Driving force of radial water movement in tree trunk

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26450241
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Wood science
• Research Institution: Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute
• Principal Investigator: Nakada Ryogo 国立研究開発法人森林総合研究所, 林木育種センター北海道育種場, 課長 (60370847)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 植物生理 / 樹液流 / 材質 / 心材 / 水分生理 / 木材組織構造

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Heartwood development is an unique phenomenon to trees and important for the life of trees and for wood utilization by human. Wetwood is a phenomenon of water accumulation into heartwood causing problems in wood drying. To understand the mechanism of the formation of heartwood and wetwood, in this study we developed methods to monitor the sap flow, temperature gradient and water content of tree trunks, which related to the diurnal and seasonal fluctuations of the water potential of the tree trunks. We achieved a technical basis of the long-term monitoring of the water status in tree trunks to cover one growth period continuously with a high time-resolution. Further studies are necessary to develop advanced analyses of the data with extending the number of measured trees of various species.

Free Research Field

木材解剖学