Xylem

I'm using the tropical tree genus Pandanus as a model in my endeavor to measure and predict the adaptive capacity of tropical plants to respond to climate change. I chose Pandanus because it is ecologically, culturally, economically, and spiritually important to people across the old world tropics: it's a keystone species in many ecosystems,: serving as food for a variety of animals, from lemurs to crabs to fish. Pandanus also stabilizes soil, preventing erosion of both slopes and strands. It was and is used in indigenous methods of construction, being used for clothes, homes, and (most impressively) in the sails the Polynesians used to settle the myriad islands of the Pacific. Pandanus is also used economically for its edible leaves or scented flowers. This genus also features in indigenous spirituality in some Polynesian and Melanesian belief systems. Additionally, Pandanus is widespread and occurs in a variety of environments, from the humid rainforests of SE Asia to the strands of Hawaii to the drylands of Madagascar.