Changes in wood density of Eucalyptus camaldulensis due to temperature - the physiological link between water viscosity and wood anatomy

Dane S. Thomas, Kelvin D. Montagu, Jann P. Conroy

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    Abstract

    Wood density is a function of cell wall thickness and the cross-sectional area of the lumen of the vessels that are required for water transport through the stem to the points of evaporation in the leaves. Roderick and Berry [New Phytol. 149 (2001) 473] proposed that the positive relationship between temperature and wood density may arise from the sensitivity of water viscosity to temperature. Smaller or fewer vessels would be required to transport water to the leaves at higher temperatures when water has lower viscosity. To test this idea and to establish the relationships between temperature, hydraulic conductivity, wood anatomy and wood density, we grew Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Dehn.) at constant temperatures of either 20, 25 or 37 °C for 9 weeks. The vapour pressure deficit was kept constant at all temperatures to remove the confounding effects changes in temperature have on transpiration rates and plant water relations. Wood density increased with higher growth temperature, and hydraulic conductivity per unit wood area decreased. The reduction in vessel area per cross-sectional area of wood at higher growth temperature was in part a result of a shift towards smaller diameter vessels. As a result wood density was negatively related to hydraulic conductivity with the cross-sectional area of the vessels linking these factors. We conclude that the results from this experiment provide support for the model of Roderick and Berry [New Phytol. 149 (2001) 473] explaining the influence of temperature on wood density. However, an alternative intrepretation of the results, based on the effect of temperature on functional relationships between leaf area and stem diameter, appears equally valid.
    Original languageEnglish
    Number of pages9
    JournalForest Ecology and Management
    Publication statusPublished - 2004

    Keywords

    • Density
    • Effect of temperature on
    • Eucalyptus camaldulensis
    • Viscosity
    • Water
    • Wood

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