Presence Of Bark Research Articles

Quantifying the role of termite decomposition in a mesic savanna

AbstractSavanna systems are among the most sensitive to future climate and land‐use change, yet we lack robust, direct quantifications of savanna carbon cycling. Together with fire, decomposition is the main process by which the carbon and nutrients are recycled and made available again to plants. Decomposition is largely mediated by microbes and soil invertebrates. Using a novel large‐scale termite suppression experiment, we quantify, for the first time, the relative contribution of microbes, termites, and other invertebrates to the decomposition of wood (fresh native and dry non‐native), dry dung, and grass in a mesic savanna. We found that termites were responsible for two thirds of the mass loss from dry wood and a third of the mass loss from fresh native wood, dry dung, and dry grass. Microbes were wholly responsible for the difference as there was no evidence of other invertebrates contributing to decomposition, even with fresh wood. Using multiple substrates in savanna decomposition studies is important where a mixture of contrasting life forms occur because both the rates of decomposition and the dominant agent varied considerably. In addition, including both a dry non‐native and fresh native wood cast light on possible explanatory variables such as wood density, green‐ness and the presence of bark, and the necessity of teasing these variables apart in future studies. Termites stand apart from all other insects in their impact on decomposition within savannas and should be acknowledged alongside microbes and fire as the primary agents of wood, grass, and dry dung turnover in global carbon models.

Physical properties of five species of twigs from mangrove forest

The physical characteristics of the twigs of five different species of mangrove, including moisture content (MC), density, and specific gravity, have been studied. Using gravimetric analysis, the procedures were measured in accordance with ASTM D4442 and D2395, respectively. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for the statistical analysis, using complete random design with two factors, namely 1) presence of bark (with and without bark) and 2) species of the mangroves, consisted of Buta-buta (Excoeceria agallocha), Api-api (Avicenia marina), Bakau hitam (Rhizopora mucronata), Bakau minyak (Rhizopora apiculata), dan Mata buaya (Bruguera sexangula). Additionally, the Duncan Multiple Range Test was used to assess how the samples differed from one another. Results of this study revealed that twigs have had higher MC with presence of bark and the value showed up to 86%. Density of the samples showed a same tendency with the specific gravity however the measurement values were higher than those of the literatures presumably because of the presence of water, bark, and the irregular form of the twigs. From this point, utilization of the twigs was still limited because of the variation of the properties.

Получение лиственной целлюлозы высокого выхода бисульфитным способом

The article presents the results of the development of a technological mode for obtaining bisulfite hardwood pulp of high yield on a magnesium base for the production of various types of containerboard. The reliable and effective chemical and heat recovery technology implemented in the bisulfite method allows to use it in independent sulfite process. The effect of the duration of stay at the final temperature on the pulp yield and kappa number was studied when developing the technological mode of cooking. It was found that the increase in the duration of stay at the final temperature of 160 °C more than 40 min leads to violations of the selectivity of the cooking process. Increasing the duration of stay at the final temperature up to 70 min is accompanied by a decrease in pulp yield by 6 % at a constant value of the kappa number of the semi-finished product. Technological cooking mode: hydromodule 5, SO2 consumption 15.0 %, cooking solution pH 4.3–4.5, impregnation time at 120 °C – 35 min, cooking duration at 160 °C – 40 min. The mode allows to get a semi-finished product with a high yield of 60–65 % with a kappa number of 58–60 units without a hot grinding stage. An assessment of the mechanical strength characteristics of the laboratory samples of bisulfite pulp was carried out in accordance with the standards of the Russian Federation. The obtained values of bursting strength, resistance to flat compression, breaking strength, and breaking stress were comparable with the values of the industrial sample of hardwood neutral sulfite semi-chemical pulp with a semi-finished product yield of 75–78 %. It is shown that the presence of bark in the technological chips in the amount of 7.5 % is accompanied by a decrease in the yield of bisulfite hardwood pulp by 4.5 % and mechanical strength by 7.8 %. For citation: Koroleva T.A., Milovidova L.A., Dryakhlitsyn A.A. Production of High-Yield Hardwood Pulp by Bisulfite Cooking. Lesnoy Zhurnal [Russian Forestry Journal], 2021, no. 3, pp. 161–169. DOI: 10.37482/0536-1036-2021-3-161-169

THE PRESENCE OF BARK IN Acacia mangium WOOD IMPROVES ITS ENERGETIC POTENTIAL

The use of the wood associated with the bark of forest species for energy purposes can be a viable alternative from the technical, environmental and economic points of view. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of maintaining the bark on the energetic characteristics of Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis (urograndis) wood and briquettes. Trees of both species of 7 years old were cut from field experiments and wood samples with and without bark were obtained to evaluate the physical and energetic characteristics of the biomass and briquettes. The presence of bark in A. mangium wood improved the energetic characteristics of the biomass, and its use in small quantities together with wood for energy applications is technically feasible. Maintaining the bark in small quantities in the Urograndis wood promoted a reduction in the energetic characteristics of the biomass. The characteristics of the briquettes were not influenced by the species or the presence of bark in the wood.

Does the Presence of Bark in the Wood of Fast-Growing Forest Species Significantly Change the Energy Potential?

Fast-growing forest species established in tropical regions can supply much of the demand for renewable energy. The use of tree bark for energy is an alternative to gainfully exploit the residues generated by the forest industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of incorporation of bark in Schizolobium parahyba and Eucalyptus urophylla wood for energy purposes. The two species were planted with 3.0 m × 3.0 m spacing, in the central region of Brazil. The wood samples with and without bark were collected from trees, 3 years after planting to perform the physical and energy characterization of the biomass and the briquettes. The E. urophylla biomass presented better physical characteristics and lower ash content than S. parahyba. The presence of bark in E. urophylla and S. parahyba wood in small quantities (± 5%) is technically feasible for energy applications, including briquette production, thus offering an alternative for the destination of the residues produced in the wood processing industry.

Dynamics and efficacy of sulfentrazone, flumioxazin, and isoxaflutole herbicides applied on eucalyptus harvest residues

Eucalyptus harvests generate residues that remain on the soil and affect the efficacy of preemergent herbicides in the following planting cycle. The objective of this work was to evaluate the dynamics of flumioxazin, sulfentrazone, and isoxaflutole herbicides applied on different amounts and compositions of eucalyptus harvest residues subjected to different rainfall depths; and evaluate the weed control effectiveness of these herbicides when applied under these conditions. A LC–MS/MS system was used for the evaluations and the results showed that a cumulative rainfall of 50 mm was sufficient for the maximum removal of herbicides from the eucalyptus residues, regardless of the residue composition. The amount of the flumioxazin, sulfentrazone, and isoxaflutole herbicides that reached the soil was lower in the treatment with the highest amount of eucalyptus harvest residue used (40 Mg ha−1). The greatest amount of herbicide reaching the soil was found with the use of 15 Mg ha−1 of residues without presence of bark. The highest amount of residue used (40 Mg ha−1) reduced the control of Brachiaria decumbens by sulfentrazone and isoxaflutole. The control of Commelina benghalensis was inefficient (> 80%) in the treatment with 15 Mg ha−1 of residues without barks, regardless of the herbicide. Sulfentrazone controlled Ipomoea grandifolia (> 90%) under the evaluated residue conditions. Spermacoce latifolia and Sida rhombifolia were controlled by all herbicides in the evaluated residue conditions. Isoxaflutole controlled Panicum maximum in all residue conditions. The choice between the herbicides depends on the residue condition, rainfall regime, and weed species to be controlled.

What factors influence colonization of lichens, liverworts, mosses and vascular plants on snags?

The dead standing trees i.e. snags are known as habitat for epiphytic and epixylic species including first of all lichens and bryophytes. The vascular plants are much rarer on this type of coarse woody debris (CWD). The eighty snags (CWD elements higher than 1.5 m) of Norway spruce Picea abies and beech Fagus sylvatica in the Karkonosze Mts. were examined for the presence of lichens, liverworts, mosses and vascular plants. The height of snags, their decomposition stage, cover of bark, diameter at breast height (DBH) as well as site conditions (elevation, slope and aspect, presence in forest community) were measured and noted. The percent cover of plants and lichens were estimated on each snag. Totally 99 taxa were recorded. There lichen species were dominant (44), followed by mosses (34), liverworts (13) and there were only 8 vascular plants. The total species richness varied from 1 to 22 taxa. The species composition growing on snags was subjected to canonical correspondence analysis and statistical analyses. They revealed that the species identity of snag is one of the most important factors influencing species composition. The number of species is positively correlated with DBH whereas decomposition stage, presence of bark, snag height are not significant factors. The species richness increases also with altitude what is connected with higher abundance of spruce snags. The occurrence of snags in this area is mainly associated with forest management practices in the past. Despite of some observed patterns in colonization of snags they are important habitat especially for lichens.

RECOVERY OF LOGGING RESIDUES THROUGH BALER ON FORWARDER: EXPERIENCE WITH Eucalyptus globulus IN CHILE

ABSTRACT This study presents results of tests on the recovery of Eucalyptus globulus logging residues. Leftovers were packed with an ENFO-2002 baler on a forwarder, taking advantage of a cut-to-length harvesting system for two conditions of residual biomass, i.e., with and without bark. A continuous field study was carried out, controlling 16.4 scheduled hours in seven days. Delays in the operation stemmed mainly by the visits of the client company and supervision by phone. The baler had an average utilization capacity of 81% for both evaluated conditions and produced an average of 36.2 bales with and 22.2 bales without bark per productive area. An average dry biomass productivity of 5.85 and 5.46 Mg h-1 was reached for similar conditions of residual biomass. Significant differences emerged when the type of harvesting was compared to mean dry weight, between types of harvesting, and mean baling time. Thus, the presence of bark in the logging residues of E. globulus increases the productivity of the baler.

Bubbling fluidized bed gasification of short rotation Eucalyptus: Effect of harvesting age and bark

The improvement of syngas production and reduction of tar contaminants from biomass gasification was achieved by altering feedstock age and the presence/absence of bark in combination with adjusting the amount of bed material within the bubbling fluidized bed reactor. Eucalyptus benthamii is a promising biomass source for the gasification process, and can be grown as a short rotation bioenergy crop allowing for selective growth cycles. Three E. benthamii samples harvested at two years with bark (2EWB), two years without bark (2EWoB), and seven years without bark (7EWoB) were used for this work. Upon gasification, the highest CH4 gas concentration was obtained from 7EWoB sample, which led to the highest syngas heating value of 3.8 MJ m−3. Alternatively, the highest H2 gas yield was obtained from 2EWB sample. The presence of bark also significantly affected CO and CH4 gas yields. Major tar compounds in the syngas were benzene, naphthalene, toluene and indene. Almost twice the amount of naphthalene and indene was obtained with older samples (7EWoB) compared to young samples (2EWoB and 2EWB). It was established that the presence of bark (2EWB) led to higher char yields and lower gas yields, which ultimately led to a lower syngas heating value (3.08 MJ m−3). Utilizing different amounts of non-catalytic silicon sand as bed material during gasification of 2EWB allowed for improved syngas heating value by producing more CH4. Higher amounts of bed material also lead to a higher conversion of char and improved syngas yields; however, tar yields also increased.

Dissecting the Effects of Diameter on Wood Decay Emphasizes the Importance of Cross-Stem Conductivity in Fraxinus americana

Pest outbreaks are driving tree dieback and major influxes of deadwood into forest ecosystems. Understanding how pulses of deadwood impact the climate system requires understanding which factors influence greenhouse gas production during wood decay. Recent analyses identify stem diameter as an important control, but report effects that vary in magnitude and direction. This complexity may reflect interacting effects of soil contact, geometry and variable tissue properties. To dissect these effects, we implemented a three-way factorial experiment in Fraxinus americana, (white ash), an iconic North American species threatened by an invasive beetle. Soil contact accelerated decay rates by an order of magnitude with an effect that varied with stem diameter, not bark presence. After experimentally controlling surface area-to-volume ratio, half-buried wide stems decayed more slowly than half-buried narrow stems but more quickly than the aggregate decay rate of buried and suspended stems. These results closely matched variation in moisture content within and among samples, suggesting that limited vertical conduction of soil moisture through deadwood mediates the effect of stem diameter on wood decay. Soil contact also influenced greenhouse gas concentrations reinforcing recent evidence that deadwood acts as a source for CO2 and CH4 while acting as a sink for N2O. Our results suggest that managing tree species affected by pest outbreaks, including F. americana, for biomass salvage and greenhouse gas mitigation requires understanding traits that mediate wood permeability and diffusivity to soil moisture and greenhouse gases.

The Use of Near-Infrared (NIR) Spectroscopy and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) To Discriminate Bark and Wood of the Most Common Species of the Pellet Sector

The pellet energy market is expanding rapidly in Europe and also at the global level, in response to the continuously growing energy demand and because of the high degree of reliability, the easy handling, and the cheap and simple logistics, in comparison to other solid biomasses. The fast growth of this market has highlighted the problem of product quality, which has strong repercussions for technical, environmental, and economic aspects. The biomass quality is defined by several chemical–physical parameters that are directly measurable in the laboratory. In addition, there are quality attributes related to origin and source, difficult to investigate through traditional analyses, such as the type of wood (hardwood/softwood) and the presence of bark. The development of a rapid technique able to provide this information could be an advantageous tool for the energy sector proving indications on biofuel traceability and sustainability. More than 90 samples belonging to three of the most common European species for the energy pellet sector (fir, pine, and beech) have been collected and analyzed by means of Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) coupled with Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The results show that the main variation in the data is due to both differences between bark and wood, as well as differences between hardwood and softwood. The differences are mainly linked to changes in composition and amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and extractives. Moreover, 30 wood/bark blends (2%–20% (w/w)) were analyzed, indicating the ability of the system to recognize blends from pure material. This study has shown that spectroscopy coupled with multivariate data analysis is a useful tool verifying the compliance of producer declarations and assisting experts in evaluation of the biomass quality.

Effect of harvesting season, system and equipment on in-forest Pinus radiata bark removal in Australia and New Zealand

ABSTRACTDepending on the point of view of the participants in the forest-to-customer supply chain, the presence of bark can be considered as either a benefit or a cost. Understanding which factors affect bark removal should help with managing bark quantities, and the design of harvesting systems and equipment. Over 4000 stems and logs in 11 studies were measured in Australia and New Zealand using digital photos and a line intercept method to determine the amount of bark removed during normal operations. Among other things, we have been able to show that bark removal is greater in spring than winter, with tree-length systems than cut-to-length systems, and with mechanized processing rather than manual processing systems. We were also able to show that the greatest portion of bark removal occurs during felling and extraction with tree-length operations, with a small proportion occurring during delimbing and bucking. There was limited and weak evidence that bark removal may differ with location on pine stems. Finally, we were able to show that the number of knives on a processor head can affect bark removal, although we would recommend that further research be carried out on this topic, since the results ran counter to expectations.

Macroinvertebrate community assembly on deep-sea wood falls in Monterey Bay is strongly influenced by wood type.

Environmental filtering, including the influence of environmental constraints and biological interactions on species' survival, is known to significantly affect patterns of community assembly in terrestrial ecosystems. However, its role in regulating patterns and processes of community assembly in deep-sea environments is poorly studied. Here we investigated the role of wood characteristics in the assembly of deep-sea wood fall communities. Ten different wood species (substrata) that varied in structural complexity were sunk to a depth of 3,100m near Monterey Bay, CA. In total, 28 wood parcels were deployed on the deep-sea bed. After 2yr, the wood parcels were recovered with over 7,000 attached or colonizing macroinvertebrates. All macroinvertebrates were identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible, and included several undescribed species. Diversity indices and multivariate analyses of variance detected significant variation in the colonizing community assemblages among different wood substrata. Structural complexity seemed to be the primary factor altering community composition between wood substrata. For example, wood-boring clams were most abundant on solid logs, while small arthropods and limpets were more abundant on bundles of branches that provided more surface area and small, protected spaces to occupy. Other factors such as chemical defenses, the presence of bark, and wood hardness likely also played a role. Our finding that characteristics of woody debris entering the marine realm can have significant effects on community assembly supports the notion of ecological and perhaps evolutionarily significant links between land and sea.

English

An experiment was performed in a cotton-producing property located in Primavera do Leste - MT - (Brazil). the quantitative losses and the presence of bark and stems in the cotton fiber quality measuring instrument as analyzed by High Volume Instrument (HVI) was noted . The study was conducted to investigate a combined speed of work with a mechanical adjustment of the distance of the pressure plates and the screws on the platform. Another objective of this study was to determine reducing quantitative and qualitative losses of cotton fiber. The platform was set at three different velocities (1.02, 1.38 and 1.60 m s-1). Two different distances (plate with pressure – 3 mm and plate without pressure 6 mm were set as the distance between the spindles and the pressure plates. At these distances, the plants are pressed onto the spindle exerting pressure on the spindles. The collected fiber content of impurities and the efficiency of the machine were analyzed as a function of the total productivity and quantitative losses. Factorial statistical analysis was performed on the data using the Tukey test at 5% probability. A greater presence of impurities and lowest cotton crop losses was observed at the smallest distance between the spindles and the pressure plates. Key words: Picker, cotton, fiber quality, harvest efficiency, losses.

Nutrient release from decomposing Eucalyptus harvest residues following simulated management practices in multiple sites in Brazil

The potential export of nutrients by eucalypt plantations harvest raises concern about environmental and wood production sustainability. Keeping non-commercial components in the field can minimize it. However, little is known about changes in chemistry of decomposing eucalypt harvest residues. Simulated harvest residue management practices fully replicated across 11 Brazilian representative sites were undertaken to evaluate the dynamics of macronutrient release. We studied the influence of de-barking in the field, the use of an external source of nitrogen and the placement of harvest residues (remained on the surface or incorporated into the soil). After the experiment set up, residues were sampled five times and contents of Ca, Mg, N, P, K and S were determined. We used the remaining mass and nutrient concentration to fit the single exponential decay model (X=X0e−kt) and calculate half-life (hl=ln(2)/k) of each nutrient. At the end, we calculate element ratios to see differences in residue chemistry. The presence of bark and residue incorporation into soil enhanced decomposition and decreased nutrient half-life across all site. External N had little or no effect on nutrient dynamics. Site had significant effect on nutrient half-life, but only low correlations with climate or edaphic properties could be found. C:N, C:S and C:Ca ratios were much narrower at the end. On the other hand, N:P, N:K, Ca:S and Ca:Mg were wider. C:P varied among sites, but averaged almost the same as in the beginning. Ca was the nutrient that presented the greatest immobilization, particularly in the absence of bark, indicating a critical role of this element on decomposition under the conditions tested. Our results suggest that nutrient release is more controlled by management, chemical properties of the residues and specific decomposer community needs than climate or soil properties. Microbial community seems to change their carbon use efficiency and immobilize nutrients in limiting conditions.

Radiata Pine Bark Removal Associated with Two On-Landing Log-Processing Methods

Abstract Bark accounts for about 9 percent of the weight of the boles of mature radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) trees. The presence of bark can be considered as either a cost or benefit depending on the participant in the forest-to-customer supply chain. Understanding how much bark is lost or removed by different processing methods should help with managing bark quantities and with the design of harvesting systems and equipment. Bark loss was measured in autumn in New Zealand on radiata pine logs processed using two methods; delimbing and bucking with a mechanized, dangle-head processor fitted with spiked rollers, and delimbing with a static, pull-through delimber and manual bucking using a chainsaw. The line intersect method and photographic images were used to measure areal bark loss on a total of 302 logs. Equal numbers of logs were measured for each log-processing method. No difference in bark removal was found between methods for log grades cut from the lower portion of the stem. However, there were significant differences for grades cut from the upper portion of the stem. For the total stem, bark removal was greater with the mechanized processor method (75%) than with the static delimber and manual bucking method (48%).

Influence of Bark on the Physical and Thermal Decomposition Properties of Short-Rotation Eucalyptus

Highly productive short-rotation woody crops is one group of biomass feedstocks that has been identified as having the potential of meeting the goal of reducing the world’s reliance on crude oil. The goal of this project is to quantify the influence of bark on the physical properties, moisture sorption properties, and thermal decomposition of short-rotation (3 years old) Eucalyptus—the most widely planted short-rotation hardwood grown in the world. Results obtained from the study show that the physical properties of ground samples were significantly different between “no-bark” and “with-bark” samples with the bulk density of the with-bark samples decreasing by up to 20 % with a corresponding increase in compressibility of up to 75 %. The moisture sorption rate and the equilibrium moisture relations of the two samples were also significantly different. The susceptibility of no-bark sample to microbial degradation was higher. Thermal decomposition rate and peak temperatures for cellulose and hemicellulose were not affected by the presence of bark. The information obtained from this study will be important in the design and selection of systems for handling, storage, transporting, and thermochemical conversion of short-rotation Eucalyptus.

3D Phase-shift Laser Scanning of Log Shape

In this paper, a portable scanner to determine the 3D shape of logs was evaluated and compared with the measurement result of a computer tomography scanner. Focus was on the accuracy of the shape geometry representation. The objective is to find a feasible method to use for future data collection in Mozambique in order to build up a database of logs of tropical species for sawing simulations. The method chosen here was a 3D phase-shift laser scanner. Two logs, a birch log with bark, and a Scots pine log without bark were scanned, resulting in 450 cross sectional “images” of the pine log and 300 of the birch log. The areas of each point cloud cross section were calculated and compared to that of the corresponding computer tomography cross section. The average area difference between the two methods was 2.23% and 3.73%, with standard deviations of 1.54 and 0.91, for the Scots pine and birch logs, respectively. The differences in results between the two logs are discussed and had mainly to do with presence of bark and mantle surface evenness. Results show that the shape measurements derived from these methods were well correlated, which indicates the applicability of a 3D phase-shift laser scanning technology for gathering log data.

On the suitability of colour and texture analysis for detecting the presence of bark on a log

This paper deals with pattern recognition based on colour and texture. The aim is to detect areas of bark and wood on images of spruce logs taken in the industrial environment of a sawmill. Bark is a material with high natural variability in texture and colour even in a single tree species such as spruce and is a challenging subject for pattern recognition. The study compares three algorithms based on colour, texture and an integrated combination of colour and texture, respectively. Relevant sources of variation between and within logs are identified: colour variations on bark and wood, dirt, and traces of the bark beetle. Modifications of the algorithms with the potential to further improve the bark detection performance are discussed.

Sawing yield in oak (Quercus robur) wood affected by insect damage

The commercial feasibility of wood sawmilling depends on the expected volume and value of sawn planks. The quality of the planks partly depends on the presence of insect damage. Oak heartwood is known to be resistant to biotic attack, and the volume of quality sawn timber is therefore related to the abundance of heartwood. The objective of this study was to compare the sawing yield from apparently healthy oak logs and from oak logs affected by fungal and insect damage. Forty six oak trees growing in northwestern Spain were felled for the study and the logs obtained were visually graded and sawn to produce mainly quartersawn planks, which were dried, planed (cross-section 70 × 120 mm or 70 × 170 mm) and visually graded for structural purposes. The sawing yield for structural quality grade beams was only 8.4% of the log over bark volume because of wane and biotic damage in many pieces. Damage caused by species of the families Anobiidae, Cerambycidae, Bostrichidae (subfamily Lyctinae) and Curculionidae (subfamily Scolytinae) was observed. Large trees and logs were the most suitable for sawing oak to obtain timber that is acceptable for structural use. The presence of bark and sapwood in sawn planks must be reduced during the sawing process, which decreases the total yield but increases the timber-value yield. Air-drying must also be accelerated to reduce biotic damage in sawn planks.