Wood Anatomy Properties and Global Climate Change Constraints of Forest Species from the Natural Forest of Mozambique

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Abstract

Mozambique’s natural forests are increasingly affected by climate change, deforestation, and unsustainable exploitation, threatening both biodiversity and rural livelihoods. This study examines the wood anatomical characteristics of five commercially important tree species—Spirostachys africana Sond., Afzelia quanzensis Welw., Millettia stuhlmannii Taub., Pterocarpus angolensis DC., and Colophospermum mopane (J. Kirk ex Benth.) J. Léonard—to assess their vulnerability to drought, cyclones, and floods. The aim is to enhance current knowledge regarding their wood anatomy and to clarify how these anatomical traits could help to identify species most vulnerable to climate extremes. Wood samples were collected from native forests and analyzed in laboratories in Brazil and Portugal using standardized anatomical methods according to IAWA guidelines. The results show that Afzelia quanzensis, Millettia stuhlmannii, Pterocarpus angolensis, and Colophospermum mopane have solitary vessels with vestured pits and thick-walled fibers, which improve hydraulic conductivity and drought resistance. Colophospermum mopane shows the greatest anatomical adaptation to climatic stressors. By contrast, Spirostachys africana has narrow, grouped vessels and thin walls, indicating higher susceptibility to embolism and limited resilience. Cyclone resistance is associated with higher wood density and parenchyma abundance, which enhance mechanical stability and recovery. Flood resilience, however, appears to depend more on leaf and root adaptations than on wood anatomy alone. These findings highlight the role of wood structure in climate adaptability and underline the urgency of integrating anatomical data into forest management strategies to support the conservation and sustainable use of Mozambique’s forest resources.

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