On the other hand, a deep cut along one side of the trunk would disrupt completely both nutrient flow in the phloem and fluid movement in the xylem, but only in the narrow band of elements actually destroyed. The rest of the trunk would continue to provide a conduit for necessary fluids and the sugars and other organic foodstuffs manufactured by the leaves. Sometimes, it is possible for trees to survive even though their heartwood has rotted or burned. Although this diminishes their strength, it does not reduce their ability to transport nutrients, and so they survive.
Stripping a thin layer of bark completely around a tree trunk will kill the tree, but a deep gouge along one side will not. Why?
On the other hand, a deep cut along one side of the trunk would disrupt completely both nutrient flow in the phloem and fluid movement in the xylem, but only in the narrow band of elements actually destroyed. The rest of the trunk would continue to provide a conduit for necessary fluids and the sugars and other organic foodstuffs manufactured by the leaves. Sometimes, it is possible for trees to survive even though their heartwood has rotted or burned. Although this diminishes their strength, it does not reduce their ability to transport nutrients, and so they survive.