest where the modern climate in the area is tropical wet and dry (Aw).

Topoclimatic modulation of growth and production of intra-annual density fluctuations in Juniperus thurifera

Forest growth is driven by climate variability at continental to regional scales, but other factors play major roles at local scales (0.1–1 ha). Topography impacts on tree growth responses to climate stressors, including drought, by modifying radiation, evapotranspiration rates and the access to soil moisture. However, there is a lack of studies investigating how topographical factors (elevation, aspect, slope) affect climate-growth relationships considering both continuous (tree-ring width) and discrete wood-anatomical features (e.g., intra-annual density fluctuations–IADFs). Here, we investigated how topography modulated the influences of climate and drought on semi-arid Juniperus thurifera forests from north-eastern Spain. We compared two stands located in valley bottoms and two stands located in steep slopes. Radial growth was measured using dendrochronology which also allowed quantifying latewood IADFs. A proxy of topographic influence (incident radiation) was calculated. In addition, the Vaganov-Shashkin (VS) model was used to infer the main climatic constraints of growth at intra-annual scales. We found that junipers growing in valley bottoms were taller and produced more IADFs than junipers growing in steep slopes, but responded less to precipitation variability. This was confirmed by the VS model which showed that low soil moisture in June limited growth, particularly in steep-slope sites and during dry periods. Wet-cool late-summer conditions induced the formation of IADFs. The topoclimatic modulation of growth was explained by the interaction between incident radiation and tree age. Furthermore, climate-growth associations are changing as temperatures rise. Drought impacts on growth are strengthening, but less responsive junipers growing in valley bottoms may be buffered against intensified aridification.

Sap flux and stable isotopes of water show contrasting tree water uptake strategies in two co‐occurring tropical rainforest tree species

AbstractThe short‐term dynamics of tree water use strategies for neighbouring co‐occurring species are poorly understood. Here, we quantify the high frequency changes in water sources and sap flux patterns of two commonly co‐occurring tropical rainforest tree species: Dendrocnide photinophylla (Kunth; Chew) and Argyrodendron peralatum (F.M. Bailey; Edlin ex J.H. Boas). A combination of continuous sap flux measurements and hourly sampling of xylem water stable isotope composition (δD and δ18O) were used to observe water use strategies during a 24‐h transpiration cycle. Sap flux ranged between 2.82 and 28.50 L day−1, with A. peralatum recording a 67% higher rate than D. photinophylla. For both tree species, sap flux increased with tree size and diurnal sap flux increase resulted in more isotopically enriched xylem water. A Bayesian Mixing Model analysis, which used sampled soil water isotopic composition from five soil depths ranging from of 0 to 1 m, revealed that D. photinophylla primarily used water from very shallow depth or soil surface layer (2–60 cm), while A. peralatum sourced its water mostly from deeper layers (60–100 cm). We propose that these differences in species' water consumption patterns are related to plant water storage capacity and wood anatomical features. This research demonstrates that combining xylem isotope composition and sap flux measurements can help reveal species‐specific water use strategies, which can be beneficial for improved process understanding in ecohydrological modelling.

Wood anatomical spectrum of co-occurring species in early and late-successional tropical dry forest communities

Key messageAnalysis of wood anatomical traits revealed that drought tolerance predominates in early-successional communities, and vessel variability is relevant for species’ ecological success in seasonally dry tropical environments.Successional tropical dry forests harbor a diverse array of species subjected to a strong seasonal precipitation regime. Considering that wood encompasses diverse functional properties related to stem hydraulics and mechanical support, in this study, we asked which quantitative anatomical traits are exhibited by co-occurring species in early (EC)- and late (LC)-successional communities. We used generalized linear mixed-effects models to estimate and compare means and standard deviations of wood traits (vessel area, vessel density, vessel grouping, and fiber dimensions) between eight EC and between 13 LC co-occurring species. Wood traits were highly heterogeneous. High vessel redundancy, a property associated with water safety involved in the prevention of hydraulic failure, prevails among species coexisting in EC but is maintained through succession by the same species in LC. Highly variable fiber dimensions indicate that species coexisting in LC possess different characteristics associated with mechanical resistance. Low wood density species typical of LC, which are absent from EC, displayed wood anatomical features associated with drought-evasion mechanisms. This result implies that deforestation not only reduces taxonomic but also functional diversity. Future research should adopt a standard deviation analysis approach, as this will allow confirming the high variability in vessel diameter, even in diffuse porous species, as a key feature for the ecological success of plants facing succession-driven changes in seasonally dry environments.

Analysis of Wood Anatomical Features of Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) from Rajasthan

Analysis of Wood Anatomical Features of Shisham (Dalbergia sissoo) from Rajasthan

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WOOD ANATOMICAL FEATURES AND SURFACE ROUGHNESS CHARACTERISTICS

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between surface roughness and anatomical features of wood in 15 different species of boards. Surface roughness was measured parallel and perpendicular to the wood grain using a surface profilometer, and anatomical features such as pore size and distribution were analyzed using microscopic techniques. The results showed that surface roughness perpendicular to the grain direction was consistently higher than that parallel to the grain direction for all wood samples. This difference in roughness was correlated with pore size and density. It shows that the larger pores and lower density lead to higher roughness perpendicular to the grain. The study also found that traditional hand planning methods (push and pull) produced a smooth surface finish, with no statistical differences in roughness.

A Mediterranean woody species composition from Late Miocene-Early Pliocene deposits of northeastern Turkey with newly described fossil-taxa palaeoclimatically evaluated

We describe new fossil woods of Late Miocene – Early Pliocene age from Northeastern Turkey and discuss the woody flora with respect to palaeoclimate and palaeovegetation. Three different wood species, Cedrus anatolica Akkemik, Cistoxylon cistoides Akkemik & Mantz. sp. nov. and Phillyreoxylon phillyreoides Akkemik & Mantz. sp. nov. were identified. Among these fossil angiosperm species, C. cistoides is the only second fossil species of this genus described in the world. P. phillyreoides is the first fossil wood form assigned to Phillyrea L. The wood anatomical features of the described fossil angiosperm species, along with their palaeoclimatic evaluation using vulnerability and mesomorphy ratios and conductive capability sensu Carlquist, showed xeromorphic characteristics similar to the wood features of their modern representatives growing in Mediterranean conditions. The woody plant composition and xeromorphic characteristics of the woods suggest that northeastern Anatolia housed Mediterranean floristic elements in the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene.

Adaptation potential of Neotropical montane oaks to drought events: Wood anatomy sensitivity in Quercus delgadoana and Quercus meavei

Abstract Climate and local water availability are major evolutionary drivers of adaptive variation and plasticity in the hydraulic architecture of Tropical Montane Cloud Forest (TMCF) tree species. Between‐year xylem vessel variability is key to understanding the adaptation potential of wood anatomy of trees to drought. How wood anatomical features have been influenced by the typical TMCF climate and how tree species persist in these environments remain open questions, particularly in the context of predicted extreme climate events in the future. Here, we evaluated the effects of changes in temperature, precipitation and evapotranspiration during drought events on ring‐width and anatomical vessel traits (hydraulic diameter, vessel density, vessel grouping index and vulnerability index) for two relict endemic and threatened oak species (Quercus delgadoana and Q. meavei) from a Mexican TMCF. The study species differed in their functional and ecological vessel anatomical traits, and their wood anatomical differences are related to specific environmental requirements. However, the ring‐width indices (RWIs) calculated for these species indicate that both have high resistance and recovery, and thus high resilience to drought events. Ring‐width and vessel functional traits show differences in the between‐year variability of xylem traits associated with the hydraulic efficiency of these oak species, which is crucial to understanding how they avoid drought‐induced embolism and cavitation in vessel conduits. These results provide evidence for the existence of specific hydraulic systems that determine functional wood anatomy in response to climatic variation and drought in the study species. Further research assessing the wood anatomical adaptation to different climatic variables and identifying the xylem functional traits that underlie these adaptations, along with the mechanisms allowing tree species persistence in these environments, is essential to gain insight into the responses of TMCF to future drought events. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Examining the Characteristics of Anatomy and Biometry of Crataegus azarolus,

This report discusses the biometry and microscopic features of Crataegus azarolus wood fibers. A Crataegus azarolus tree was selected and cut from the gardens of Neka city (Mazandaran province). At a breast height, 2.5 m and 3.5 m height, three 5 cm thick disks were prepared and in the transverse direction, the test samples were cut and evaluated sequentially 2 x 2 cm long by 3 cm long from the pith to the bark. The anatomical properties of C. azarolus wood were studied using a light microscope. Wood anatomical features of C. azarolus are as follows: diffuse-porous with multiple vessel grouping in the radial direction (in most cases), homogenous rays, simple perforation plates, alternate intervessel pits, and the average length of vessel elements shorter than 350 microns. There was a significant difference in the fiber length, fiber diameter, fiber lumen diameter, and fiber wall thickness, both in the transverse direction and in the longitudinal direction of the Crataegus azarolus tree stem. The biometric properties of the fibers increased from the pith to the bark. The average fiber length, fiber diameter, fiber lumen diameter, and cell wall thickness of the fibers were 0.78 mm, 22.53 µm, 18.6 µm, and 4.5 µm, respectively.

Advanced Workflow for Taking High-Quality Increment Cores - New Techniques and Devices

In dendroecological research, precise dating of each single growth ring is a basic requirement for all studies, focusing on ring-width variations only, chemical or isotope analyses, or wood anatomical studies. Independent of the sampling strategy for a certain study (e.g., climatology, geomorphology), the way samples are taken is crucial for their successful preparation and analyses. Until recently, it was sufficient to use a (more or less) sharp increment corer to obtain core samples that could be sanded for further analyses. Since wood anatomical characteristics can be applied to long time series, the need to obtain high-quality increment cores has taken on a new meaning. Essentially, the corer needs to be sharp(ened) when used. When coring a tree by hand, there are some problems in handling the corer, resulting in the hidden occurrence of micro cracks along the entire core: When starting to drill by hand, the drill bit is strongly pressed against the bark and the outermost ring until the thread has fully entered the trunk. At the same time, the drill bit is moved up and down as well as sideward. Then, the corer is drilled all the way into the trunk; however, it is necessary to stop after each turn, change the grip, and turn again. All these movements, as well as the start/stop-coring, puts mechanical stress on the core. The resulting micro cracks make it impossible to create continuous micro sections, as they fall apart along all these cracks. We present a protocol to overcome these obstacles by applying a new technique using a cordless drill to minimize these problems when coring a tree, as well as its effect on the preparation of long micro sections. This protocol includes the preparation of long micro sections, as well as a procedure to sharpen corers in the field.

Advanced Workflow for Taking High-Quality Increment Cores - New Techniques and Devices

In dendroecological research, precise dating of each single growth ring is a basic requirement for all studies, focusing on ring-width variations only, chemical or isotope analyses, or wood anatomical studies. Independent of the sampling strategy for a certain study (e.g., climatology, geomorphology), the way samples are taken is crucial for their successful preparation and analyses. Until recently, it was sufficient to use a (more or less) sharp increment corer to obtain core samples that could be sanded for further analyses. Since wood anatomical characteristics can be applied to long time series, the need to obtain high-quality increment cores has taken on a new meaning. Essentially, the corer needs to be sharp(ened) when used. When coring a tree by hand, there are some problems in handling the corer, resulting in the hidden occurrence of micro cracks along the entire core: When starting to drill by hand, the drill bit is strongly pressed against the bark and the outermost ring until the thread has fully entered the trunk. At the same time, the drill bit is moved up and down as well as sideward. Then, the corer is drilled all the way into the trunk; however, it is necessary to stop after each turn, change the grip, and turn again. All these movements, as well as the start/stop-coring, puts mechanical stress on the core. The resulting micro cracks make it impossible to create continuous micro sections, as they fall apart along all these cracks. We present a protocol to overcome these obstacles by applying a new technique using a cordless drill to minimize these problems when coring a tree, as well as its effect on the preparation of long micro sections. This protocol includes the preparation of long micro sections, as well as a procedure to sharpen corers in the field.

Ecological Wood Anatomy of Pinus roxburghii in Central Nepal

Pinus roxburghii Sarg. is a gymnosperm tree belonging to the family Pinaceae having extensive distribution in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China (Tibet), India, Nepal and Pakistan. In Nepal, it is found in subtropical region at an elevational range from 500 to 2700 m asl. The aim of the present study is to determine the ecological variation in wood characters and non-anatomical characters such as diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height and altitude. Nine wood block samples were collected from the outermost part of the trunk of three matured canopy trees at three different localities between 1100 and 1350 m above sea level from central Nepal. Correlation and regression analysis were carried out to study variation in wood anatomical characters. Multiple regression analysis was done using non-anatomical factors as independent variables and anatomical features as dependent variables. Quantitative wood characters were found to be affected by change in ecological factors but not on its qualitative wood characters. Tracheids length as well as tracheid’s pit significantly varies with altitude. A weak correlation was found between wood anatomical characters and non-anatomical parameters. Tracheids length exhibited negative correlation whereas tracheids pit exhibits positive correlation with altitude. Since tracheids are the main conducting tissues in xylem of pines, decreasing length and increasing pit size of tracheids is of ecological importance. This study will help in identifying how wood characters are adapted in response to change in ecological factors as well as help to predict ecological factor disturbances.

Wood anatomical features of Anacardiaceae from Malaysia

This study examined the anatomical features of Anacardiaceae from Malaysia. A total of 31 species from 13 genera of the family Anacardiaceae in Malaysia were obtained from Kepong Xylarium (KEPw), Forest Research Institute Malaysia. The genera in Anacardiaceae were distinguished based on anatomical features. The diagnostic anatomical features that were used to separate the genera are scalariform perforations plates present in Campnosperma, larger rays in Pentaspadon and Spondias, and radial canals in some genera. Mineral inclusion, i.e., crystals and silica also could be diagnostic features to distinguish the genera in Malaysian Anacardiaceae; silica was observed in Gluta, Parishia, and Swintonia. Anatomical features could be used as indicators to the other wood properties and lead to potential usage of timber in Anacardiaceae. However, the presence of druses in individual Toxicodendron succedaneum indicated its adaptation to the local microclimatic conditions.