The book builds on a basic comprehension of xylem structure and development before delving into other important issues such as fungal and bacterial degradation and biofuel conversion.

Implications for other timely topics such as drought-induced forest dieback or the regulation of plant biomass production will be discussed. This book analyzes what is currently known about functional and ecological xylem anatomy.

This second edition provides detailed techniques used for the study and characterization of the plant vascular system, with a central focus on the xylem tissue.

The first edition of this book was the first to provide an integrated description of sap ascension from an anatomical and functional point of view. The second edition opens with the three-dimensional aspects of wood anatomy.

Lastly, the work offers a key for wood identification that was developed to differentiate between groups of species by using a small number of features that are unambiguous and clearly visible.

The study revealed that the greatest volume of sap comes from xylem that is about 35 years old, and that the sweetest sap comes from the young xylem just beneath the bark.

Ferms. Pteridophytes pther tham ferms.

Monoterpene composition was studied in a number of hard pine species and results were compared with earlier work. (I) Intratree measurements showed strong constancy of composition in both single-stemmed and forked trees of ponderosa, ...