The relation between the microscopic structure and the wood density of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the structure of beech juvenile and mature wood in relation to wood density. The comparative analysis between juvenile and mature wood examined the diameter of vessels, the width and height of pith rays, and the number of vessels and pith rays per 1 mm<sup>2</sup>. The results show that the average vessel diameter as well as the width and height of pith rays reach statistically lower values in juvenile wood than in mature wood. On the other hand, no significant difference between the two types of wood has been found in terms of the frequency of vessels per 1 mm<sup>2</sup>. Having said that, the difference in the frequency of rays per 1 mm<sup>2</sup> between juvenile and mature wood is far from being negligible; juvenile wood has three times as many pith rays as mature wood. The density of juvenile wood is higher (ρ<sub>12</sub> = 726.07 kg/m<sup>3)</sup> than the density of mature wood ((ρ<sub>12</sub> = 701.50 kg/m<sup>3</sup>).