The Functional Anatomy of Tree Xylem: From Cell Structure to Ecological Roles

Dear Colleagues,

The secondary xylem (wood) formation is a complex process involving cambial cell divisions, enlargement of cambial cell derivatives, secondary cell wall deposition, and lignification. The autophagy of the cytoplasmic contents of the xylem cells marks the end of this process. In trees, wood formation results from the cross-talk between phytohormones and environmental signals.

The history of environmental events is encoded in the structure of secondary xylem, which is relatively simple in conifers and more complex in dicotyledonous trees. Analysis of the functional anatomical traits of secondary xylem provides insights into the environmental conditions during tree growth and the stresses experienced. The existing match between structure–function relationships and environmental requirements thus makes the secondary xylem of trees, as long-lived organisms, a key tissue in ecological research, especially in the era of climate change, because in addition to its leading physiological roles, i.e., water transport and mechanical support, it also serves as a carbon store. Therefore, we aim to invite contributions that use wood anatomy to study forest dynamics under climate change, fire history, or insect outbreaks. We assume key information on the phenotypic plasticity of trees functioning in different environmental conditions will be provided based on research on functional anatomical traits of secondary xylem.

Prof. Dr. Mirela Tulik
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.