10ns. but onh if the li\(Iraulu: iniegnH of the stem is preserved. A very mportant and vulnerable part of the stem is the wlem. As water is pulled into he top of the tree, a period of e drought can drop wlem pressures to uch low negative values that water columns break (cavitation). The tracheary lements in which this happens are permanent!) lost as functional parts unless •ositivc pressures refill them within a very short time (perhaps hours'.'). We
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Zimmermann et al. (1983) studied this question.