Two of our team presented their research at the XII International Workshop on Sap flow in Rotorua (October 30 to November 3, 2023). The international presentations ranged from fundamental understanding of the physics of sap flow in plants, to the role of plant vascular functioning in plant ecology, hydrology, agriculture and irrigation management.
You can access the conference abstracts using the links below or via the Resources area of our website. Full conference papers are expected to be published in 2024.
Dr. Jamie Robinson presented a paper titled: Examining the effect of sap sugar concentration on fibre embolism in sugar maple (Acer saccharum).
This study, examined a popular hypothesis on why and how sugar maples (Acer saccharum) develop elevated pressures in response to repeated cycles of freezing and thawing. Synchrotron based microCT was used to produce high-resolution three-dimensional images of stem segments, aiming to directly resolved the gas present in the fibres.
Matthew Rennie presented a paper titled: Flexible external heat-pulse sap flow sensor for bi-directional measurement of sap-flow in small-diameter stems of Populus alba and Betula papyrifera.
This study proposes a non-invasive sap flow sensor for the direct measurement of sap flow in saplings, or plant parts with small dimensions. The presentation shared design, calibration and results from a study on white poplar (Populus alba) and paper birch (Betula papyrifera).