Wood density and anatomy of three Eucalyptus species: implications for hydraulic conductivity

BAROTTO JA; MONTEOLIVA S; GYENGE JE; MARTINEZ-MEIER A; MORENO K; TESÓN N; FERNÁNDEZ ME

Forest Systems

INIA

Lugar: Madrid; Año: 2017 vol. 26

Aims of study:tocharacterize wood anatomical traits of three Eucalyptus species that differ in wood density and ecologicalrequirements, and to examine the relationships between some anatomicalfeatures, wood density, and theoretical xylem hydraulic conductivity (Ks).Area of study: We analyzed 86 trees from three sites of Argentina (Entre Ríos and BuenosAires Provinces).Methods: Thesampled trees were Eucalyptus globulus, E. grandis and E. viminalis ranging from 11 to 15 years old. One stem disc was cut from each tree to determine wood density and identify quantitativeanatomical features of vessels and fibers. Vessel composition (S, size -to-number ratio, a measure of vessel size distribution) and lumen fraction (F,the total sapwood area available for water transport) were estimated. Results: E. grandis, the species with the highest growth rates,presented the highest theoretical Ks. Thiswas associated with anatomical features such as a high density of wide vesselsresulting in high F. On the other hand, E.viminalis, the species with the lowest growth rates and highest resistanceto environmental stress, showed lower Ksas a result of a low density of wide vessels. These two species differed notonly greatly in wood density but also in fiber characteristics. In the case of E. globulus, vessels were relativelynarrow, which resulted in the lowest theoretical Ks, fibers were small, and wood density intermediate. Research highlights: F had greater influence on Ks than S. The anatomicalcharacteristics and wood density could only partly explain the differential growth or resistance tostress of the studied species.