Stem Wood Research Articles

Получение обогащенной L-аргинином древесной зелени при проведении лесохозяйственных мероприятий в молодняках сосны обыкновенной (научный обзор)

Forests produce a huge amount of organic matter, which is a source of renewable raw materials for the production of technical, feed, food and pharmaceutical products. The logging and woodworking industry in Karelia, as in Russia as a whole, is based exclusively on stem wood. Woody greens are formed while felling ripe and over-mature stands, thinning and implementation of measures for the conservation, protection and reproduction of forests including forest stands cutting. The development of technologies for the use of woody greens is necessary for the multi-purpose utilization of the entire phytomass produced by forest plant communities. An additional economic incentive for young stands thinning and limbing, that are used to improve the quality of logs, is the ability to reduce costs or even ensure the profitability of these measures driven by the development of processing plants and the use of wastes generated during transportation: thinners, low-quality and low-value decidous wood, woody greens, that are raw materials for the production of biologically active preparations of various action. The urgent tasks are to increase the use of importsubstituting pharmaceutical substances and to search the alternative methods for producing raw materials for nutrient mixtures and feed stuff. Technologies for modifying the biochemical composition of coniferous greens, resulting in production of plant raw materials enriched with target biologically active substances, are being developed for the exploration of new plant sources. The water-soluble fraction of coniferous greens contains free amino acids, in particular L-arginine, which plays an important role in the life of animals. A promising way is to increase the free amino acids content in coniferous raw materials and change their quantitative ratio by regulation of the mineral nutrition regime of woody plants. An original scheme of additional supply of coniferous plants with nitrogen and boron is proposed in order to obtain coniferous greens enriched with L-arginine. The use of conifers as bioproducers of L-arginine and the study of its metabolism with reference to climatic factors, conditions of mineral nutrition, seasonal and daily dynamics in the natural environment, the search for ways to increase its level in organs and tissues is of current interest both on the theoretical and practical sides. Obtaining coniferous greens enriched with L-arginine will allow organizing the production of coniferous products for nutrient and pharmaceutical use. It is necessary to analyze the potential sources of raw materials taking into account their availability, costs for enriching the needles with L-arginine and product yield per unit area to assess the economic feasibility of organizing such production. A developed sequence of forestry measures will make it possible to obtain needles enriched with L-arginine, both in the process of implementing various types of forest use, and in carrying out activities aimed at increasing the productivity of forests and preserving their useful functions. Herewith, it is possible to turn costly cleaning and fertilizing of young Scots pine stands into profitable ones with additional products. Technologies of intentional changes in the chemical composition and pharmacological properties of plant raw materials obtained from woody plants will allow the development of new raw materials for biologically active substances.

Methodology of Economic Assessment of Forest Resources, Concerning Forest Conditions and Their Impact on Wood Quality

The present study aims to develop a methodology for forest economic assessment using forest protection strips as an example. Environmental (soil composition) and biological factors (tree species) effecting the wood quality in the south European part of Russia are taken into account. The studies were conducted from 2010 to 2017 in six regions of the south European part of Russia. In this area, a total of eight dominating tree species lying in forest shelterbelts were examined. The wood price in different natural zones was determined by two factors: stem wood volume (maximum volume and price in the forest-steppe, minimum in the dry steppe) and edaphic conditions. Stand wood compared to the forest have a high price, since the former consists mainly of one species that dominates in the upper tier whereas the forest usually includes a minimum of two to four species. The natural zone is of paramount importance for the formation of the economic potential of eight species studied. We observed maximum indices for oak and larch under conditions of a forest-steppe, two to eight times greater compared to the species present in the steppe. The same type of plant (oak), depending on conditions, can produce wood of different values based on different natural zones, with a difference in prices varying two to five times than the original price.

Improving aboveground biomass estimates by taking into account density variations between tree components

• Key message Strong density differences were observed between stem wood at 1.30 m and other tree components (stem wood, stem bark, knots, branch stumps and branches). The difference, up to 40% depending on the component, should be taken into account when estimating the biomass available for industrial uses, mainly fuelwood and wood for chemistry. • Context Basic density is a major variable in the calculation of tree biomass. However, it is usually measured on stem wood only and at breast height.• Aims The objectives of this study were to compare basic density of stem wood at 1.30 m with other tree components and assess the impact of differences on biomass.• Methods Three softwood species were studied: Abies alba Mill., Picea abies (L.) H. Karst., Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco. X-Ray computed tomography was used to measure density.• Results Large differences were observed between components. Basic density of components was little influenced by tree size and stand density. Overall, bark, knot and branch biomasses were highly underestimated by using basic density measured at 1.30 m.• Conclusion Using available wood density databases mainly based on breast height measurements would lead to important biases (up to more than 40%) on biomass estimates for some tree components. Further work is necessary to complete available databases.

Leaf and Stem Traits are Linked to Liana Growth Rate in a Subtropical Cloud Forest

There is accumulating evidence that the abundance and biomass of lianas are increasing with global climate change in the Neotropics. However, our knowledge of growth–trait relationships among lianas is surprisingly rare. Here, we monitored the relative growth rate of 2860 individuals from seven deciduous and four evergreen liana species in a 20 ha subtropical cloud forest dynamics plot at high elevation (2472–2628 m a.s.l.) in southwest China. We linked the relative growth rate of lianas with nine leaf traits associated with leaf morphology, nutrient concentrations, and water hydraulic capacity as indicated by leaf vein density, and five stem wood traits related to stem water transport capacity and wood density. Our results showed that deciduous lianas have higher relative growth rates than their evergreen counterparts. Across all lianas studied, the relative growth rate was positively correlated with the leaf area and specific leaf area, but negatively correlated with leaf dry matter content. The relative growth rate of lianas was strongly correlated with nitrogen concentration after excluding the legume liana species. The relative growth rate was decoupled from leaf phosphorus and potassium concentrations, leaf vein density, and stem vessel traits across all lianas investigated. For four evergreen lianas, there were positive associations of the relative growth rate with the leaf thickness and diameter of the largest vessels. This study is the first to illustrate the relationships of liana growth with leaf and stem traits in the high-elevation subtropical cloud forest. More studies from diverse forest ecosystems are needed to comprehensively understand the mechanism underlying liana growth patterns.

Quality variation in comminuted forest fuels delivered during the winter in north Sweden

ABSTRACT Swedish legislation stipulates the precision required for estimates of parameters used to determine the value of various forest fuels. The net energy value of fuel, as it is received, is often used to set the trade price. The estimate of energy content is based on the moisture content of samples taken from each truckload and the weight of the biomass; the ash content and net calorific value are measured a few times each year. Hence, it is necessary to know the variation in moisture content to ensure that a sufficient number of samples are taken, a number based on the allowed variation and precision of estimates, as defined in the legalization. In this study, the variation in moisture content was measured by taking samples from 18 truckloads of comminuted forest fuels during the winter. The results showed that the current sampling regime, i.e., manually taking four samples from each truckload, is sufficient for deliveries with 10 truckloads for logging residue chips and 4 for stem wood chips. The number of samples should be increased to 12–43, 8–21, and, 17–82 depending on assortment for what the measuring act defines as large deliveries (>=50 tonnes; >=3 truckloads), medium-sized deliveries (<50 – >25 tonnes; 2 truckloads) and single truck deliveries (<= 25 tonnes; 1 truckload), respectively. Current research into fast online sampling and analysis methods could resolve this issue for small deliveries.

ПРИМЕНЕНИЕ ИНСТРУМЕНТАЛЬНЫХ МЕТОДОВ ПРИ ОЦЕНКЕ СОСТОЯНИЯ СТВОЛОВ PINUS SYLVESTRIS L.

Assessment of stem wood quality in urban environment is relevant due to the fact that trees felled under increased wind load cause enormous damage to the city economy and lead to human losses. The aim of the study was to assess the viability of growing Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees using pulsed tomography and drilling resistance measurements. Research in coniferous forest plots included the development during the construction of the city. Arbotom® equipment of the German company RINNTECH was used to study the trunk by pulsed tomography. Drilling method was used (Resistograph® 4450 device) to estimate the relative density of the stem wood. A total of 20 model trees were examined: 10 trees each on 2 test plots. An instrumental-visual description was compiled for each tree: height and diameter, girth of the trunk at the root neck and at breast height, the shape and length of the crown, the shape of the trunk, the presence of visible defects in the trunk were visually determined. It was found that the average speed of sound pulse in the wood of the studied model trees fluctuates in the range of 1003-1349 m/s. The research based on the data of instrumental study of the quality of stem wood (Scots pine) at the age of 60-70 under the conditions of intense exposure to industrial emissions and recreational load. Zones of local wood destruction have been clearly defined in the structure of the density distribution. Comparison of the results (obtained by two different assessment methods of wood state at the same object) shows high degree of comparability. The parallel use of two measuring instruments in assessing the growing tree state increases the accuracy of the obtained data and enables more reliable determination of emergency trees, areas of their maximum destruction and, as a consequence, the most probable direction of tree fall.

Biological and economic features of the ‘Voronezh Giant’ hybrid poplar

The purpose of this publication is to generalize the available experimental data on the survival, growth, stability, technical and other characteristics of this hybrid and to clarify proposals for its practical use. Long-term studies have been carried out on the five variety testing sites in various soil and climatic zones of the South-Eastern part of Russia and in Ukraine. The survival rate of this poplar were quite high (from 75 to 96%), on average 81%. The age of economic exploitability in the forest-steppe zone with a 20 m2 feeding area per tree was equal to 29 years. To this age the ‘Voronezh Giant’ accumulated stem wood stock of 550-640 m3/ha. The duration of shoot growth was 146 days, and the growing season was 177 days. It was distinguished by high winter hardiness, relative drought resistance, wind resistance, low damage by primary and secondary entomopests, and affection with phytodiseases, but a low straight trunk. It has a fairly high timber density, the length of the wood fiber and the cellulose content, which is important for the pulp and paper industry. The freshly picked green leaves of this poplar are close to the nutritional value of meadow herbs and lucerne. In general, the poplar ‘Voronezh Giant’ is promising for growing wood pulp, introducing into energy, shelter-belts, roadsides, riversides and other reclamation plantings. Given into account its male gender and high decorativeness, it can be also recommended in the greenery landscaping.

Consequences of different sample drying temperatures for accuracy of biomass inventories in forest ecosystems

Biomass estimation is one of the crucial tasks of forest ecology. Drying tree material is a crucial stage of preparing biomass estimation tools. However, at this step researchers use different drying temperatures, but we do not know how this influences accuracy of models. We aimed to assess differences in dry biomass between two drying temperatures (75 °C and 105 °C) in tree biomass components and to provide coefficients allowing for recalculation between the given temperatures. We used a set of 1440 samples from bark, branches, foliage and wood of eight European tree species: Abies alba Mill., Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn., Betula pendula Roth., Fagus sylvatica L., Larix decidua Mill., Picea abies (L.) H. Karst., Pinus sylvestris L. and Quercus robur L. The differences between drying temperatures were 1.67%, 1.76%, 2.20% and 0.96% of sample dry masses of bark, branches, foliage and stem wood, respectively. Tree species influenced these differences. Our study provided coefficients allowing for recalculation of masses between the two temperatures, to unify results from different studies. However, the difference in dry mass between the two temperatures studied is lower than the range of uncertainty of biomass models, thus its influence on results of large-scale biomass assessments is low.

Nutrient stocks of Japanese blue oak (Quercus glauca Thunb.) stands on different soil parent materials

Soil parent materials originating from different geologic settings represented broad differences in the forest nutrient environment, but few studies have been conducted on the relationships between soil parent materials and nutrient stocks in forest stands. This study was performed to compare the nutrient stocks of Japanese blue oak (Quercus glauca Thunb.) stands grown on forest soils inherited from two different parent materials, basalt and sandstone, in southern Korea. A total of 29 Japanese blue oak trees were destructively sampled (15 trees on basalt and 14 trees on sandstone) to compare the nutrient content of the tree components (stem wood, stem bark, branches, and leaves). Samples of the forest floor and a soil depth of 0–30 cm were collected to measure the nutrient stocks of the two parent materials. The mean nutrient concentrations of the tree components varied significantly between the basalt and sandstone parent materials. The mean carbon and potassium concentrations of stem wood were significantly higher in sandstone than in basalt, whereas the nitrogen concentration of stem wood and stem bark were lower in sandstone than in basalt (p < .05). A significantly higher carbon, nitrogen, potassium, and magnesium stocks of the forest floor were found in sandstone than in basalt. However, the soil carbon, nitrogen, calcium, and magnesium stocks at a depth of 0–30 cm were significantly higher in basalt than in sandstone. The results demonstrate that the aboveground nutrient concentration and belowground nutrient stocks of Japanese blue oak stands can be altered greatly by different parent materials.

Comparing wood anatomy of root and stem of Syzygium sp from natural tropical forest of Papua

Root and stem wood anatomy of Syzygiumspfrom the natural tropical forest of Fakfak Districts, Papua Barat, Indonesia were studied. The study focused on vessel, fiber and parenchyma. Growth increments are not distinct, yet we observed that Syzygiumsphas diffuse porosity and predominantly paratracheal with winged aliform of axial parenchyma in the wood of both root and stem. Many qualitative features were varying in the same way in both root and stem: simple perforation plates in vessel elements; large areas of axial parenchyma in both root and stem wood. Quantitative features differing between root and stem wood were evaluated using t-test, and vessel frequency, vessel element length, vessel diameter, percentage of tree wood’s tissues, and vulnerability are differed. Root wood had vessels density/frequency, narrower and longer vessel elements. We assumed that root wood is less vulnerability of embolism compared to the stem wood as the narrower of the vessel diameter and the higher percentage of parenchyma area. Roots seem to be more susceptible to water stress and the stain than the stem as seen in the percentage and the dimension of the vessel and parenchyma.

Residual biomass in Eucalyptus globulus plantations according to stand quality

Residue from Eucalyptus globulus plantations is an important source of bioenergy for use in power generation plants.In this work, a set of equations was developed to calculate the amount of residual biomass in Eucalyptus globulus plantations depending on their productivity. The volume of wood underbark was obtained from 321 stands. The stands were divided into 8 categories depending on their productivity (underbark volume of stem wood per hectare and year).For each component of the residues (leaves, branches and bark), Biomass Expansion Factors (BEFs) were determined using eight plots of different productivities to enable stem volume to predict residual biomass. The bark was the component with the greatest weight in the residue. Our results revealed significant differences (p < 0.01) between BEFs and productivity. The maximum difference was 0.288 Mg m−3 and 0.160 Mg m−3 between plots categories 8 (lowest productivity) and 1 (highest productivity), respectively.The equations for estimating the amount of residual biomass only depended on stand productivity. At 15 years of age, it was estimated that 75 Mg ha−1 and 39 Mg ha−1 of residue wood was produced for stand categories 1 and 8, respectively. Finally, predicted residual biomass was compared with that measured in the plots and were slightly lower than those measured in the plots. Relative errors ranged between 1% and 11% at 15 years of age.

Cutting mechanics of wood by beetle larval mandibles

Wood boring is a feature of several insect species and is a major cause of severe and irreparable damage to trees. Adult females typically deposit their eggs on the stem surface under bark scales. The emerging hatchlings live within wood during their larval phase, avoiding possible predation, whilst continually boring and tunneling through wood until pupation. A study of wood boring by insects offers unique insights into the bioengineering principles that drive evolutionary adaptations. We show that larval mandibles of the coffee wood stem borer beetle (Xylotrechus quadripes: Cerambycidae) have a highly sharp cusp edge to initiate fractures in Arabica wood and a suitable shape to generate small wood chips that are suitable for digestion. Cuticle hardness at the tip is significantly enhanced through zinc-enrichment. A hollow architecture significantly reduces bending stresses at the mandibular base without compromising the structural integrity. Finite element model of the mandible showed highest stresses in the tip region; these decreased to significantly lower values at the start of the hollow section. A scaling model based on a fracture mechanics framework shows the importance of the mandible shape in generating optimal chip sizes. These findings contain general principles in tool design and put in focus interactions of insects and their woody hosts.

Stem-inhabiting fungal communities differ between intact and snapped trees after hurricane Maria in a Puerto Rican tropical dry forest

Hurricanes impact forests by damaging trees and altering multiple ecosystem functions. As such, predicting which individuals are likely to be most affected has crucial economic importance as well as conservation value. Tree stem-inhabiting fungal communities, notably rot-causing agents, have been mentioned as a potential factor of tree predisposition to hurricane damage, but this assumption remains poorly explored. To examine this relationship, we sampled the stem wood of intact and damaged trees shortly after Hurricane Maria in a Puerto Rican dry tropical forest in 2017. We categorized samples depending on two types: trees with intact stems and trees in which stems were snapped. We extracted fungal environmental DNA of wood from 40 samples consisting of four different tree species. Fungal community taxonomic and functional richness and composition was assessed using high-throughput DNA metabarcoding. We found that snapped trees harbored significantly higher fungal operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness than the intact trees and that the composition of the stem-inhabiting fungal communities diverged consistently between intact and snapped trees. On average, snapped trees’ fungal communities were relatively enriched in “other saprotrophs” guild category and depleted in endophytes. Conversely, intact trees had high relative abundances of Clonostachys, a mycoparasitic endophyte, suggesting that endophytic fungi might act as biocontrols in tree stems. Overall, our results support the hypothesis that stem-inhabiting fungal communities could represent a predisposition factor of tree damage caused by hurricanes in tropical dry forests.

Aboveground biomass of a Eucalyptus hybrid subjected to two water regimes

The objective of this work was to estimate the aboveground biomass production of 76-month-old, Eucalyptus urophylla × Eucalyptus sp. hybrids, subjected partial exclusion of throughfall. The experiment used two water regimes: one treatment with throughfall (WET), receiving 100% of the throughfall, and the other treatment with the partial exclusion of throughfall (PET), receiving only 70%. The selected trees were sectioned and fractionated into the following components: leaves, branches, stembark, and stemwood. The WET treatment had higher total biomass (221.00 Mg ha-1) than the PET treatment (206.26 Mg ha-1) and the distribution of biomass for both treatments was as follows: stemwood &gt; branches &gt; stembark &gt; leaves. The stem (wood + bark) accounted for 91.5% of the total biomass in the WET treatment and 91.2% in the PET treatment. The canopy (leaves + branches) accounted for 8.5% and 9.0% in the WET and PET treatments, respectively. These results indicate that this Eucalyptus hybrid maintained satisfactory biomass production, despite the lower availability of water.

Effects of provenance and initial planting density on growth and wood properties in young sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) plantations

Provenance and stand management regimes greatly affect individual tree growth and stand productivity. The effects of provenance and initial planting density on growth and wood properties of 11-year-old sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima Carruth.) plantations in eastern China were investigated. The average tree height growth, calorific values, and ash content of stem wood were greatly affected by provenance but not by initial planting density. The average tree diameter varied significantly among the three planting densities (5000, 2500, and 1667 trees ha−1) from tree age 6–11 years, and density-associated competition between trees mainly occurred at tree ages 6, 7, and 11 years for different provenances. The initial planting density and provenance had significant effects on the stand basal area (BA) and aboveground biomass (AGB). The annual growth in BA and AGB decreased in the eighth year after planting, especially in plots with an initial planting density of 5000 trees ha−1. The variances explained by the provenance exceeded the variance explained by the planting density for AGB at age 11 years. No significant interaction effect between initial planting density and provenance was observed for growth traits, but there was a significant effect on survival rate. Therefore, the suitable combination between provenance and planting density is crucial to increase productivity of sawtooth oak plantations. Additionally, our study confirms that, when the stands were young, initial planting density had a greater effect on productivity than provenance did, but this pattern reversed as stands aged.

Assessment of Eucalyptus Globulus Coppice Yield in the Highland Areas of North Shewa, Ethiopia

One of the old traditional methods of silvicultural management is coppicing. Many woody species produce new shoots successfully after coppicing. Regeneration of forest through coppice can be used for short rotation of tree to produce wood biomass for construction and fuel purposes. There are different levels of coppice practiced in Eucalyptus globulus plantation in the highland areas of North Shewa. However, there was no evidence or study which coppice levels can give high yield. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare yield of E. globulus at different coppice level in the highland areas of North Shewa, Ethiopia. Fifty sampled plots were purposively selected for this study. Volume, mean annual increment, stump height and diameter, stem number and harvesting age were determined from sampled plots. The results revealed that there was no yield difference (p&gt; 0.05) between zero, first, second and third coppice levels. However, stump diameter and number of shoots per stump, stump height were significantly different among 1, 2, 3 coppice levels (p&lt;0.05). Number of shoots were positively correlated with stump diameter and height (r = 0.77, r = 0.72) respectively. Farmers mostly coppice E.globulus from November to December and from April to June. Although statistically there was no yield difference between coppice levels, as farmers described the first coppice has higher yield than other coppice levels. The numbers of shoots per stump were higher in the second and third coppice and this could affect stem quality especially at early stage. Altogether the mean number of stems per hectare was 10812 which is higher than previous studies. Therefore, early silvicultural activities like thinning, early coppice management and pruning has to be done to increase wood stem quality and to promote growth as well.&#x0D;

Intraspecific structural signs of curly silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) growing in the Ukrainian Carpathians

The aim of this paper is to present the intraspecific differentiation of the curly silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) by the wood structure growing in the Ukrainian Carpathians. To find the morphological distinctions by using the silvicultural and biometric methods, 50 silver fir trees with anomalous wavy-relief stemwood formations were investigated. The trees aged from 94 to 132 years were characterised by the diameter at breast height of 32–59 cm. The length of the wave-grained stemwood varied from 6 to 11.5 m. The amplitude of the wood fibre waves varied from 4.4 to 24.1 mm. The smallest values of the amplitude of the wave-grained wood corresponded to the smaller wavelengths. The significant differences in the wood density and annual growth between the silver fir trees with the straight-grained and wave-grained stem wood were determined. The number of annual rings in 1 cm of the curly silver fir was 27.1% lower and 22.7% higher than the same characteristics for the straight-grained stem wood. The obtained linear equation described the relationship between the number of annual rings in 1 cm and the basic wood density of the silver fir with the straight-grained wood. The aesthetic features of the curly silver fir stem wood were discussed in the subject area of a new niche of exclusive wood products.

Tree physiological monitoring of the 2018 larch budmoth outbreak: preference for leaf recovery and carbon storage over stem wood formation in Larix decidua.

Insect defoliation impacts forest productivity worldwide, highlighting the relevance of plant-insect interactions. The larch budmoth (Zeiraphera griseana Hübner) is one of the most extensively studied defoliators, where numerous tree ring-based analyses on its host (Larix decidua Mill.) have aided in identifying outbreak dynamics over the past millennia. Yet, outbreaks have been widely absent after the early 1980s, and little is known about the in situ tree physiological responses and the allocation of carbon resources during and after defoliation. In summer 2018, we tracked an ongoing larch budmoth outbreak in a well-studied larch forest in the Swiss Alps. We performed biweekly monitoring on an affected and unaffected site using a unique combination of xylogenesis observations, measurements of non-structural carbohydrates, isotopic analysis of needle assimilates and ground-based and remote-sensed leaf trait observations. The budmoth induced a defoliation that lasted 40days and could be detected by satellite observations. Soluble sugars significantly decreased in needles and stem phloem of the defoliated trees, while starch levels remained stable in the stem and root xylem compared to the control. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios in needle assimilates indicated that neither photosynthetic assimilation rates nor stomatal conductance was different between sites before, during and after the outbreak. Defoliated trees ceased cell wall thickening 17days earlier than unaffected trees, showing the earliest halt of ring formation recorded from 2007 untill 2013 and causing significant thinner cell walls, particularly in the latewood. No significant differences were found for cell enlargement rates and ring width. Our study revealed that an outbreak causes a downregulation of cell wall thickening first, while no starch is mobilized or leaf physiology is adjusted to compensate for the reduced carbon source due to defoliation. Our observations suggest that affected larch trees prioritize leaf recovery and carbon storage over wood biomass development.

The first report of an ‘evergreen Castanopsis type’ wood (Fagaceae) for the Late Miocene–Early Pliocene of Europe (Bulgaria, Blagoevgrad Graben)

In the present article, the establishment of the species Castanopsis: C. bulgarica Mantzouka, Ivanov, and Bozukov is proposed after the study of a new fagaceous fossil wood stem discovered in 2016 from a new Late Miocene to Early Pliocene plant fossiliferous locality east of Boboshevo town, south‐west Bulgaria. A detailed palaeoxylotomical study of the fossil wood revealed characteristics of the ‘evergreen Quercus type’ (e.g. the gradual porosity of the vessels, the existence of two types of rays: uniseriate and multiseriate aggregate, the oval shape of the solitary vessels outline, the occurrence of tracheids) as well as heterocellular compound‐aggregate rays, typical for Castanopsis. Similarities and differences of the anatomical characteristics/features of the studied specimen with the descriptions of the fossil representatives of Fagaceae (Quercoxylon, Lithocarpoxylon, and Castanopsis) along with its botanical affinities are discussed. A taxonomic list of the Bulgarian fossil fagaceous record of the same age and their nearest living relatives is provided. Emended xylotomical keys with the addition of Castanopsis have been created. Moreover, the presence of evergreen Castanopsis species with heterocellular rays of two distinct sizes in the fossil record of the ‘evergreen oak woods’ is supported.

Matching Score Models for Hyperspectral Range Analysis to Improve Wood Log Traceability by Fingerprint Methods

Traceability of natural resources, from the cradle to the final product is a crucial issue to secure sustainable material usage as well as to optimize and control processes over the whole supply chain. In the forest products industries the material can be tracked by different technologies, but for the first step of material flow, from the forest to the industry, no systematic and complete technology has been developed. On the way to close this data gap the fingerprint technology for wooden logs looks promising. It uses inherent properties of a wood stem for identification. In this paper hyperspectral cameras are applied to gain images of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) log end faces in different spectral ranges. The images are converted to a biometric template of feature vectors and a matching algorithm is used to evaluate if the biometric templates are similar or not. Based on this, matching scores specific spectral ranges which contain information to distinguish between different log end faces are identified. The method developed in this paper is a necessary and successful step to define scanning system parameters for fingerprint recognition systems for wood log traceability from the forest.