New surprises from tree vascular systems. A commentary on: 'Seasonal patterns of increases in stem girth, vessel...

Plants grow throughout their lives; this is called indeterminate growth, and it distinguishes plants from most animals. Although certain parts of plants stop growing (e.g., leaves and flowers), others grow continuously—like roots and stems.

Vascular plants, which account for over 90% of the Earth’s vegetation, all undergo primary growth—which lengthens roots and shoots. Many land plants, notably woody plants, also undergo secondary growth—which thickens roots and shoots.

Softwoods and hardwoods, derived from different types of trees, are distinguished by their leaf structures and cellular compositions, each serving unique purposes in construction and manufacturing. Softwoods come from cone-bearing trees with needle-like leaves and are predominantly composed of longitudinal cells called tracheids and a smaller proportion of radial cells known as rays. Due to their cellular structure, softwoods are commonly used in construction for structural frames, sheathing,...

Wood, derived from trees, is a versatile and widely used construction material. Trees feature a trunk surrounded by a protective layer of dead bark. Beneath this outer layer lies the living bark, followed by the cambium, and then the sapwood which transitions into heartwood as it matures. At the center of the trunk is the pith. The age of a tree can be discerned by examining its growth rings, which are concentric bands visible in the trunk's cross-section.
The structural integrity of the...

Water plays a significant role in the life cycle of plants. However, insufficient or excess of water can be detrimental and pose a serious threat to plants.

Though evaporation from plant leaves drives transpiration, it also results in loss of water. Because water is critical for photosynthetic reactions and other cellular processes, evolutionary pressures on plants in different environments have driven the acquisition of adaptations that reduce water loss.