title: How do trees grow? Response from the graphical and quantitative analyses of computed tomography scanning data collected on stem sections.
abstract: Tree growth, as measured via the width of annual rings, is used for environmental impact assessment and climate back-forecasting. This fascinating natural process has been studied at various scales in the stem (from cell and fiber within a growth ring, to ring and entire stem) in one, two, and three dimensions. A new approach is presented to study tree growth in 3D from stem sections, at a scale sufficiently small to allow the delineation of reliable limits for annual rings and large enough to capture directional variation in growth rates. The technology applied is computed tomography scanning, which provides - for one stem section - millions of data (indirect measures of wood density) that can be mapped, together with a companion measure of dispersion and growth ring limits in filigree. Graphical and quantitative analyses are reported for white spruce trees with circular vs non-circular growth. Implications for dendroclimatological research are discussed.
authors: Department of Plant Science, McGill University, Montréal, Canada. Electronic address: pierre.dutilleul@mcgill.ca.
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Dutilleul
authors: Department of Plant Science, McGill University, Montréal, Canada.
authors: Li Wen
authors: LW
authors: Han
authors: Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Wood Fibre Centre, Québec, Canada.
authors: Jean
authors: J
authors: Beaulieu
mesh_terms: D004777:Environment; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D012621:Seasons; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014197:Trees / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D014934:Wood
keywords: Analyses graphique et quantitative; Approche tridimensionnelle et variation directionnelle; Computed tomography scanning; Croissance des arbres et cernes annuels; Densité du bois; Graphical and quantitative analyses; Three-dimensional approach and directional variation; Tomodensitométrie assistée par ordinateur; Tree growth and annual rings; Wood density