which of the following best describes the location of the vascular cambium in a tree trunk?

Sourav PanAugust 24, 2024

Answered

The best description of the location of the vascular cambium in a tree trunk is:

It is found just underneath the bark, regardless of how old the tree is.

Explanation:

• It is found just underneath the bark, regardless of how old the tree is: This statement is correct. The vascular cambium is located between the bark (specifically the phloem) and the wood (specifically the xylem). As the tree grows, the vascular cambium remains between these layers but becomes relatively more central as new layers of bark and wood are added.
• It is found just underneath the bark when a tree is young, but is later found toward the center of the tree as the bark grows over the vascular cambium: This statement is misleading. While the vascular cambium does remain between the bark and wood as the tree grows, it does not move toward the center; rather, new layers of wood and bark form outward from the cambium.
• It is the outermost layer of tree bark: This statement is incorrect. The vascular cambium is not the outermost layer; it is located just inside the bark, between the phloem and the xylem.
• It is located at the very center of a tree trunk: This statement is incorrect. The vascular cambium is not located at the center of the trunk; it is located between the outer bark and the inner wood. The center of the trunk consists of older xylem and heartwood.