The xylem anatomy and function of oaks

Abstract

Genus Quercus L. (oaks) comprises ca. 400 tree and shrub species with an outstanding role in the vegetation of the Northern Hemisphere. This genus has been culturally and economically linked to humans since millennia. Oaks can be found in very different phytoclimates, from temperate and subtropical forests to mediterranean evergreen woodlands. In parallel, this genus is characterized by a great functional and morphological diversity, with evergreen and sclerophyllous species to winter deciduous, malacophyllous ones. This fact has been food for thought in plant sciences as this book reflects. This book explores this great diversity in 15 chapters, covering the following aspects: - Infrageneric classification and palaeontological records - Functional response of oaks to environmental contrains, such as summer drought or winter cold, with special reference to water transport, gas exchange and photoprotective mechanisms - Functional limitations to growth and regeneration - Incidence of massive decline phenomena throughout the distribution range of oaks and attenuation methods - The perspective of oak forest in the context of Global Change Through the contributions of different field experts, this book aims to serve as a reference of the present knowledge about genus Quercus for researchers and students of biology or forestry.