Bound Water  - Trees load water in the form of free water (flowing).  As vessels or tracheids are loaded and then plugged, the water is moved, by means of apoplastic movement, to where it is bound to cell walls of cellulose.  The S2 layer to be specific.    When water is bonded to the cellulose, the water is called bound water.  Because it is bonded to the cellulose it does not freeze as liquid water does.  Remember, the bonding power of the hydrogen bond is very weak.  It takes little to pull it apart.  The bound water not only prevents freezing and acts to prevent pathogens from invading; the bound water also is a unique way for trees to store water.  Trees supercool. 
(See WATER AND TREES, SHIGO, 2001)


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