One concept was called compartmentalization. Trees survived so long as they could compartmentalize the infections. Wood-inhabiting microorganisms survived so long as they could compete successfully in successions as the wood in the compartments was digested. This was the other concept. Compartmentalization then served the survival time for trees and the succession concept served microorganisms that attacked trees.
Compartmentalization is under moderate to strong genetic control.
The ability of microorganisms to compete successfully with others and to spread within the compartments is also under genetic control. These concepts help explain long-term survival of trees and their associates. Some of the associates benefit the tree while others act against the tree. However, while events are happening, the tree as a generating system is growing new parts in new spatial positions. In this sense, the tree does not heal or restore injured and infected tissues.