White bark in birch species as a warning signal for bark-stripping mammals

Ireland, Hamish; Ruxton, Graeme D.

doi:10.1080/17550874.2022.2122754

Cited by 4 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 95 publications

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“…It can be so when the outer bark of the whole trunk is of one color, or made of patches of different colors. It has been proposed that such coloration can serve to undermine herbivorous insect camouflage, signal toxicity (aposematism), and in white deciduous trees of the temperate and boreal regions to camouflage the trees from mammalian herbivores during winter [ 74 , 75 ]. It has also been suggested that the white bark cools the cambium during winter in order to avoid thawing and thus prevents damage during repeated freezing [ 76 ], but this function seem to be relevant in relatively moderate temperate latitudes rather than in tropical ones [ 74 ].…”

Section: Bark Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Priorities for Bark Anatomical Research: Study Venues and Open Questions

Shtein

Gričar

Lev‐Yadun

et al. 2023

Plants

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The bark fulfils several essential functions in vascular plants and yields a wealth of raw materials, but the understanding of bark structure and function strongly lags behind our knowledge with respect to other plant tissues. The recent technological advances in sampling and preparation of barks for anatomical studies, along with the establishment of an agreed bark terminology, paved the way for more bark anatomical research. Whilst datasets reveal bark’s taxonomic and functional diversity in various ecosystems, a better understanding of the bark can advance the understanding of plants’ physiological and environmental challenges and solutions. We propose a set of priorities for understanding and further developing bark anatomical studies, including periderm structure in woody plants, phloem phenology, methods in bark anatomy research, bark functional ecology, relationships between bark macroscopic appearance, and its microscopic structure and discuss how to achieve these ambitious goals.

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Section: Bark Ecologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Priorities for Bark Anatomical Research: Study Venues and Open Questions

Shtein

Gričar

Lev‐Yadun

et al. 2023

Plants

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Bark

Lev‐Yadun¹

2022

Encyclopedia of Life Sciences

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Bark comprises all the tissues outside the vascular cambium of seed plants. Most of the bark of woody plants develops from three secondary meristems: the vascular cambium that gives rise to the secondary phloem, the phellogen that gives rise to the cork and the dilatation meristem that produces parenchyma cells to prevent cracking when the axis increases in diameter. Some of the outer bark in young organs is made of primary tissues originating in the procambium, the ground meristem and the protoderm. Bark tissues have a critical role in defending plants from pathogens and herbivores through their physical and chemical properties. They also defend from environmental hazards such as sun irradiation, desiccation, wind, flooding, hail, snow and when the cork is thick, also from fire. The bark has a critical role in storage and transport of organic molecules and water, and in many plants contributes to photosynthesis. Many of the various defensive and toxic substances found in barks are used by humans as medicines, spices and for various industries. Gene exploring in barks that became more common in recent years is expected to result in identifying many beneficial molecules for agriculture, medicine, food and the industry. Key Concepts Bark comprises all the tissues outside the vascular cambium of a vascular plant. The majority of the bark of woody plants develops from three meristems: the vascular cambium that gives rise to the secondary phloem, the phellogen that gives rise to the cork and dilatation meristem that produces parenchyma cells to avoid cracking when the axis increases in diameter. The formation of the bark is regulated by several plant hormones, mainly auxin, ethylene, jasmonates and gibberellins. After wounding, the induced rise in the hormones ethylene and jasmonic acid induces the formation of defensive (wound) cork and traumatic resin or gum ducts in many species. The bark functions in storage, transport and defence from herbivores, pathogens and environmental stresses including sun irradiation and fire. Many bark products (e.g. fibres, food, medicine, resins, rubber, pigments, poisons, cork) have been used by humans since antiquity. Defence from herbivores included prickles, thorns, toxins, mechanical hardness, aposematic (warning) colouration, plant camouflage and undermining herbivore camouflage.

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