Keisham Bindyalaxmi, Binu N Kamalolbhavan, A. V. Santhoshkumar, P. Boominathan
Bark photosynthesis is a vital non-foliar physiological process that supports the carbon economy and enhances stress resilience in woody trees.It serves as an adaptive mechanism to withstand drought, enabling the continuous refixation of respiratory carbon dioxide and helping to maintain the tree's carbon reserves.This process primarily occurs in woody deciduous and arid species.It can persist in extreme environments when leaf photosynthesis ceases, acting as an essential survival bridge for trees in harsh conditions.The review aims to elucidate the anatomical locations and physiological mechanisms underlying bark photosynthesis.It also examines environmental factors such as light availability, temperature, and water status, along with structural traits such as bark thickness and chloroplast distribution, that influence its rate.The ecological and functional significance of this process in improving drought tolerance by facilitating embolism repair is also discussed.Understanding this trait is crucial for comprehending whole-tree carbon dynamics, restoring degraded extreme sites, and developing climate resilience strategies using species with high bark photosynthetic capacity.