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sapwood thickness; sapwood area; hydroactive xylem; Amazonian floodplain trees; várzea
Abstract:
The sapwood area of seven common tree species in Amazonian
floodplains (Albizia multiflora, Crateva benthamii, Laetia corymbulosa,
Nectandra amazonum, Pseudobombax munguba, Tabebuia barbata, Vitex
cymosa) was analysed in field measurements. A borehole was inserted in the
stem on two opposite positions and filled with pigment dye crimson red by
syringe. After one hour a core sample was extracted with an increment borer
exactly 10 cm above the point of injection. Tree diameter and the length of the
core sample coloured red were measured, and the total sapwood area of the
individual was calculated. A total of 138 trees was sampled, with 14 to 30
individuals per species. Mean sapwood area ranged from 73 cm² in Crateva
benthamii to 139 cm² in Pseudobombax munguba. There was no significant
difference between the average sapwood area in the deciduous and the
evergreen species. Correlations between sapwood area and stem diameter
were high in all species with the exception of Laetia corymbulosa.
