Wood: Structure and Chemical Composition
1977; American Chemical Society; Linguagem: Inglês
10.1021/bk-1977-0043.ch001
ISSN1947-5918
Autores Tópico(s)Forest ecology and management
ResumoWithin living trees, wood is produced to perform the roles of support, conduction and storage. The support role enables the tree stem to remain erect despite the heights to which a tree grows. Because of these heights, wood also must perform the role of conduct ion, that is, transport water from the ground to the upper parts of the tree. Finally, food is stored in certain parts of the wood until required by the living tree. The wood cells which perform the role of conduction and/or support make up 60 to 90 percent of the wood volume. Within the living tree these cells are dead, that is, the cytoplasm is absent 1eaving a hollow cell with rigid walls. The only living cells within the wood portion of a tree are the food-storing cells. The close relationship between "form and function" simplifies the study of wood anatomy if the role of
Referência(s)