Intra-Ring and Inter-Ring Variations of Tracheid Length in Fast-Grown Versus Slow-Grown Norway Spruces (Picea Abies)

Abstract

Our study was conducted on 40 Norway spruces [ Picea abies (L.) Karst.] from a stand located in the Belgian Ardennes. Twenty trees were randomly sampled from a slow-growth category, and twenty others from a fast -growth category. The hypothesis under testing is fourfold: increased tree growth rate may affect 1) the intra-ring weighted frequency distribution of tracheid length, 2) the inter-ring variation (from pith to bark) of the parameters describing this frequency distribution, 3) the interring variation of the mean tracheid length, and 4) the correlation between yearly mean tracheid length and yearly ring width.