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DOE OSTI · 2571689

Towards smarter green infrastructure: Fusing bark ecology and stemflow hydrodynamics on tree stems

Levia, Delphis F. [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)]·Katul, Gabriel G. [Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)]·Meydani, Amirreza [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)]·Nanko, Kazuki [Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (Japan)]·Yuan, Chuan [Southwest University, Chongqing (China)]·Zhang, Yafeng [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou (China)]·Llorens, Pilar [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Barcelona (Spain). Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA)]·Bruen, Michael [University College Dublin (Ireland)]
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Abstract

A wide array of bark surfaces sheath wooded plants in rural and urban areas alike. Much work has examined the function and role of bark in different contexts and different environs, including urban areas, finding that it is rich in life and can play a role in the transfer of water and matter to the ground surface. Accordingly, this paper presents a first step to weld and fuse bark ecology and stemflow hydrodynamics. It is an effort to develop a physically-based understanding of the transport of water and matter (e.g., solutes, particulates, microorganisms) along tree stems using relevant equations to allow a more informed consideration of bark in green infrastructure initiatives. In particular, the hydrodynamical equations are based on the conservation of water mass, conservation of momentum, and conservation of scalar mass. These equations, coupled with contemplation of corticular life, underpin and substantiate bark’s unifying role as a modulator and cultivator. By elucidating the ‘black box’ of the tree stem and utilizing the formulations set forth in this paper, urban foresters and planners can develop green infrastructure to help advance ecosystem services and sustainability development goals (SDG), especially SDG 11 and SDG 15.

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60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCESBarkBark ecologyGreen infrastructure (GI)HydrodynamicsStemflow

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Levia, Delphis F. [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)], Katul, Gabriel G. [Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)], Meydani, Amirreza [Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)], Nanko, Kazuki [Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (Japan)], Yuan, Chuan [Southwest University, Chongqing (China)], Zhang, Yafeng [Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou (China)], Llorens, Pilar [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Barcelona (Spain). Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA)], Bruen, Michael [University College Dublin (Ireland)]. 2025-07-01. Towards smarter green infrastructure: Fusing bark ecology and stemflow hydrodynamics on tree stems. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113827

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