Summary
This project improves understanding of how trees store, move, and use carbon by focusing on sugar maple (Acer saccharum). Sugar maple is an important tree species in northeastern North America and it is the foundation of the region’s rapidly growing maple syrup industry. Trees play a vital role in Earth system function by storing carbon, yet key aspects of how carbon is allocated within living trees—especially during periods without leaves—remain poorly understood. Sugar maple offers a unique natural system to address these knowledge gaps because sap extraction removes stored carbon during lat
