Help,
I got another "stump-the-prof" question today in plant anatomy
class. I told my class that growth rings in wood are due to episodic
growth of the vascular cambium and its secondary xylem derivatives. The
growth episodes are influenced by temperature (i.e. summer vs winter)
and/or water availability (wet vs dry). A student pointed out that during
the Midwest flood of 1993 many deciduous trees ceased growth and dropped
all of their leaves and then resumed growth after the flood waters receded.
He then asked if that event would cause a "growth ring". So now I'm
asking you. What would you expect to see in the wood of a tree that had
undergone a mid-season cessation of growth that was not due to a water
deficit or cold temperatures?
Bob Wise
