Mind the vessel: towards a unified framework of dendroecology and ecophysiology for understanding angiosperm tree functioning in European temperate climates

Abstract

Angiosperm tree species play a central role in temperate forest ecosystems, providing critical ecological and economic services, yet their physiological functioning and responses to environmental stress remain insufficiently understood compared to economically important conifer species. Current methods for studying angiosperm tree functioning such as physiological monitoring or wood formation analyses are often invasive, resource-demanding or difficult to scale, limiting our ability to integrate structural and functional perspectives over time. By contrast, wood anatomical data are abundant and relatively easy to collect across individuals, years, and sites, offering a powerful opportunity to infer underlying physiological processes. Here, we synthesised current understanding of drivers of wood formation and resulting wood anatomy in European temperate angiosperms. We identified key knowledge gaps in wood formation, wood anatomy and tree physiology and outline interdisciplinary methodological advances that could assist the integration of structural and functional data. Such integration will be essential for developing more robust and predictive frameworks of angiosperm tree growth under changing environmental conditions.