Community Series in Bark-Water Interactions - Volume II

This Research Topic is the second volume of the 'Community Series in Bark-Water Interactions'. Please see the first volume here.

Bark-water interactions represent a critical yet under-explored area within forest ecohydrology. Unlike leaves, which have been extensively studied, bark remains an overlooked component in the water cycle despite its constant presence in forest ecosystems. The significance of bark is underscored by its vast surface area, estimated to exceed 40 million km² globally, which interacts with various hydrological processes. Recent studies have begun to uncover the multifaceted roles of bark, including its porosity, hygroscopic properties, and its presence in litter layers and fallen woody debris. These characteristics enable bark to perform numerous ecophysiological functions that vary with its developmental stage, decomposition, and response to environmental disturbances such as insect infestations, fires, and diseases. However, substantial gaps remain in our understanding of how bark influences water storage, evaporation, uptake, and other hydrological and ecological processes, necessitating further investigation.

This Research Topic aims to elucidate the complex interactions between bark and hydrological processes, whether the bark is living or decomposing. The primary objectives include addressing specific questions about how bark contributes to water storage, evaporation, uptake, transpiration, and other hydrological functions. Additionally, the research seeks to explore the ecological implications of these interactions, such as nutrient cycling, microbial dispersal, and epiphyte ecology. By testing hypotheses related to these processes, the research aims to fill existing knowledge gaps and provide a more comprehensive understanding of bark's role in forest ecohydrology.

To gather further insights into the scope of bark-water interactions, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Water storage and retention capabilities of bark
- Evaporation and transpiration processes involving bark
- Hygroscopic properties and their ecological implications
- Branchflow and stemflow dynamics
- The role of bark in nutrient cycling and soil enrichment
- Interactions between bark and microbial/microfaunal communities
- Effects of environmental disturbances on bark-water interactions
- Methodological advancements in studying bark-water interactions
- Case studies and conceptual analyses of bark's hydrological functions
- Contributions from both field and laboratory research, as well as modeling studies

Keywords: Bark, Ecohydrology, Forests, Biogeochemistry, Ecophysiology, #CollectionSeries

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.