ID: 613 / 70

Category: Symposia

Track: Pending

Proposed Symposium Title: BARK STRUCTURE: EVOLUTIONARY, FUNCTIONAL AND ECOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Abstract: The structural diversity of bark, the conspicuous plant stem coating fulfilling essential functions in living plants, needs to be better known. There are several plant groups which have yet to be explored by bark anatomists. The age-related transformations of bark and interplay between its macroscopic appearance and microscopic structure still needs to be uncovered. Although the bark thickness is widely used as a functional trait in ecological research, a deeper clarification of the age transformations of the cortex, periderm and secondary phloem is required to better understand the functions and adaptive role of bark. Our knowledge of the evolution of the structural traits of barks strongly needs to catch up to that of other plant parts. This symposium aims to share recent advances in exploring the bark structural diversity and in clarifying its taxonomic, functional, ecological and evolutionary background. We also aim to discuss the conceptual and methodological issues (including the terminology and databasing), which can facilitate the data collection on the macro- and microstructure of bark in the broad-scale investigations of bark diversity.

Speaker 1: Alexei Oskolski Botany and Plant Biotechnology Department, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa aoskolski@uj.ac.za Bark architecture: an interplay between its macroscopic appearance and microscopic structure

Speaker 2: Julieta A. Rosell Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico julieta.rosell@iecologia.unam.mx Bark structure and bark biomass allocation across species and environments

Speaker 3: Ekaterina L. Kotina Komarov Botanical Institute, St.Petersburg, Russia elkotina@gmail.com Smooth bark on old trunks: anatomical background of periderm stretching.

Topics (Up to three): Development and Structure

Topic 2: Macroevolution

Topic 3: Ecology and Plant Communities

Justification: In recent years, the bark structure has attracted increasing attention of plant anatomists, physiologists, ecologists, forest scientists and other researchres. Particularly, a recent online workshop "Quantitative bark anatomy" held 21st of June 2022 (https://www.iawa-website.org/en/Meeting/Future_Meetings/article_208.shtml) demonstrated the existence of informal community of bark researchers having a need in self-organization and in sharing of new knowledge and skills. The proposed symposium was inspired by success of this workshop. Moreover, the Council of the International Association of Wood Anatomists as well as many IAWA members expressed great interest to such symposium. The speaker will represent al least three continents (Africa, Europe, North America), different genders and career steps.