Variation Within Trees of Wood Anatomical Properties in Chinese-Fir Plantation and Their Relationship Modeling Equations

A comprehensive analysis on the variation pattern of early- and latewood tracheid morphological parameters along tree (Cunninghamia lanceolata Hook.) height, including length and width, wall thickness, tissue proportion, cell wall percentage, width of growth rings, and on the relationship among them are conducted. The results indicate an initially rapid and then gentle increase of tracheid length and width, thickness of the radial wall and tangential wall of tracheid, area percentage of tracheid from pith to outward, while S2 microfibril angle (Mfa) of tracheid, and rays percentage gradually decrease and then tend to be stable. The variation of all anatomical parameters but earlywood cell wall thickness shows no significance along tree height. The radial variation pattern of width of growth rings is characterized with initially slight decrease followed immediately by a rapid and then much more gentle increase from pith to outward. The delimitation age between juvenile and mature wood is 14-16 years. Com     

Response to climate changes in radial growth of Picea crassifolia in the Qilian mountains of northwestern China

In order to investigate the response to climate changes in radial growth of Picea crassifolia at the lower tree line in the middle Qilian mountains in northwestern China, relationships of standardized chronologies of annua ring, earlywood and latewood widths with mean monthly temperature and total monthly precipitation were analyzed by ways of correlation and pointer year analyses. The results show that annual ring, earlywood and latewood widths are significantly negatively correlated with mean monthly temperature in June and Juy. Annual ring and eadywooc widths are significantly and positively correlated with tOtal monthly precipitation in March, May and June and negatively correlated with total monthly precipitation in September. Latewood width is less sensitive to climate changes than the width of earlywood and insignificantly sensitive to precipitation. The results of pointer year analysis revealed that whet summer temperatures are higher than the mean summer temperature synchronization and the summer precipitatior lower than mean summer precipitation synchronization, narrow annual rings are formed. Wide annual rings are formec~ when summer temperatures are lower than the mean summer temperature synchronization and summer precipitation higher than mean summer precipitation synchronization. The results indicate that more precipitation in the spring and summer is helpful for radial growth while warmer summer restricts radial growth of P. crassifolia at the lower tree line in the middle Qilian mountains.     

Scots pine responses to elevated temperature and carbon dioxide concentration: growth and wood properties

Growth and wood properties of 20-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees were studied for 6 years in 16 closed chambers providing a factorial combination of two temperature regimes (ambient and elevated) and two carbon dioxide concentrations ([CO2]) (ambient and twice ambient). The elevation of temperature corresponded to the predicted effect at the site of a doubling in atmospheric [CO2]. Annual height and radial growth and wood properties were analyzed during 1997-2002. Physical wood properties analyzed included early- and latewood widths and their proportions, intra-ring wood densities, early- and latewood density and mean fiber length. Chemical wood properties analyzed included concentrations of acetone-soluble extractives, lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose. There were no significant treatment effects on height growth during the 6-year study. Elevated [CO2] increased ring width by 66 and 47% at ambient and elevated temperatures, respectively. At ambient [CO2], elevated temperature increased ring width by 19%. Increased ring width in response to elevated [CO2] resulted from increases in both early- and latewood width; however, there was no effect of the treatments on early- and latewood proportions. Mean wood density, earlywood density and fiber length increased in response to elevated temperature. The chemical composition of wood was affected by elevated [CO2], which reduced the cellulose concentration, and by elevated temperature, which reduced the concentration of acetone-soluble extractives. Thus, over the 6-year period, radial growth was significantly increased by elevated [CO2], and some wood properties were significantly affected by elevated temperature or elevated [CO2], or both, indicating that climate change may affect the material properties of wood.     

Wood properties of young Douglas-fir in Southern Italy: results over a 12-year post-thinning period

This paper describes the study of a 31-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stand located in Southern Italy, which was thinned 19 years after planting. The aim of the study is to evaluate the influence of three thinning treatments (unthinned, selective, and geometrical) performed twelve years later on wood density (WD), moisture content, shrinkage, ring width (RW), latewood proportion (LW%), modulus of elasticity, compression (CS), and bending strength (BS). The WD was higher in the unthinned stand. LW% and BS were lowest in the selective thinning and in the geometrical thinning, respectively. No significant differences were found in other variables. In addition, the thinning processes mostly affected the medium tree class more than the dominant and suppressed ones. Regression analysis established a correlation between mechanical characteristics and WD, RW and LW%. Mechanical strength is strongly correlated with WD than other variables. The stepwise model showed that WD and RW are most closely related to the behavior of CS, whereas only WD explained variation in BS. Stand density reduction may improve the development of stands without greatly affecting wood quality.     

Response to the interaction of thinning and pruning of pine species in Mediterranean mountains

Pruning allows knot-free timber to be obtained, thereby increasing the value of the highest-value wood products. However, the effect of pruning on growth is under discussion, and knowledge about the tree response to the simultaneous development of thinning and pruning is scarce. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of the interaction of thinning and pruning on tree and stand level and the annual radial growth of two pine species native to Mediterranean mountains. We used long-term data of three trials installed in pine stands where several combinations of pruning and thinning were developed. Five inventories were carried out for each trial, and the mean dasometric features of the different treatments were compared using linear mixed models including a competition index. In addition, we collected cores from ten trees per plot in order to evaluate the annual response of trees to the thinning and pruning. We analyzed the annual radial growth using a semiparametric approach through a smooth penalized spline including rainfall and temperature covariates. Pruning did not show any effect on growth. However, larger diameter and increased annual radial growth were found in thinned plots, both with and without pruning, as compared to unthinned plots. Also, we found significant effects of climate on annual radial growth. We recommend the application of thinning and pruning in stands of Mediterranean mountains in order to get knot-free timber since growth reduction was not found in thinned stands.     

Climatic signal from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus leucodermis</Emphasis> axial resin ducts: a tree-ring time series approach

Developing long-term chronologies of tree-ring anatomical features to evaluate climatic relationships within species might serve as an annual proxy to explore and elucidate the climatic drivers affecting xylem differentiation. Pinus leucodermis response to climate was examined by analyzing vertical xylem resin ducts in wood growing at high elevation in the Apennines of peninsular Southern Italy. Early- and latewood tree-ring resin duct chronologies, spanning the 1804–2010 time period, were constructed. We analyzed the relationships between resin duct chronologies and climate over the last century using correlation and response function analyses. Overall, results showed that ring width and resin duct relationships differed between early- and latewood, which indicated conditions affecting growth were not associated with resin duct production. Results also revealed differential responses to climate between early- and latewood resin duct chronologies. A notable observation was a positive and stable relationship between latewood resin duct number chronology and July maximum temperature throughout the twentieth century. This result suggested resin ducts might be a suitable proxy to evaluate P. leucodermis response to climate in the study area.     

Effects of thinning on soil and tree water relations, transpiration and growth in an oak forest (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.)

To quantify the effects of crown thinning on the water balance and growth of the stand and to analyze the ecophysiological modifications induced by canopy opening on individual tree water relations, we conducted a thinning experiment in a 43-year-old Quercus petraea stand by removing trees from the upper canopy level. Soil water content, rainfall interception, sap flow, leaf water potential and stomatal conductance were monitored for two seasons following thinning. Seasonal time courses of leaf area index (LAI) and girth increment were also measured. Predawn leaf water potential was significantly higher in trees in the thinned stand than in the closed stand, as a consequence of higher relative extractable water in the soil. The improvement in water availability in the thinned stand resulted from decreases in both interception and transpiration. From Year 1 to Year 2, an increase in transpiration was observed in the thinned stand without any modification in LAI, whereas changes in transpiration in the closed stand were accompanied by variations in LAI. The different behaviors of the closed and open canopies were interpreted in terms of coupling to the atmosphere. Thinning increased inter-tree variability in sap flow density, which was closely related to a leaf area competition index. Stomatal conductance varied little inside the crown and differences in stomatal conductance between the treatments appeared only during a water shortage and affected mainly the closed stand. Thinning enhanced tree growth as a result of a longer growing period due to the absence of summer drought and higher rates of growth. Suppressed and dominant trees benefited more from thinning than trees in the codominant classes.     

Variation in treatability of Scots pine sapwood: a survey of 25 different northern European locations

The treatability of Scots pine sapwood sampled from 25 locations in northern Europe, which was impregnated with an experimental furfuryl alcohol mix, was studied. A large variation in treatability was found between stands. The treatability was affected by anatomical properties of the trees and therefore also by the immediate climate, the sociological position of the tree in the stand, growth increments and on-stand competition. With the models applied, most parts of the differences in treatability between stands could be explained, while the treatability variation between trees within a stand remained mostly unexplained. Wider annual rings and higher latewood contents were found to increase the treatability. Models that included data on growth conditions and climate explain more of the variation in treatability, indicating that also other anatomical properties are influencing the treatability. Tree attributes and growth conditions that reduce annual ring width and latewood content decreased the treatability. Trees growing under warmer conditions and developing larger growth increments were easier to impregnate. Wood from trees growing near the timberline and under environmental conditions impairing wood growth was more difficult to treat.     

Statics and kinetics of water vapor sorption of small loblolly pine samples

A better understanding of the sorption behavior of different wood structures could be useful in protecting wood against wood deterioration and fungal attack. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of differences among earlywood, latewood, and tree ring location within the stem cross-section of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) on the sorption kinetics and statics of water vapor under ambient conditions. The water vapor sorption of earlywood and latewood in different tree rings was recorded using a dynamic contact angle analyzer under relative humidity changes from 11 to 89%, as provided by saturated salt solutions. Earlywood had higher sorption rates and diffusion coefficients than latewood, while outer tree rings had higher sorption rates and diffusion coefficients than inner tree rings. The sorption isotherms of earlywood, latewood, and different tree ring locations within the stem cross-section were fitted very well by a Hailwood–Horrobin model.     

Effect of thinning on the ring characteristics of Japanese cedar plantation trees

The purpose of this study was to explore the ring characteristics of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) tree growth with thinning and unthinning regimes. The trees grown with thinning regimes increased in average ring width (RW), earlywood width, latewood width, ring density (RD), earlywood density, latewood density, maximum ring density, and latewood percentage (LWP) for the entire period of 16 years after thinning, as compared to those grown with unthinning regimes. The RW and RD components showed different reactions lasting several years after thinning. Overall, thinning caused immediate production (first year) of higher RD, lasting for several years; however, wider RW was delayed up to several years after treatment. There was a weak relationship between RW (growth rate) and wood density; and there were significant positive relationships between the RD and LWP. The results suggest that the compression wood produced after thinning.     

Interaction between moisture, nutrients and growth of white spruce in interior Alaska

Two thinning and fertilization studies, the first in 1969 and the second in 1971, were established to evaluate the question of nutrient limitation to tree growth and the consequences of stand manipulation of soil moisture supply. Fertilizer was applied yearly for the first 5 years in both studies; growth response has been measured through 1987. Results indicate that thinning is necessary to obtain a growth response to fertilizer applied at the rate of 111 kg nitrogen ha⁻¹. The response to fertilization after fertilization ended lasted for 4 years in plots thinned to 800 stems ha⁻¹, while a significant response continued for only 2 years in plots thinned to 1600 stems ha⁻¹.

A soil water-balance model was calibrated for the control and treatment plots of these two studies. Soil water-deficits were estimated and correlated with yearly average basal-area growth per tree. Results indicated that there is a correlation between seasonal soil-moisture deficit and growth during the years when soil moisture was measured for the unthinned control plots (r² = −0.787, P = 0.002) but not for the thinned and fertilized plots (r² = −0.652, P = 0.057).     

Transversal tracheid dimension in thinned black spruce and Jack pine stands in the boreal forest

Abstract

Commercial thinning has recently been applied in the boreal forest of Quebec (Canada) to increase the volume growth of the residual trees. We aimed to discover if the growth response influences the transversal tracheid dimension of thinned black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) and Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) stands at 0.2 m stem height. All 20 studied stands have shown a significant growth response after the treatment (p<0.0001), especially trees with the lowest radial growth before thinning in comparison with the stand mean. Growing conditions met by suppressed trees before thinning might favour them in the competition for light, water and biomass production after the treatment. Trees with a positive growth response did not significantly modify their measured transversal tracheid dimension except for trees which increased twofold their ring-width after thinning. In this case, lumen area and radial cell diameter extended significantly. However individuals with a growth decrease after thinning registered significantly lower values in their ring width, earlywood and latewood cell numbers (p<0.0001) in both species.     

秃杉抚育间伐初步研究

通过对安溪县福前农场造林密度为2 505株.hm-2的9年生秃杉林分设置极强度间伐(60%)、强度间伐(40%)、弱度间伐(20%)及不间伐(对照)4个处理,间伐3 a后,调查林分胸径、树高、单株材积、蓄积量等指标,研究不同间伐强度对其生长量的影响。结果表明:不同间伐强度对林分胸径生长、单株材积、蓄积量的影响都达到显著水平,而对树高生长有一定影响,但差异不显著。综合分析表明,对9年生的秃杉林分,选择强度间伐(间伐总株数的40%)进行抚育间伐较为合适。     

油松株内幼龄材与成熟材材性的比较研究

本文就中条山油松株内幼龄材与成熟材材性差异的比较研究,讨论对幼龄期划分的依据。根据木材解剖特征、物理力学性质的径向变异规律,确定其幼龄期为14年。随着树干高度的增加,油松木材幼龄期逐渐缩短、株内幼龄材范围及所占断面上的比例变小。株内幼龄材与成熟材材性差异显著。幼龄材管胞长度短、直径小,胞壁薄,微纤丝角度大,生长轮较宽,晚材率低,浸提物含量高,基本密度较大。幼龄材的力学强度远远小于成熟材。     

Ring characteristics and screw withdrawal resistance of naturally regenerated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chamaecyparis obtusa</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">formosana</Emphasis> trees

The ring characteristics and screw withdrawal resistance (SWR) of naturally regenerated Taiwan yellow cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa var. formosana) trees were explored. Significant differences in average ring width (RW), earlywood width, latewood width, ring density (RD), earlywood density (ED), latewood density (LD), highest density (D_max), lowest density (D_min), latewood percentage (LWP), and SWR were observed between trees, rings (SWR excluded), and tree height positions. The RW components in the radial direction increased from the pith outward to about the 3rd to 5th ring and then decreased to about the 25th ring; it was almost constantly sustained toward the bark side. The RD in the radial direction slowly decreased from the pith outward to the bark side. Average ring width and ring density were significantly affected by the various tree growth rates, radial ring numbers, and tree height positions. ED, LD, D_max, D_min, and LWP were the most important factors determining the overall RD. RW did not correlate with tree RD. SWR is correlated with ED, RD, D_min, LWP, and intra-ring density variation (IDV). Thus, the SWR can be used to predict wood density and in nondestructive evaluation of a living tree.     

桂西南马尾松人工林生长对不同强度采伐的动态响应

[目的]研究不同强度采伐下马尾松的生长动态,筛选适宜的采伐强度,为马尾松人工林近自然经营提供技术支撑。[方法]2007年10月在14年生马尾松人工林(保存密度1 100株·hm~(-2))内进行采伐试验,设置4个采伐强度,即保留密度分别为225、300、375、450株·hm~(-2),以不采伐为对照;其后,自2008年开始连续8 a,每2 a测定1次马尾松的胸径、树高、枝下高和冠面积等生长指标,并计算单株材积和林分蓄积量,应用方差分析和Duncan多重比较分析生长指标对不同采伐强度的动态响应。[结果]表明:采伐强度显著影响林分生长,其中,林分平均胸径、单株材积、冠面积的年均增长量随保留密度增大而减小,但均显著高于对照(P0.05)。采伐后第1 3年,马尾松冠面积增长量显著高于采伐后期,胸径则在采伐后第3 5年最高,而不同采伐强度对林分树高生长影响不明显。保留密度显著影响林分枝下高和蓄积量的动态变化,其年均增长量随密度增大而递增。5个处理间林分蓄积年均增长量的差异随林龄的增大而逐渐缩小。[结论]马尾松人工林生长对不同强度采伐的动态响应以树冠最敏感,冠面积首先陡然增大,进而引起胸径的快速生长。树高和枝下高在采伐后年均增量变化相对平稳。4个采伐强度均显著促进单株材积生长,而仅保留密度为225株·hm~(-2)的采伐对林分蓄积增长量影响显著。综合比较林分的单株材积和林分蓄积连年增长量,建议在桂西南15年生马尾松人工林近自然经营中宜选择300株·hm~(-2)的保留密度进行采伐。     

Influence of growth rate on specific gravity and other selected properties of loblolly pine

Summary Forty lobiolly pine trees were studied for the purpose of finding a possible reason for the growth rate-specific gravity controversy. In addition, properties such as specific gravity of earlywood and latewood, latewood percentage, and their relations with growth rate and specific gravity of wood were investigated.The results show that, in general, significant relationship do exist between specific gravity and number of rings per inch for growth rates ranging from approximately 3...8 rings per inch. Specific gravity was generally unrelated with slower growth rates, i.e., more than 8 rings per inch.Specific gravity of specimens having the same number of rings per inch varied according to height-decreasing with increasing height. Latewood percentage was related to number of rings per inch in a similar manner as specific gravity. Within a tree, latewood percentage of wood having the same number of rings per inch decreased with increasing height.Negative relationships between earlywood specific gravity and number of rings per inch were found to be significant for the 30 percent height and for all heights when combined. However, there was no significant relationship between latewood specific gravity and number of rings per inch. Average laterwood specific gravity decreased with height. Earlywood specific gravity only decreased from 5.3...30 percent height levels and then showed an increase. In general, wood properties such as specific gravity and latewood percentage of wood, specific gravity of earlywood and latewood, varied more from breast height to approximately the 30 percent height, than between equal distances above the 30 percent height level.     

Climatic significance of tree-ring width and intra-annual density fluctuations in Pinus pinea from a dry Mediterranean area in Portugal

In Mediterranean climates trees may go through two periods of dormancy, resulting in special anatomical features such as false rings and other intra-annual density fluctuations (IADFs). In this paper, ring growth and the presence of IADFs were studied in Pinus pinea L. growing in the coastal and inland regions of Alentejo (southern Portugal). In order to identify the triggering factors associated with the IADFs, a new classification was proposed for the IADFs in P. pinea: Type E (latewoodlike cells within earlywood); Type E+ (transition cells between earlywood and latewood); Type L (earlywoodlike cells within latewood) and Type L+ (earlywoodlike cells between latewood and earlywood of the next tree ring). Response function analyses showed that radial growth of P. pinea was strongly correlated with precipitation in southern Portugal. The climatic response of P. pinea was higher in the inland area where the summer drought is more severe, the winter temperatures are lower and the soils have low water-holding capacity, in comparison with the coastal area. IADFs were frequent in P. pinea and most of the IADFs were observed in latewood. The presence of IADFs was correlated with fluctuations in climate parameters during the growing season. The IADF type E+ was linked to precipitation events early in summer. The IADF type L and L+ were associated with above-average precipitation in early autumn.     

Canopy disturbance and tree recruitment over two centuries in a managed longleaf pine landscape

Disturbance history was reconstructed across an 11300 ha managed longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) landscape in southwestern Georgia, USA. Our specific objectives were to: (i) determine forest age structure; (ii) reconstruct disturbance history through the relationship between canopy disturbance, tree recruitment and growth; and (iii) explore the relationship between canopy disturbance and climate. Age structure, canopy disturbance events and initial growth patterns at coring height were examined by randomly sampling 1260 trees in 70 1.3 ha plots. Principal component analysis was used to group plots with similar age structures to gain insight into the dynamics between canopy disturbance and recruitment. Disturbance events were detected by large and rapid increases in radial growth. We tested the following hypothesis to investigate whether these growth increases could have been triggered by improved climatic conditions: precipitation and drought are positively correlated to radial growth releases. Only four stands (comprising <6% of the study area) had an even-aged structure. Further, tree recruitment prior to European settlement indicates that longleaf pine naturally recruited into areas 1.3 ha or less, supporting early-20th century observations that the primary longleaf pine forest was uneven-aged. Contrary to our hypothesis, growing season precipitation and drought was significantly and negatively correlated with canopy disturbance (radial growth releases), which indicates that a reconstruction of disturbance history could proceed with some confidence. Most trees sampled were recruited at coring height from 1910 to 1935. Of the 67 canopy disturbances detected from 1910 to 1935, the average growth release ranged from 139 to 277% per half decade suggesting the occurrence of large canopy disturbances. Rapid initial growth patterns of young trees during these years show evidence of reduced overstory competition and support the detected disturbance intensity. Our reconstruction of stand dynamics is markedly similar to independent records of local oral and written history, which gives an additional set of evidence that the disturbance detection methodology used can be useful in open-canopied forests. Stands with multiple cohorts reveal a mix of continuous minor and major canopy disturbances leading to continual tree recruitment, suggesting their applicability as models for long-term forest management. The significant relationship between climate and disturbance in our data suggests that with the expected warming over the next 100 years, climatic impacts on stand dynamics should be incorporated into long-term longleaf pine forest restoration and management.     

Thinning increases drought tolerance of European beech: a case study on two forested slopes on opposite sides of a valley

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is one of the economically most important broadleaved tree species in Central Europe. However, beech shows high drought sensitivity and calls for profound research to test its ability to cope with limited water resources. Here, we investigated the drought tolerance of beech to the 2003 drought as influenced by Kraft class, aspect and thinning intensity. Annual basal area increment data of 126 sample trees from southwest Germany were used to assess the variability of drought tolerance indices, by comparing three social classes (predominant, dominant and co-dominant), two contrasting sites [a dry southwest (SW) aspect and a moist northeast (NE) aspect], and three treatments [control, strong thinning (stand basal area 15 m² ha^?1) and very strong thinning (stand basal area 10 m² ha^?1)] in mature beech stands. Our results show that the co-dominant and dominant trees had lower growth recovery and lower growth resilience after the drought, compared to the predominant trees. The differences between aspects pointed to a growth–drought tolerance trade-off, in which trees on the SW aspect displayed lower growth rates but higher resilience indices than trees on the moist NE aspect. Furthermore, our results suggest that the resistance to and resilience after the 2003 drought significantly increased for the thinned trees. Our results provide novel insights into the linkage between the forest stand management and drought tolerance of beech under contrasting sites. We conclude that thinning can partially alleviate effects of severe drought on European beech forests in southwest Germany and can be applied as an adaptive measure to increase the mitigation potential of beech stands.