Mapping wood formation across scales: Models, methods and experiments

Abstract

The formation of xylem and phloem by the vascular cambium is a cellular process that is influenced by biotic and abiotic factors at sub-seasonal timescales. However, the significance of cambial activity extends across space (up to ecosystems) and time (up to centuries). This relates to the functional importance of xylem and phloem and the extremely long persistence of woody tissues, which are also a major carbon sink. Hence, studying this phenomenon involves a wide variety of approaches and methods that fundamentally vary in their temporal and spatial scales. From global vegetation dynamics to maple syrup production, the articles in the special collection ‘Advances in Xylem and Phloem Formation Research’ well reflect this diversity. Collectively, they reveal the complexity of underlying mechanisms and the potential for implementation of simpler schemes into global models.