Abstract
The Canadian boreal forest is largely represented by mixed wood forests of white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx). In this study, a total of 300 trees originating from three sites composed of trembling aspen and white spruce with varying compositions were investigated for wood quality traits: one site was composed mainly of aspen, one mainly of spruce and a third was a mixed site. Four wood quality traits were examined: wood density, microfibril angle (MFA), fibre characteristics, and cell wall chemistry. Social classes were also determined for each site in an attempt to provide a more in-depth comparison. Wood density showed little variation among sites for both species, with only significant differences occurring between social classes. The aspen site showed statistically lower MFAs than the aspen from the mixed site, however, no differences were observed when comparing spruce. Fibre characteristics were higher in the pure species sites for both species. There were no differences in carbohydrate contents across sites, while lignin content varied. Overall, the use of social classes did not refine the characterization of sites.
Highlights
A large percentage of the Canadian boreal forests consists of mixed wood forests containing white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx)
Wood density, considered by many the most important factor affecting wood quality, is a highly valued trait for both lumber, and pulp and paper industries, since higher wood densities are often highly correlated to better physical properties of solid wood and higher pulp yields
There were no significant differences in wood density when comparing the mixed site to the single species site, for both trembling aspen and white spruce
Summary
A large percentage of the Canadian boreal forests consists of mixed wood forests containing white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx). Following a disturbance these stands are initially dominated by aspen, and over time the extent of white spruce recruitment in the understory varies with spruce seed source and seedbed conditions [1]. A number of studies have attempted to understand the effects of single and mixed species stand dynamics of the boreal forest Most of these studies focused on identifying the effects of species composition on productivity (i.e., yields in basal area), nutrient cycling, and rotation lengths [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. Aspen and the other Populus spp. have recently been identified as key potential tree crops for biofuel applications
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