Abstract
Sustainable management strategies for trees are informed by research on growth rates and regeneration. In a 1998 study of bark thickness and tree size, six species (all used for traditional medicine) were sampled by removing 5 cm-diameter bark disks at four height intervals on 210 stems at 15 sites in South Africa. An impromptu revisit to one site in 2003 revealed that wounds for one species exhibited very little wound occlusion. These observations prompted a 2004 study on wound occlusion and stem growth for five of the species at six sites (Albizia adianthifolia, Balanites maughamii, Elaeodendron transvaalense, Searsia chirindensis, Warburgia salutaris), where 84 stems were re-measured. There were species-specific stem growth and wound occlusion rates. In general, annual lateral stem growth at 1.3 m was inversely related to stem size (corroborated by lateral widening responses of the original wound edges). There was also a tendency for smaller and/or faster growing stems to exhibit more wound occlusion and faster rates of bark regrowth – except in W. salutaris, where smaller individuals exhibited comparatively lower rates of occlusion compared to bigger individuals. All wound occlusion was by bark edge growth (typically <3 mm y−1); only A. adianthifolia showed complete wound closure, whereas B. maughamii showed the least (17%±19%). An inverse relationship existed between density (timber and bark) and stem growth, wound occlusion and lateral widening of the old scar edges – except for S. chirindensis. Hence trees with softer wood and bark generally grew quicker and exhibited more wound occlusion than trees with harder wood and bark.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Stem growth and wound occlusion rates varied among species.
Verbatim
t0“five woodland tree species”
e0“There were species-specific stem growth and wound occlusion rates.”
Claim · model-written summary
Annual lateral stem growth was inversely related to stem size.
Verbatim
t0“five woodland tree species”
e0“annual lateral stem growth at 1.3 m was inversely related to stem size”
Claim · model-written summary
Smaller or faster-growing stems tended toward more wound occlusion and quicker bark regrowth.
Verbatim
t0“five woodland tree species”
e0“smaller and/or faster growing stems to exhibit more wound occlusion and faster rates of bark regrowth”
Claim · model-written summary
In W. salutaris, smaller individuals showed lower wound occlusion than larger individuals.
- Taxon
- W. salutaris
Warburgia salutarise0 - Material
- smaller individualse0
- Outcome
- rates of occlusione0
- Direction
- lowere0
- Comparator
- bigger individualse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“except in W. salutaris, where smaller individuals exhibited comparatively lower rates of occlusion compared to bigger individuals.”
Claim · model-written summary
Wound occlusion occurred through bark-edge growth at typically below 3 mm yearly.
Verbatim
t0“five woodland tree species”
e0“All wound occlusion was by bark edge growth (typically <3 mm y−1)”
Claim · model-written summary
Only A. adianthifolia showed complete wound closure.
- Taxon
- A. adianthifolia
Albizia adianthifoliae0 - Outcome
- complete wound closuree0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“only A. adianthifolia showed complete wound closure”
Claim · model-written summary
B. maughamii had the least wound closure, at 17%±19%.
- Taxon
- B. maughamii
Balanites maughamiie0 - Outcome
- wound closuree1
- Direction
- leaste0
- Value
- 17%±19%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“B. maughamii showed the least (17%±19%)”
e1“only A. adianthifolia showed complete wound closure, whereas B. maughamii showed the least (17%±19%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Timber and bark density was inversely related to stem growth, wound occlusion and scar-edge widening except in S. chirindensis.
Verbatim
t0“five woodland tree species”
e0“An inverse relationship existed between density (timber and bark) and stem growth, wound occlusion and lateral widening of the old scar edges – except for S. chirindensis.”
Claim · model-written summary
Trees with softer wood and bark generally grew faster and showed more wound occlusion.
Verbatim
t0“five woodland tree species”
e0“trees with softer wood and bark generally grew quicker and exhibited more wound occlusion than trees with harder wood and bark.”