Heartwood, sapwood and bark content of teak trees grown in Karnataka, India

We evaluated heartwood, sapwood and bark content in teak trees. A total of 27 sample plots were laid out in teak plantations raised by State Forest Department in Karnataka covering different age groups...     

Chemical characterization of Pinus halepensis sapwood and heartwood

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the chemical composition of sapwood (SW) and heartwood (HW) of Pinus halepensis Mill stem. Extractives were first isolated by accelerated solvent extraction and then analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The cellulosic polysaccharide content present in the pre-extracted wood samples was determined with acid hydrolysis and GC. The hemicelluloses content was determined with acid methanolysis and GC. Free monomers were additionally analysed by GC. The amount of lignin was determined gravimetrically by the Klason lignin method and the acid-soluble lignin was determined by a UV method. Formic and acetic acids in wood were determined after alkaline hydrolysis and analysed by HP-SEC. It was found that lipophilic and hydrophilic extractives were more abundant in heartwood (1.6% and 2.5%) than in sapwood (1.1% and 1.8%). Celluloses content was higher in sapwood (42.5%) than in heartwood (39.7%), whereas lignin, hemicelluloses and sugar monomer contents were more abundant in heartwood (28.9%, 26.8% and 0.3%) than in sapwood (28.0%, 24.5% and 0.2%). The variation in acetic and formic acids and ash contents between sapwood (0.7%, 0.2% and 0.5%) and heartwood (0.6%, 0.1% and 0.4%) was small. The acetylation degrees were found to be slightly similar in sapwood (0.4) and heartwood (0.3).     

Development of heartwood,sapwood,bark,pith and specific gravity of teak(Tectona grandis) in fast-growing plantations in Costa Rica

To elucidate the development of heartwood,bark,sapwood,pith and specific gravity of wood in fastgrowing teak(Tectona grandis)plantations in Costa Rica,we sampled three trees in each of 55 plantations and modelled each variable with age,site and different tree heights.Age and stand density of plantations were significant correlated with stem diameter at breast height and total height of the tree.Formation of heartwood was initiated at the age of 4-year-old and increased in direct proportion with age.The age of plantation had a significant relationship with stem diameter at breast height,heartwood percentage,sapwood thickness,sapwood percentage,percentage of bark,pith diameter and percentage,and specify gravity.The model for these tree parameters was model with these parameters as dependent variable and in relation to age as independent variable.     

Variation of extractives content in heartwood and sapwood of Eucalyptus globulus trees

The variation in extractives content in sapwood and heartwood was investigated among 12 trees in each of four commercial plantations of Eucalyptus globulus in central Portugal. The study was carried out at the 15% height level and extractions used successively dichloromethane, ethanol and water. At all sites, heartwood had significantly more extractives than sapwood, on average 3.8 and 2.4%, respectively. Most extractives consisted of ethanol soluble material (on average 52% of total extractives). Among the sites, there was a statistically significant difference in the content of extractives but the most important source of variation was the within-tree variation between sapwood and heartwood. Differences in the content of extractives were also observed among trees. A strong relation between extractives content and heartwood proportion was found. The potential loss of pulp yield and problems associated with accumulation of extractives are directly related to the heartwood proportion in the eucalypt stems. Forest management should take into account heartwood development and selection for minimising heartwood extractives.     

Within-tree variation of heartwood and ring width in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.)

The development of heartwood and sapwood in maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) in relation with tree and cambial age and growth rate was studied in ten trees randomly sampled at harvest (54–85-year-old) in a commercial stand in central Portugal. Average ring width at stem base was 1.84 ± 0.34 mm for 50 years of age. Growth rate decreased with cambial age and for the same cambial age increased along the stem with tree height.

The number of heartwood rings was strongly correlated with cambial age. Heartwood formation was estimated to start at approximately 21 years of age and to proceed at a constant annual rate that increased with age (0.5 and 0.7 rings year⁻¹ below and above 50 years of age). Within the tree, heartwood decreased with stem height, but in the lower part of the stem two patterns of variation were shown: a continuous decrease or an increase from stem base to a maximum at 2–3 m and a decrease afterwards. Sapwood radial width remained approximately constant within the tree and correlated positively with tree growth.     

Douglas-fir and western larch: chemical and physical properties in relation to Douglas-fir bark beetle attack

Frequency of Douglas-fir bark beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), attack on western larch (Lark occidentalis Nutt.) was negatively correlated with 3-carene content of the xylem oleoresin. Concentrations of all oleoresin volatiles from stem cores of standing trees were higher in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) than in western larch with the single exception of 3-carene. Successful brood production by the Douglas-fir bark beetle in standing trees of Douglas-fir but not western larch may therefore be explained, at least in part, by the high 3-carene content of western larch. Other differences between the species that might affect susceptibility to beetle attack include thinner phloem, higher phloem moisture content and larger diameter vertical resin ducts in western larch compared with Douglas-fir. Live standing western larch had no oleoresin exudation pressure, suggesting that this trait is not associated with resistance to attack by the Douglas-fir bark beetle in this species.     

Fungal decomposition of sapwood and heartwood of European aspen,Populus tremula L.

In contrast to the woodrotting fungi which can only attack Populus tremula after felling, Phellinus tremulae successfully invades the central part of the living tree. Possible causes for this difference were investigated. It was found that sterile wood samples were decomposed more rapidly by saprophytic fungi than by parasitic fungi. With both types of fungi, heartwood was more resistant to decay than sapwood. It is postulated that living sapwood inhibits infection by most woodrotting fungi, but that P. tremulae can successfully overcome this barrier. This postulate cannot be confirmed by experiments using sterilized wood samples.     

Chemical composition of earlywood and latewood in Norway spruce heartwood,sapwood and transition zone wood

This study focused on the distribution of wood components along a cross section of a spruce stem. Thin samples of earlywood and latewood were analysed by special micro-scale analytical techniques. Heartwood contained significantly more lignin and less cellulose than sapwood. The total content of hemicelluloses was the same along the radial direction, but the distribution of sugar units differed. The amounts of arabinoglucuronoxylan and pectins were larger in the heartwood. The transition zone between heartwood and sapwood had a specific composition, with less lignin and lipophilic extractives than heartwood and sapwood. For earlywood and latewood, significant differences were found in the distribution of sugar units in hemicelluloses. Latewood contained clearly more galactoglucomannan than earlywood, and conversely less pectins. The lipophilic extractives were also less concentrated in the latewood.Abbreviations EW or E earlywood - LW or L latewood - HW heartwood - SW sapwood - TZ transition zone wood - A.R. annual ring - AcBr Acetyl bromide - Ara arabinose - Xyl xylose - Gal galactose - Glc glucose - Man mannose - Rha rhamnose - GlcA glucuronic acid - MGlcA 4-O-methyl-glucuronic acid - GalA galacturonic acid - o.d. oven dry     

Picea abies sapwood width: Variations within and between trees

Abstract

This study focused on the amount of sapwood and its variation by means of computed tomographic (CT) imaging. Twenty-four trees were selected from four Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] stands in north-eastern France, varying in age, density and fertility. In each stand, sampled trees represented the dominant, co-dominant and suppressed strata. The heartwood/sapwood boundary was detected from the CT images, and the heartwood and sapwood amount and their variations were then evaluated. At the within-tree level sapwood width was relatively constant along the tree stem above the butt swelling and below the living crown. The between-tree sapwood width variations were partially explained by the total cross-sectional area of living branches. This result opens up the possibility of investigating within-tree allometric relationships. Sapwood width was found to be highly correlated with tree slendemess (tree height/breast height diameter) and with the relative height of the crown. This suggests that sapwood width could be readily predicted from conventional forest inventory measurements. The number of sapwood rings within the stem was largely dependent on cambial age, and could be determined dynamically using the concept of mean lifetime of sapwood rings.     

Variation in wood density and ring width in Acacia melanoxylon at four sites in Portugal

The radial variation in wood density in Acacia melanoxylon R. Br. was studied using microdensitometry by sampling 20 trees with a 40-cm diameter class at four sites in Portugal. The measurements were taken from pith to bark at breast height. A. melanoxylon had an average ring density of 0.607 g cm^?3, ranging from 0.556 to 0.630 g cm^?3. The mean growth was 6.0 mm year^?1. Latewood corresponded, on average, to 34 % of the ring width. Between-tree variability at each site was the main source of variation in the density components, representing between 30 and 54 % of the total variation. Between-sites variability represented from 0 to 21 % of the total variation in density components. The environmental effects (site related) were more pronounced on latewood, while the genetic effect (tree related) was more evident in earlywood. Ring width, latewood percentage and heterogeneity index were independent from site, trees in site and age effects. The values of wood density and radial growth revealed that A. melanoxylon can be important as a commercial timber species in Portugal.     

Carbon in heartwood,sapwood and bark along the stem profile in three Mediterranean <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus</Emphasis> species

• Context   

Understanding biological processes in forests is necessary to orientate ecosystem management towards potential C sequestration. To achieve this, information is required about changes in forest biomass C pools, including the stem components (bark, sapwood and heartwood).     

Neutral lipids and phospholipids in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) sapwood and heartwood

Variations in the concentration and composition of triacylglycerols, free fatty acids and phospholipids were analyzed in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees at five sites. Disks were taken at breast height or at a height of 4 m from the stems of 81 trees differing in diameter and growth rate. The mean concentration of triacylglycerols in sapwood was 26 mg g(-1) dry mass; however, variation among trees was large (16-51 mg g(dm)(-1)). The concentration of triacylglycerols was slightly larger at 4 m height in the stem than at breast height. Concentrations of triacylglycerols did not differ between the sapwood of young and small-diameter stems (DBH < 12 cm) and the sapwood of old stems (DBH > 36 cm). Concentrations of free fatty acids were negligible in the outer sapwood, but ranged between 5 and 18 mg g(dm)(-1) in the heartwood. The most abundant fatty acids of triacylglycerols were oleic (18:1), linoleic (18:2omega6, 18:2Delta5,9), linolenic (pinolenic, 18:3Delta5,9,12 and 18:3omega3) and eicosatrienoic acid (20:3Delta5,11,14 and 20:3omega6). The concentration of linoleic acid comprised 39-46% of the triacylglycerol fatty acids and the concentration was higher in the slow-growing stem from northern Finland than in the stems from southern Finland. Major phospholipids were detected only in sapwood, and only traces of lipid phosphorus were detected in heartwood.     

Resistance of Pinus leucodermis heartwood and sapwood against the brown-rot fungus Coniophora puteana

Abstract

This study assessed the decay resistance of Pinus leucodermis wood to the brown-rot fungus Coniophora puteana. Based upon the median weight losses of 30.65% for heartwood and of 34.68% for sapwood obtained in the biological tests, both the heartwood and sapwood material examined was classified as not durable (durability class 5) according to the CEN/TS 15083-1 classification. Total extractives were low, 3.93% in heartwood and 1.00% in sapwood, while lignin content was 22.60% and 25.41% in heartwood and sapwood, respectively. It is highly recommended to use protective treatments before using P. leucodermis wood in outdoor conditions.     

Peroxidase activity, isoenzymes and histological localisation in sapwood and heartwood of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)

Peroxidase activity and isoenzymes of fresh wood samples of the third shoot of 12-year old trees and from the sapwood, transition zone and heartwood of c. 60-year old stems of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) were investigated. Wood samples were ground at −30°C, extracted, and the extracts concentrated c. 20-fold for peroxidase activity assays (guaiacol method) and for IEF-PAGE. At least 11 major isoenzymes could be found in the gels. Even the heartwood contained some peroxidase isoenzymes. Isoenzyme patterns of the juvenile wood did not change with the season. However, juvenile wood showed the highest peroxidase activity at the end of the growing season. Peroxidase activity decreased from the outer sapwood towards the heartwood. Thin sections of different wood zones stained for peroxidase revealed activity in ray parenchyma and resin canal epithelial cells. Intensive staining was localised in the bordered pits of vertical and ray tracheids, and in the end walls of ray parenchyma cells.     

Impact of bark wounds on sapwood in Norway spruce and silver fir

Bark wounds by damage during harvesting are a serious problem in forestry due to fungi infection and wood deterioration. This paper presents results of an investigation about the influence of the wounds on the internal structure of such injured stems. In an experiment, bark wounds were artificially created at the stem base of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] and silver fir (Abies alba Mill.). 2 years later, the injured stems along with undamaged controls were cut and the trunk portion below breast height subjected to computer tomographic (CT) analysis. Analysis of the CT-images revealed a substantial impact of wounding on sapwood properties in spruce: directly adjacent to the wound surface in all examined trees, a large disturbance zone was detected affecting on average 17% of the potential sapwood area. With increasing distance from the wound, the size of this disturbance zone diminished, but was still detectable in all trees at breast height ca. 1 m above the bark wound.     

树木心边材的含量与年轮数的时空变异规律

对树木心边材的年轮数、含量(宽度、面积与体积)的时空变异规律及其影响因子的研究进展进行了总结分析,并就现有研究中存在的问题、未来研究的前景与方向进行了讨论与展望。目的是为心边材产量调控、木材优化利用与质量评价提供可靠依据,同时为树木生理、生态功能的深入研究提供必要的基础理论知识。     

Separating Norway spruce heartwood and sapwood in dried condition with near-infrared spectroscopy and multivariate data analysis

Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] heartwood and sapwood have differing wood properties, but are similar in appearance. An investigation was made to see whether near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) could be used with multivariate statistics for separation between heartwood and sapwood in dry state on tangential longitudinal surfaces. For classification of wood into sapwood and heartwood, partial least square (PLS) regression was used. Orthogonal signal correction (OSC) filtering was used on the spectra. This study shows that a separation of sapwood and heartwood of spruce is possible with NIR spectra measured in a laboratory environment. The visible-wavelength spectra have significant influence on the predictive power of separation models between sapwood and heartwood of spruce. All 44 specimens in the calibration set were correctly classified into heartwood and sapwood. Validation of the model was done with a prediction set of 16 specimens, of which one was classified incorrectly.