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Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Xylem Water Distribution in Woody Plants Visualized with a Cryo-scanning Electron Microscope
Published on: June 20, 2019
Hidden radiation legacy revealed in Scots pine's xylem structure and hydraulic function after the Chornobyl accident
Yulia Prokopuk1, Annabel J Porté2, Marcin Klisz3
1Department of Phytoecology, Institute for Evolutionary Ecology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Abstract:
The Chornobyl nuclear accident on 26 April 1986 released massive radioactive fallout at the onset of tree growth, causing extensive dieback in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forests and inducing long-lasting biological damage in surviving trees. However, radiation-driven wood anomalies and associated tracheid disruption remain poorly resolved, particularly in comparison with other environmental stressors that also leave anatomical signatures in tree rings. We analyzed 38 Scots pines from three sites within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone spanning a radiation gradient from conditionally lethal through sub-lethal to moderate radiation exposure. Using qualitative wood anatomy, we distinguished specific xylem features associated with radiation, spring frost, and drought, and quantified eight tracheid traits related to hydraulic safety and efficiency. Radiation exposure in 1986 caused dose-dependent wood anomalies and reduced hydraulic capacity. In 1987, trees exhibited contrasting recovery pathways: a transport-first strategy under moderate to sub-lethal exposure and a safety-first strategy under conditionally lethal doses. From 1988 to 1991, anatomical and functional traits progressively approached pre-disturbance (1984-1985) conditions. These results show that extreme radiation exposure leaves persistent imprints on tree hydraulic architecture and reveal dose-dependent pathways by which trees rebalance hydraulic efficiency and safety during recovery. Wood anatomy thus provides a functional archive of extreme disturbance legacies relevant to forest resilience.
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