Modification of three hardwoods with an N-methylol melamine compound and a metal-complex dye

This study evaluated the combined modification and staining of ash, beech and maple wood with a low molecular weight N-methylol melamine compound (NMM) and a metal-complex dye. Wood samples were treated with aqueous solutions of 10, 20 and 30 wt% NMM and 5 wt% of the dye. The treatment caused the fixation of the water-soluble dye by the NMM resin. Vacuum pressure impregnation of unsealed wood blocks did not result in different solution uptake and weight percent gain after curing among the three species, but sealing of the surfaces of the wood blocks to allow penetration only into one direction revealed easiest penetrability of beech followed by maple and ash. UV micro-spectrophotometry and light microscopy indicated that NMM was partly deposited in the cell wall and partly in the lumens. Penetration of the metal-complex dye was shown by means of X-ray micro-analysis (SEM–EDX). The study shows that a combined resin modification and staining of the three wood species tested is possible and that NMM causes fixation of the water-soluble dye.     

A review of the utilisation of hardwoods for LVL

This review on the use of hardwoods for the production of LVL revealed that a large number of research studies have been carried out, particularly in North America and three Asian countries (Japan, Malaysia and China). However, the studies have been restricted to species of low to medium density, i.e. 290 to 693 kg/m³. Two major potential uses of hardwood LVL have been investigated in these studies: domestic and industrial structures, and various furniture components. The production of structural LVL in North America and Asia was based predominantly on low density hardwoods. A study currently carried out in Europe aims at using medium density hardwoods for structural LVL. The LVL used for furniture components was produced from medium density hardwoods. No work has been undertaken outside Australia on the use of high density species for LVL. In Australia, studies undertaken on the production of LVL and hardwood plywood from eucalypts revealed that there were significant problems in gluing the dense raw material which often had a high level of extractives. Peeling low quality, small diameter eucalypt logs also created problems when the traditional plywood processing techniques were used. Received 7 July 1997     

A method for measuring vessel-free density distribution in hardwoods

A new method for rapid measurement of vessel-free density distribution in hardwood samples cut from increment cores is proposed. The method represents a specialised form of computer tomography which combines the data of X-ray microdensitometry with the information obtained from optical images of the transverse surface of the sample. The tests of the method using a Eucalyptus nitens sample show significant improvement in the accuracy of density determination compared with conventional X-ray densitometry. Received 30 June 1997     

Silviculture of hardwoods in Great Britain

Many changes have occurred over the last 70 years: broadleavesno longer exceed conifers in area and coppice has declined markedly.While we see many neglected woods, especially on farms, thedepressingly poor quality of muchoak which Guillebaud lamentsis not now viewed so seriously. Today, broadleaves are grownfor a wider variety of objectives and not just for fine timber.While excellent stem form remains highly desirable, achievingit is notso critical where amenity, conservation or landscapeobjectives are uppermost. A major advance since Guillebaud's time is more rapid establishmentowing to herbicides and tree shelters though we still plantbroadleaves too far apart. Natural regeneration is again beingencouraged but we now have to add grey squirrels and muntjacdeer causing severe depredations besides the animals Guillebaudlisted. Broadleaves have a much more favourable press today becausethey are favoured for many more uses than simply timber production.This shift is the greatest contrast with 70 years ago and thegreatest influence on what silvicultural practices to adopt.     

园林植物抗寒性测定技术的研究

阐述并比较分析了目前园林植物抗寒性测定的主要方法,包括生态学鉴定法、越冬适应性观察法、生长恢复法以及间接鉴定法等,为准确、快捷鉴定园林植物的抗寒能力提供参考。     

An experimental assessment of driving forces for drying in hardwoods

Summary An investigation has been carried out into whether the internal moisture movement inside Australian hardwood timber is best described by a diffusion model with driving forces based on gradients in moisture content or in partial pressure of water vapour. Experimental data from two sets of drying schedules applied to timber from three species of Australian hardwoods (yellow stringybark, spotted gum and ironbark) reported in Langrish et al. (1997) have been used to assess the use of the two driving forces, and the standard error has been used as the criterion for goodness of fit. Moisture-content driving forces have fitted the data better than a model based on vapour-pressure driving forces alone. The use of moisture-content driving forces with diffusion parameters obtained from data from one drying schedule is also better in predicting the drying behaviour with another schedule than vapour-pressure driving forces for yellow stringybark and ironbark. These results may be due to the complexity of the moisture-movement process through timber, with more than one moisture-transport mechanism being active, so that the use of only one driving force for moisture movement is at best only an approximation to the true behaviour.Symbols D diffusion coefficient, m² s^–1 (moisture-content gradient), m³ s kg^–1 (vapour-pressure gradient) - D_e activation energy, K - D_r pre-exponential factor m² s^–1 (moisture-content gradient), m³ kg^–1 (vapour-pressure gradient) - J mass flux of water divided by density, m s^–1 - t time, s - x position, m - X moisture content, kg kg^–1 This work has been supported by the Australian Research Council, the Ian Potter and George Alexander Foundations, and The University of Sydney Research Grant Scheme.     

Observations of trabeculae in New Zealand hardwoods

Summary During a survey on the anatomy of New Zealand native woods, trabeculae were observed in the xylem cells of 6 hardwood species endemic to New Zealand. They were not found in a further 216 species. In some species they were observed only in the vessel members while in others they occurred in the vessel members, fibres and axial parenchyma cells. Their diameter is proportional to the thickness of the host cell wall. The similarites and differences between these trabeculae and those described as occurring in softwoods and other hardwoods are discussed. No explanation is proposed for their origin.We are indebted to the Conservators of Forests for Nelson and Westland, and to the Egmont, Abel Tasman, Urewera and Arthur's Pass National Park Boards for permission to collect wood samples; and also to Mr R. R. Exley, Physics and Engineering Laboratory D.S.I.R. for technical assistance.     

Chemical characterization of the ashes of some African hardwoods

Summary Six African hardwoods (Nauclea diderrichii, Chlorophora excelsa; Lovoa trichilioides; Gosswailerodendron balsamiferum; Bombax buonopozense and Hevea brasiliensis) were ashed. The percentage ash content of the woods was determined, and the ash samples were analyzed for soluble base (as K₂CO₃); Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mn²⁺ and Fe³⁺.     

Chemical characterization of the ashes of some African hardwoods

Summary Eight African hardwoods of commercial interest (Mimusops djave; Mitragyna ciliata; Celtis mildbraedii; Antiaris africana; Terminalia superba; Daniella ogea; Entandrophragma cylindricum; and Afrormosia elata) were ashed. The percentage ash content of the woods was determined and the ash samples were analysed for soluble base (as K₂CO₃), Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺. A link between the densities of the woods and the Ca²⁺ content of their ash was established.     

Financial analysis of diameter-limit cut stands in northern hardwoods

Diameter-limit cutting of stands in the US northeast is a common practice often thought to give the landowner the highest financial returns. A landowner’s decision to diameter-limit cut or use some other harvesting option on a given stand involves examining mutually exclusive investments. Previous research that compared diameter-limit cutting to other harvesting options implicitly assumed these were independent investments. This paper develops analytical models to examine a variety of harvesting options for a single stand, including diameter-limit cutting, as mutually exclusive investments, and with stand and financial parameters defined by the landowner. These models are used to examine implications of changes in the financial parameters for harvesting options. It is found that no simple guidelines can be laid down for choice of harvesting options to maximise the net present value of stands with respect to diameter-limit cutting compared to other harvesting options. The empirical examples reveal that which harvesting option has the largest net present value depends on the parameters of the landowner’s stand and the financial parameters chosen by the landowner. The analysis illustrates the importance of understanding the interrelationships between the financial and stand parameters in determining whether a diameter-limit cut is in fact the best financial option for a landowner.     

海南红豆等五种阔叶树种在矿山迹地生长情况比较

在矿山迹地上引种红胶木、海南红豆、土沉香、水蒲桃、仪花5种阔叶树种,营造植被恢复试验林,通过生长比较,找出了红胶木、海南红豆、土沉香为适生树种。     

Evaluation of quality indexes of bending performance and hardness for hardwoods

The mechanical properties of 613 small clear specimens of 35 species (11 ring-porous hardwoods, 19 diffuse-porous hardwoods, and 5 softwoods) were evaluated. The aim of the study was to examine indexes of wood quality that are easy to measure and that exhibit a high correlation with bending performance and hardness that are essential properties of hardwood products. The modulus of rigidity, dynamic modulus of elasticity, bending properties (modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, stress at the proportional limit, absorbed energy, Tetmajer’s modulus), dynamic energy absorption by an impact bending test, compressive strength parallel to the grain, shear strength, partial bearing strength, and Brinell’s hardness were measured. A high correlation was found between dynamic modulus of elasticity and static modulus of elasticity. Bending stress at the proportional limit was found to be approximately equivalent to the compressive strength parallel to the grain. Static energy absorption correlated with dynamic energy absorption. Tetmajer’s modulus was found to be closely related to the ratio of the initial stiffness within the elastic range to the secant modulus at the maximum load. A high correlation was observed between Brinell’s hardness and partial bearing strength. The difference in the regression coefficients obtained for these correlations between the species groups was small. Part of this study was presented at the All Division 5 Conference of IUFRO, Taipei, October 2007     

Potential specialty timber markets for hardwoods of Western Queensland,Australia

Small volumes of timber from Acacia and Eucalyptus woodlands of western Queensland, Australia, have achieved high prices in specialty timber markets, which has aroused the interest of landholders. A postal survey of 225 domestic and international specialty timber product manufacturers was undertaken to determine current utilisation of these lesser-known species, establish their suitability for various product markets, ascertain desirable timber dimensions and condition, and estimate potential future domestic and international demand. An overall response rate of 31% was achieved. Responses indicated that current utilisation of these timbers is probably not more than 200 m³/yr. Nevertheless, respondents generally indicated that western Queensland hardwoods are highly suited to the manufacture of specialty timber products, including small-scale furniture items, custom knife handles and musical instruments, and that they have high export potential. Some furniture and musical instrument manufacturers indicated they would be willing to pay up to $3,000/m³ and $30,000/m³ respectively, for small volumes of high-quality appropriately processed western hardwoods. Large, well-directed marketing campaigns will be necessary to expand specialty timber markets for western Queensland hardwoods.     

Measuring and modeling the variation in species-specific transpiration in temperate deciduous hardwoods

We investigated which parameters required by the MAESTRA model were most important in predicting leaf-area-based transpiration in 5-year-old trees of five deciduous hardwood species-yoshino cherry (Prunus x yedoensis Matsum.), red maple (Acer rubrum L. 'Autumn Flame'), trident maple (Acer buergeranum Miq.), Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata Lindl. 'Kwanzan') and London plane-tree (Platanus x acerifolia (Ait.) Willd.). Transpiration estimated from sap flow measured by the heat balance method in branches and trunks was compared with estimates predicted by the three-dimensional transpiration, photosynthesis and absorbed radiation model, MAESTRA. MAESTRA predicted species-specific transpiration from the interactions of leaf-level physiology and spatially explicit micro-scale weather patterns in a mixed deciduous hardwood plantation on a 15-min time step. The monthly differences between modeled mean daily transpiration estimates and measured mean daily sap flow ranged from a 35% underestimation for Acer buergeranum in June to a 25% overestimation for A. rubrum in July. The sensitivity of the modeled transpiration estimates was examined across a 30% error range for seven physiological input parameters. The minimum value of stomatal conductance as incident solar radiation tends to zero was determined to be eight times more influential than all other physiological model input parameters. This work quantified the major factors that influence modeled species-specific transpiration and confirmed the ability to scale leaf-level physiological attributes to whole-crown transpiration on a species-specific basis.     

Development of canopy stratification during early succession in northern hardwoods

Canopy development on a 6-year-old strip cut was analyzed by measuring the heights to terminal buds and bud scale scars of the tallest individuals of each species present on 50 plots of radius 6 m. Phenology of height growth was monitored during the following growing season. Pin cherry (Prunus pensylvania L.), an intolerant short-lived tree, had the fastest growth rate and was on the average the tallest species from the second to the sixth year of regrowth. Although advance regeneration of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and beech (Fagus grandifoloa Ehrh.) were the tallest trees during the first growing season, their slower growth rate insured that they would not keep up with the pin cherry. Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), striped maple (Acer pensylvanicum L.) and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) occupied an intermediate position in the canopy by the end of the sixth growing season, and showed relatively greater annual height increment than beech or sugar maple. Height growth phenology differed slightly for each species. Beech, ash (Fraxinus americana L.) and sugar maple commenced growth early, grew rapidly and set buds all by 1 August (beech by 15 June). Yellow birch, pin cherry and trembling aspen started growing as early as the others, grew more slowly at first but then grew for a longer period of time. Striped maple seemed to be somewhat intermediate. Growth phenology and growth rate are related to the tolerance and growth form type (e.g. determinate or indeterminate) of the species. The most tolerant species tend to be determinate in growth form, have slower growth rates and complete height growth earlier. The intolerant species tend to be indeterminate, have a faster growth rate and continue to grow for a longer period. These may be mechanisms by which many species can grow together and avoid adverse effects such as suppression.     

Pattern of parenchyma and canal resin composition in softwoods and hardwoods

There is a general pattern of resin chemistry for parenchyma cells and secretory tissue. In sapwood the parenchyma resin is composed of fats, steryl esters, and occasionally waxes. Secretory tissue (most often resin canals) contains terpenes, terpenoids, and polyisoprenes. Other types of canal resin occur in a few hardwood families. The pattern is valid for softwoods and hardwoods. It has been defined from a comparison of available information on wood chemistry, wood anatomy, and the chemistry of oleoresin exudates from trees. This is a short overview with the most important references of two detailed reports.     

Landscape-level effects of forest management on faunal diversity in bottomland hardwoods

Forest management activities potentially influence ecosystems at many spatial scales. For most forest systems, influences at the stand level have been most intensively studied and are best understood. Management impacts at the larger, landscape scale are poorly understood and many hypotheses regarding landscape-level effects remain untested. This lack of knowledge is particularly acute in bottomland hardwood forest (BLH) ecosystems. Most hypotheses regarding landscape-level impacts were derived from theories about island biogeography and metapopulations. Thus, species presence and productivity sometimes are viewed as functions of patch characteristics such as size, shape, amount of edge, degree of isolation from larger, similar habitats, time since isolation, and dispersal, immigration, and extinction rates. Recommendations for mitigating fragmentation effects often include maintenance of reserves, increasing patch size, reducing edges, and enhancing connectivity through the use of corridors. While many of these theories are intuitively sound, there are few data to demonstrate their effectiveness in landscapes dominated by managed forests, including BLH forests. We suggest that high priority be given to using adaptive management to simultaneously test hypotheses about how biotic communities function in managed, BLH landscapes. Such information would help managers understand the consequences of their activities, provide them with more flexibility, and improve their ability to protect biological diversity while also meeting society's needs for forest resources.     

A simulation of the development and restoration of old-growth structural features in northern hardwoods

Thinning treatments in second-growth forest may be a practical means of accelerating the development of certain old-growth structural features in regions where old stands are presently uncommon. We used CANOPY, an individual-tree model calibrated with data from thinned and unthinned stands, to simulate effects of thinning on growth rates and development of old-growth structural features in second-growth northern hardwoods. Three simulated, moderately heavy thinnings over a period of 45 years nearly doubled the predicted mean radial increment of canopy trees, percent of stand basal area in large trees, and area of canopy gaps. Compared to untreated stands, thinned stands had fewer dead trees per ha, but the dead trees were larger in size and the overall volume of snags and logs was little affected. In a 77-year old even-aged stand, moderately heavy thinning was predicted to reduce the time needed to attain the minimum structural features of an old-growth forest from 79 to 36 years. Simulated treatments in an older, uneven-aged stand gave mixed results; the moderately heavy treatment stimulated individual tree growth, but the removal of some medium-sized canopy trees in conjunction with natural mortality delayed the development of old-growth structure. Total volume of dead wood may still be deficient under the thinning regimes investigated in this study, but predicted live-tree structure 45 years after moderately heavy thinning was typical of stands in the advanced transition and steady-state stages of old-growth development. Results suggest that thinning can substantially accelerate the development of old-growth structure in pole and mature northern hardwoods, but response in older, uneven-aged stands is more modest, and treatments in these stands may need to be more conservative to achieve restoration goals.     

Modeling changes in habitat conditions in northern hardwoods forests of the Adirondack Mountains of New York

Interest in enhancing the management of forest timber and wildlife resources has stimulated the development of modeling techniques to predict changes in timber and wildlife habitat characteristics. We assess the potential of combining models which predict forest structure with those which assess habitat quality to predict changes in forest habitat characteristics. We measured variables important to simulating forest growth and evaluating wildlife habitat in even-aged stands making up an 80 year chronosequence, and developed mathematical relationships between these sets of variables. The regression relationships were generally excellent (r² or R² > 0.63), and most habitat variables were strongly related to stand age. In earlier work, we incorporated these models into FORET, a model that successfully simulates succession in hardwoods forests of the eastern USA. In the present study, we adapted FORET to accommodate the growing season and species composition of northern hardwoods forests of the Adirondack Mountains of New York, creating a new model called FORDACK. We compared stand measurements with output generated by the model. FORDACK accurately simulated changes in structural characteristics of vegetation and predicted which species would be present in very low densities, but did not successfully predict the relative densities of the dominant species. Predictions were closest to actual conditions from 20 to 50 years after regeneration. The model performed well in predicting trends in habitat variables such as canopy height and closure. Departures of simulated conditions from the actual were greatest early (less than 20 years) and late in stand development (more than 50 years). Poor performance in predicting species composition may be related to excluding management history and site characteristics from the model. The approach exemplified by FORDACK shows good potential for predicting structural characteristics of wildlife habitat.