Girdling a tree means removing a ring of bark (including the inner bark) all around the trunk. This process directly affects the vascular tissues, especially the phloem.
Here’s what happens:
- Phloem is removed:
The phloem, which lies just beneath the bark, is responsible for transporting food (sugars) made in the leaves to other parts of the plant. When girdling removes this layer, the downward flow of food stops. - Xylem remains intact (at first):
The xylem, which lies deeper inside, still transports water and minerals upward for a while. So, the leaves may stay green temporarily. - Root starvation:
Since food cannot reach the roots, they eventually die from lack of nutrients. Without healthy roots, water absorption stops. - Death of the tree:
Over time, both the roots and the rest of the tree die because the normal transport of food and water is disrupted.
In summary:
Girdling cuts off the phloem transport of food to the roots, leading to root death and eventually death of the entire tree, even though the xylem may continue to function for a short time.