Within-Tree Variation in Growth Rate and Cell Dimensions in the Wood of Black Locust (Robinia Pseudoacacia)

Abstract

Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) is regarded as an important natural resource almost throughout the world but relatively little is known about the within-tree variability of the anatomical characteristics of its wood. Discs 2 cm thick were cut at 2.25 m intervals, from the ground level to the top from ten black locust trees, 18–37-years-old, from the University Forest of Taxiarchi, Chalkidiki, Greece. The discs were used for the determination of growth rate and cell dimensions (fiber length and vessel member length and diameter) and their withintree variability (radial, oblique, vertical). Growth rate increased within the first 5–9 growth rings from the pith and then gradually decreased. Oblique variation of growth rate did not exhibit any clear tendency but a decrease at the top. In the case of vertical variation, growth rate decreased gradually with the year of cambium formation. Radial variability curves were found to be typical for the dimensions of cells (fibers, vessel members) especially for the fiber length. A rapid increase in cell dimensions was observed in the first 7–11 growth rings, the juvenile zone. Oblique and vertical variation of cell dimensions did not exhibit any clear tendencies.

Are radial changes in vascular anatomy mechanically induced or an ageing process? Evidence from observations on buttressed tree root systems

“…1 and 2, Table 1). As in previous studies (Ismail et al 1995;Lei et al 1996;Gartner et al 1997;Helinska-Raczkowska and Fabisiak 1999;Woodcock et al 2000;Adamopoulos and Voulgaridis 2002;Leal et al 2003), the vessel size increased radially away from the pith in the trunk sections, though in the lower trunk, the increase from the intermediate to the outer wood was not significant. Because the increase in vessel size in the trunk was greater than the initial decrease in frequency, there was an increase in the vessel area fraction from the core wood to outer wood in the trunk sections.…”

“…It has frequently been observed that the radius and length of vessels and tracheids increases during the first years of the growth of a tree, both in angiosperms (Ismail et al 1995;Lei et al 1996;Gartner et al 1997;Helinska-Raczkowska and Fabisiak 1999;Adamopoulos and Voulgaridis 2002;Leal et al 2003) and in gymnosperms (Gartner 1995;Mencuccini et al 1997;Spicer and Gartner 2001). The wood produced during these first years when the cambium changes rapidly is known as juvenile wood.…”

Photosynthetic, hydraulic and biomechanical responses of Juglans californica shoots to wildfire

“…Juvenile xylem typically has shorter wood fibers and larger microfibril angles relative to the cell axis than those of mature xylem (Bonham and Barnett 2001;Adamopoulos and Voulgaridis 2002;Honjo et al 2005), resulting in a lower mechanical strength. In resprouts, the shoot age was 1 year old, whereas adult stems of similar size were several years old.…”

Identification of meteorological conditions in the growth of Robinia pseudoacacia on the basis of pointer years in urban conditions

“…Such studies have also been rare in other countries, and it is difficult to compare them with our research due to differences in climate and location (Klašnja et al, 2000;Adamopoulos & Voulgaridis 2002;Motta et al, 2009;Adamopoulos et al, 2010). The statistical indicators determined in our research (x, x w, min, max, sd, V), describing the site chronology of the black locust in Wroclaw, differed significantly from indicators for other site chronologies of deciduous trees in this part of Europe (Klašnja et al, 2000;Feliksik et al, 2007;Jansons et al, 2015).…”