Moisture Gradient Research Articles

Within-site adaptation: Growth and mortality of Norway spruce, Scots pine and Silver birch seedlings in different planting positions across a soil moisture gradient

Adapting to site conditions is a central part of forest regeneration and can be done through selection of different planting positions. Requirements are tree species specific, and the use of soil moisture maps could be a way to support decision making in forest regeneration planning. At two experimental sites with varying soil moisture conditions in southern Sweden Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), and silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) seedlings were planted in four different planting positions following mounding site preparation; Depression, Hinge, Mound and Unscarified. Soil moisture estimates were obtained from a high-resolution depth-to-water raster for each planting spot. The effect of soil moisture, planting position and their interactions on mortality, height and diameter was evaluated for each tree species. In wet conditions mounds proved to be the best option to minimize seedling mortality for conifers, but with decreasing soil moisture, differences between the planting positions decreased. Birch on the other hand had the greatest survival in the hinge. The coniferous species displayed increased height and diameter when planted in mounds independent of the soil moisture conditions, whereas silver birch was less dependent on a specific planting position. Results from this study shows that a soil moisture map can explain mortality, height and diameter and thus can be a useful tool when choosing planting position in different soil moisture conditions.

Using Spectral Indices Derived from Remote Sensing Imagery to Represent Arthropod Biodiversity Gradients in a European Sphagnum Peat Bog

Monitoring of peatlands is an important conservation issue. We investigated communities of soil mites (Acari: Oribatida, Mesostigmata) inhabiting a relatively undisturbed European boreal mire characterized by a mosaic of oligotrophic and meso-eutrophic areas. We assess the potential of using remote sensing approach as a mapping and predictive tool for monitoring productivity and arthropod biodiversity in a peat bog. In georeferenced plots, Acari biodiversity, water table level, water pH and plot productivity class on the oligotrophic-eutrophic gradient were recorded. Data from the Landsat 8 OLI sensor were used to calculate several spectral indices known to represent productivity and surface moisture gradients in terrestrial ecosystems. We then explored the relationship between spectral indices, environmental gradients and biodiversity of mites. We found that several spectral indices were significantly and consistently correlated with local environmental variables and biodiversity of soil mites. The Excess Green Index performed best as a predictor of plot trophic class on the oligotrophic-eutrophic gradient and showed significant relationship with Oribatida diversity in 2016. However, following hot summer in 2019, there was no significant relationship between abundance and species richness of Oribatida and remotely sensed data; there was a weak correlation between abundance of Mesostigmata and spectral indices which represent surface moisture gradient (e.g., Normalised Difference Moisture Index). We discuss advantages and challenges of using spectral indices derived from remote sensing imagery to map biodiversity gradients in a peatland.

Trilayered Fibrous Dressing with Wettability Gradient for Spontaneous and Directional Transport of Massive Exudate and Wound Healing Promotion

Trilayered Fibrous Dressing with Wettability Gradient for Spontaneous and Directional Transport of Massive Exudate and Wound Healing Promotion

Behavioural hydroregulation protects against acute effects of drought in a dry-skinned ectotherm.

During extreme climate events, behavioural thermoregulation may buffer ectotherms from thermal stress and overheating. However, heatwaves are also combined with dry spells and limited water availability, and how much individuals can behaviourally mitigate dehydration risks through microclimate selection remains largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the behavioural and physiological responses to changes in air and microhabitat humidity in a terrestrial ectotherm, the asp viper (Vipera aspis). We exposed individuals to a simulated heatwave together with water deprivation for 3weeks, and manipulated air water vapour density (wet air vs. dry air) and microclimate (wet shelter vs. dry shelter) in a two-by-two factorial design. Dry air conditions led to substantial physiological dehydration and muscle wasting. Vipers exposed to dry air usedmore often a shelter thatoffered a moist microclimate, which reduced dehydration and muscle wasting at the individual level. These results provide the first experimental evidence that active behavioural hydroregulation can mitigate specific physiological stress responses caused by a dry spell in an ectotherm. Future studies investigating organismal responses to climate change should consider moisture gradient in the habitat and integrate both hydroregulation and thermoregulation behaviours.

Temperature and Moisture Gradients Drive the Shifts of the Bacterial Microbiomes in 1000-Year-Old Mausoleums

Cultural relics conservation and prevention from bacterial deterioration are critical for our historical heritage. Thus far, the variations of the ecophysiological features of deteriorating bacterial communities along gradients of temperature and moisture remain unclear. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing to investigate the changing pattern of bacterial communities on bricks at different positions along two such gradients in the Two Mausoleums of the Southern Tang Dynasty, which have more than 1000 years of history. We found that the tombs were inhabited by a phylogenetically and functionally diverse bacterial microbiomes. Herein, Proteobacteria (34.5%), Cyanobacteria (31.3%), Bacteroidetes (7.8%) and Actinobacteria (7.4%), as well as ‘Amino Acid Metabolism (11.2%)’ and ‘Carbohydrate Metabolism (10.5%)’ accounted for the majorities of their compositional and functional profiles related to biodeterioration. Non-metric scaling in combination with PERMANOVA tests indicated that shifts in bacterial community compositions were governed by temperature, followed by moisture. In addition, we found that tourism-related anthropogenic activities could have played non-negligible roles in community assembly, especially in the areas that account as attractions (i.e., back room of the Qinling Mausoleum). Collectively, this study advances the knowledge regarding the deteriorating microbiomes of cultural monuments, which is essential for the conservation of historical cultural relics.

Eco-friendly Approach for Creation of Resonant Silicon Nanoparticle Colloids

The commercial application of Mie-resonant nanophotonic technologies currently used in various laboratory studies, from biosensing to quantum optics, appears to be challenging. Development of colloidal-based fabrication approaches is a solution to face the issue. In our research, we studied the fabrication of resonant Si nanoparticle (NP) arrays on a surface with controlled wettability. First, we use nanosecond (ns) laser ablation in water and subsequent density gradient separation to obtain colloids of resonant spherical crystalline silicon NPs with a low polydispersity index. Then, the same industrial ns laser is applied to create a wetting gradient on the steel substrate to initiate a self-assembly of the NPs deposited by drop casting. Thus, we use a single commercial ns laser for producing both the NPs and the hydrophilic wetting gradient. We apply an easily operating size separation technique and only non-toxic media. This research contributes to the large-scale fabrication of various optical devices based on resonant high-refractive index nanostructures by ecologically friendly self-assembly techniques.

Enhanced fog harvesting through programmable droplet movement via bidirectional wettable gradient and microchannel-connected pattern gradient

Significant efforts have been devoted to overcoming the capture efficiency decline and mesh clogging, known as the main problems of current mesh-type fog harvesting surface. In this study, a novel integrative bioinspired Janus mesh with bidirectional wettable gradient and microchannel-connected pattern gradient (BWMPG) is proposed to deal with the chronic problems via a novel anodic oxidation strategy. Peculiar fog harvesting behaviors were programmed, i.e., fog capture and transport processes occur simultaneously on separate surfaces. Such a surface could not only provide benefits for fog capture owing to spontaneous penetration of collected droplets but also expedite droplet transport by taking full advantage of the cooperation of multiple driving forces. More importantly, it also exhibits an excellent surface regeneration rate via the connectivity of the microchannels to accelerate the coalescence frequency of droplets on different hydrophilic points. The results of experiment observation and underlying mechanism analysis have certified that such a design is more conducive to enhancing the fog harvesting efficiency (0.48 g/cm2·h), resulting in a 320 % increase compared to the normal hydrophilic−hydrophobic patterned surface.

Buffering effects of the soil seed bank on annual plant community composition after wetland drying

AbstractSubalpine peat wetlands are extremely sensitive to global environmental changes and anthropogenic disturbances. Unlike most other biological groups, plant species can possess dormant life‐history stages such as the soil seed bank (SSB), which may help plant communities to resist or at least postpone the detrimental impact of disturbance. This study investigates the potential for SSB to achieve this along a soil moisture gradient. Species richness and density of SSB were significantly lower by 31.9% and 47.2% in wetland, and 35.1% and 68.1% in swamp meadow in comparison with steppe meadow, respectively. Soil moisture content did not directly affect the density and species richness of SSB, whilst had indirect effects on density and species richness via affecting vegetation and soil pH. SSB composition was less responsive to soil moisture changes than plant community composition. Furthermore, compositional trends in the annual plant SSB were weaker than in the aboveground vegetation along the soil moisture gradient. The similarity between SSB and vegetation significantly declined with increasing soil moisture content. High SSB diversity and compositional similarity between the vegetation and SSB may provide a potentially important functional buffer against the impact of ongoing moisture changes on plant communities in wetlands. Dormant life‐history stages can therefore be important sources of diversity in changing environments. Furthermore, although SSB has low regeneration potential for the aboveground vegetation communities in subalpine peat wetlands, the SSB would still not be a neglected factor for the restoration of propagule diversity after disturbance in wetlands if hydrology is restored.

Vertical structure of the lower-stratospheric moist bias in the ERA5 reanalysis and its connection to mixing processes

Abstract. Numerical weather prediction (NWP) models are known to possess a distinct moist bias in the mid-latitude lower stratosphere, which is expected to affect the ability to accurately predict weather and climate. This paper investigates the vertical structure of the moist bias in the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) latest global reanalysis ERA5 using a unique multi-campaign data set of highly resolved water vapour profiles observed with a differential absorption lidar (DIAL) on board the High Altitude and LOng range research aircraft (HALO). In total, 41 flights in the mid-latitudes from six field campaigns provide roughly 33 000 profiles with humidity varying by 4 orders of magnitude. The observations cover different synoptic situations and seasons and thus are suitable to characterize the strong vertical gradients of moisture in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS). The comparison to ERA5 indicates high positive and negative deviations in the UT, which on average lead to a slightly positive bias (15 %–20 %). In the LS, the moist bias rapidly increases up to a maximum of 55 % at 1.3 km altitude above the thermal tropopause (tTP) and decreases again to 15 %–20 % at 4 km altitude. Such a vertical structure is frequently observed, although the magnitude varies from flight to flight. The layer depth of increased moist bias is smaller at high tropopause altitudes and larger when the tropopause is low. Our results also suggest a seasonality of the moist bias, with the maximum in summer exceeding autumn by up to a factor of 3. During one field campaign, collocated ozone and water vapour profile observations enable a classification of tropospheric, stratospheric, and mixed air using water vapour–ozone correlations. It is revealed that the moist bias is high in the mixed air while being small in tropospheric and stratospheric air, which highlights that excessive transport of moisture into the LS plays a decisive role for the formation of the moist bias. Our results suggest that a better representation of mixing processes in NWP models could lead to a reduced LS moist bias that, in turn, may lead to more accurate weather and climate forecasts. The lower-stratospheric moist bias should be borne in mind for climatological studies using reanalysis data.

Observed water and light limitation across global ecosystems

Abstract. With a changing climate, it is becoming increasingly critical to understand vegetation responses to limiting environmental factors. Here, we investigate the spatial and temporal patterns of light and water limitation on photosynthesis using an observational framework. Our study is unique in characterizing the nonlinear relationships between photosynthesis and water and light, acknowledging approximately two regime behaviours (no limitation and varying degrees of limitation). It is also unique in using an observational framework instead of using model-derived photosynthesis properties. We combine data from three different satellite sensors, i.e., sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), surface soil moisture from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) microwave radiometer, and vegetation greenness from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). We find both single-regime and two-regime models describe SIF sensitivity to soil moisture and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) across the globe. The distribution and strength of soil moisture limitation on SIF are mapped in the water-limited environments, while the distribution and strength of PAR limitations are mapped in the energy-limited environments. A two-regime behaviour is detected in 73 % of the cases for water limitation on photosynthesis, while two-regime detection is much lower at 41 % for light limitation on photosynthesis. SIF sensitivity to PAR strongly increases along moisture gradients, reflecting mesic vegetation's adaptation to making rapid usage of incoming light availability on the weekly timescales. The transition point detected between the two regimes is connected to soil type and mean annual precipitation for the SIF–soil moisture relationship and for the SIF–PAR relationship. These thresholds therefore have an explicit relation to properties of the landscape, although they may also be related to finer details of the vegetation and soil interactions not resolved by the spatial scales here. The simple functions and thresholds are emergent behaviours capturing the interaction of many processes. The observational thresholds and strength of coupling can be used as benchmark information for Earth system models, especially those that characterize gross primary production mechanisms and vegetation dynamics.

Coalescence-induced propulsion of droplets on a superhydrophilic wire

Droplet transport on a cylindrical wire has applications in numerous fields such as fog collection, mist elimination, filtration, and oil/water separation. This work reports a droplet transport phenomenon on a superhydrophilic wire that shows a transient velocity powered not by the gradient of substrate geometry or wettability but primarily by the surface-to-kinetic energy transition that occurs along the axial direction upon coalescence. The transition efficiency is mainly limited by the viscous friction at the local liquid wedge, a relationship that a modified Ohnesorge number can capture.

Integrative Bioinspired Surface with Annular Pattern and Three Dimension Wettable Gradient for Enhancement of Fog Collection

AbstractA novel integrative bioinspired surface with annular pattern and 3D wettable gradient (APWG) is proposed for fog collection via a simple needle‐face anodic oxidation strategy. The fog collection behaviors are studied on APWG with different pattern types. Such a surface can not only improve the fog droplet capture performance effectively owing to annular wettable gradient pattern, but also realize the fog droplet capture and convergence on different surfaces to accelerate the surface regeneration rate, leading to a further fog collection enhancement. The results of experiment observation and underlying mechanism analysis have certified that such a design can realize a continuous 3D fog collection model to enhance the fog collection efficiency, resulting in a 1345% increase compared to the original surface.

Distinct MJOs Under the Two Types of La Niña

AbstractEl Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) strongly influences the interannual variations of Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO)—the dominant mode of tropical intraseasonal variability. Previous studies have revealed more about the impacts of the diversified El Niño on MJO, but less about those of the La Niña diversity. Using observations and global climate model experiments, this study demonstrates that MJO undergoes distinct variations and Pacific teleconnections when La Niña varies between eastern‐Pacific (EP) and central‐Pacific (CP) types. Compared to the CP La Niña, MJO under the EP La Niña is more energetic over the southern Maritime Continent–South Pacific Convergence Zone and can propagate faster and further with a broader zonal circulation scale over the Indo‐Pacific warm pool. The stronger and faster MJO under the EP La Niña is associated with more vigorous ascending motions, higher moisture content and stronger moistening in the lower‐level atmosphere ahead of the MJO deep convection. Although the meridional moisture advection exists as the fundamental mechanism of MJO eastward propagation, the distinct MJO under the two types of La Niña primarily results from the different lower‐tropospheric moistening due to the zonal moisture advection. Both the background mean and anomalous zonal winds and moisture gradients are stronger under the EP La Niña, thereby causing a remarkable invigoration effect of zonally advective moistening. Diverse extratropical circulation responses of distinct MJOs are also discussed. These results should improve our understanding of the whole ENSO diversity paradigm that influences MJO and teleconnections.

Impact of Assimilating High‐Resolution Atmospheric Motion Vectors on Convective Scale Short‐Term Forecasts: 3. Experiments With Radar Reflectivity and Radial Velocity

AbstractBased on the idealized supercell and real case studies in Part I and II, the purpose of this subsequent study is to further investigate the impact of assimilating Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites‐16 (GOES‐16) derived atmospheric motion vectors (AMVs) in addition to WSR_88D Doppler radar observations on convective scale numerical weather prediction. Five high‐impact weather events that occurred in spring 2018 and 2019 are analyzed using the National Severe Storms Laboratory three‐dimensional variational data assimilation (DA) system. Four types of experiments are implemented and compared: (a) the control experiment (NoDA) without assimilating any observation, (b) the radar DA experiment (RAD), (c) the GOES‐16 AMV DA experiment (AMV), and (d) the experiment assimilating AMVs together with radar data (AMV_RAD). Score metrics aggregated over all cases indicate that AMV_RAD performs slightly better than RAD in 0–3 hr reflectivity and precipitation forecasts especially at higher thresholds, suggesting the added value of GOES‐16 AMVs on radar data. Detailed case examinations also show that AMV_RAD generally exhibits slightly more skillful storm forecast in terms of the areal coverage, storm mode, and storm orientations, owing to improvements in the analysis of boundary locations and localized enhanced divergence signatures. In spite of encouraging objective and subjective evaluation results, AMV_RAD has difficulty in adjusting the moisture gradient associated with dryline and tends to underpredict the associated weak discrete storms.

Environmental factors determining the forest–grassland variation in the Espinhaço Range Biosphere Reserve—Brazil

Abstract Knowledge concerning the processes involved in defining the boundaries between rainforests (fire-sensitive) and open formations (fire-tolerant) is essential to safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services, especially under climate change and increased anthropogenic pressure. Here, we investigated the main environmental factors involved in the co-occurrence of forest islands and humid grasslands located in a protected area in the Espinhaço Biosphere Reserve, southeastern Brazil. We used permanent plots to collect the soil variables (moisture and chemical properties) in the forest islands. For sampling in wet grasslands, we installed four lines of 30 m from the edge of the islands in different directions. Subsequently, we delimited three points on each line10 m apart, totaling 12 points per area. We also surveyed the vegetation cover before and after prescribed burns. The environmental variables were subjected to tests of means and principal component analysis. We observed higher values of potassium, sum of bases, cation exchange capacity and organic matter in soils from forest islands than in wet grasslands. Therefore, the boundaries’ definition between the two vegetation types appeared to be primarily related to soil fertility and moisture gradients. After prescribed burning of the areas, no regeneration of arboreal individuals was detected near the edges of the islands. Therefore, our results suggest that forest islands are unable to expand due to well-defined edapho-climatic conditions. Thus, these environments should be a target focus for designing public conservation policies because they increase the complexity of the landscape of Campos Rupestres vegetation (mountain rocky grasslands).

Divergent tree radial growth patterns of Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia) at the alpine timberline along a moisture gradient in the Qilian mountains, Northwest China

Tree populations at the alpine timberline are highly sensitive and vulnerable to environmental change, but how climate change alters the spatiotemporal dynamics of tree radial growth at the alpine timberline remains a critical uncertainty of forest ecosystem change. We collected 480 tree-ring cores from 10 alpine timberlines at an elevation between 3210 and 3426 m a.s.l. to study the divergent radial growth dynamics of Qinghai spruce (Picea crassifolia Kom.) across a moisture gradient. According to the 400 mm annual total precipitation threshold, the ten chronologies could be roughly classified into two categories: the eastern Qilian Mountains (EQL) and western Qilian Mountains (WQL). Daihuangshan, Junmachang, Lujiaogou, Pailugou, Sidalong and Longchanghe belong to the EQL, while Baiquanmen, Ciyaokou, Qiaozigou and Xigoukuang belong to the WQL. Additionally, the correlation coefficients between the EQL and WQL chronologies were much lower than those within the same group. There were also significant differences in the response of radial growth to climate between the EQL and WQL. The radial growth of the EQL was mainly influenced by temperature, whereas the radial growth of the WQL was primarily limited by precipitation; this was mostly related to the tremendous east-westward moisture gradient of the Qilian Mountains. These results on climate growth suggest that future warming may promote the radial growth of P. crassifolia at the alpine timberline in the EQL, while the growth trend of P. crassifolia at the alpine timberline in the WQL mainly depends on the degree of drought due to temperature and precipitation, and thus, the growth trend in the future is relatively complex.

Understanding Evaporation Duct Variabilities on Turbulent Eddy Scales

AbstractEvaporative Ducts (ED) are common refractive features that exist due to the persistent/strong vertical moisture gradient inherent to the lowest 10s of meters of the marine atmospheric surface layer (MASL). The ED plays a large role in the propagation of signals from the surface‐ or ship‐based radar/communications systems due to the ducting of electromagnetic (EM) waves. Previous studies have characterized ED structure using mesoscale and surface layer models which are based on the Monin‐Obukhov similarity theory. As a result, only the spatially/temporally averaged mean ED structure has been examined. Conversely, this study focuses on ED variability occurring over turbulent energy‐containing eddy scales by utilizing large‐eddy simulations (LES) of the MASL. This innovative approach reveals that the LES‐resolved refractivity perturbations are directly linked to MASL large eddy dynamic and thermodynamic processes. In the thermally unstable MASL, significant turbulent ED variability is noted, with regions of increased ED heights associated with convective updrafts and positive moisture perturbations. In contrast, the thermally stable MASL is shown to exhibit significantly less ED variability over the LES domain. Since current surface layer models have difficulties in calculating ED properties in the thermally stable MASL, utilization of LES is helpful to gain an understanding of the ED in these conditions. A conceptual model of turbulent ED variation is proposed to describe the relationship between MASL dynamics/thermodynamic processes, state variable perturbations, and refractive variations.

Construction of hierarchical and porous cellulosic wood with high mechanical strength towards directional Evaporation-driven electrical generation

Tremendous efforts have been dedicated to harvesting energy from the ubiquitous natural water evaporation process. Inspired by the plant's bioelectric phenomenon during the transport of sap from bottom to top, the hierarchically porous cellulosic wood was engineered as the robust carrier for efficiently capturing and transferring water and moisture by removing lignin and hemicellulose, releasing the microscale pore in the cell wall and nanoscale pores in the middle lamella. A conductive polymer, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS), was impregnated in the cellulosic wood, which was further lyophilized to increase the specific surface area and improve the charge transport as an evaporation-driven electrical generator (EEG) with high Young’s modulus. This EEG produces a sustained voltage of around 385 mV and current over 11 μA across the porous and conductive cellulosic wood in a saturated NaCl solution. The anisotropic nature of the cellulosic wood leads to a higher output voltage in the growth direction than in the transverse direction. The driving force behind this energy generation is a self-maintained moisture gradient to generate an ion concentration difference between the output electrodes when the system is exposed to water or moisture. Furthermore, the critical factor of energy generation is the coupling between naturally aligned cellulose microfibrils in wood and water molecule. The generated voltage could be increased by elevating the concentration of ions in the aqueous solution and the temperature difference between the output electrodes. These strong and hierarchical cellulosic wood have a significant potential for electric energy collection through water evaporation and waste heat energy.

Habitat preference and vulnerability to drought of three Hypericum species of the páramo

ABSTRACT Background Páramos are tropical alpine ecosystems where climate change is expected to cause yet unknown consequences for plant growth, ecosystem structure, ecosystem function and the provision of ecosystem services. Aim To quantify the relationship between environmental factors (abiotic and biotic) and the spatial distribution of three common Hypericum species in the páramo and their physiological vulnerability to drought. Methods We recorded soil water content, soil temperature, and vegetation cover in 10 plots along a moisture gradient. Additionally, we measured a series of physiological traits associated with the risk of drought-induced mortality. Results We found that H. goyanesii and H. juniperinum mainly grew in areas with high soil water content, and similar high vegetation cover. These two species had wider xylem vessels, showed anisohydric behaviour and were equally vulnerable to cavitation with low safety margins against hydraulic failure. H. mexicanum grew in places with less vegetation cover, lower soil water content, and higher soil temperatures. H. mexicanum showed a different strategy that probably allows it to thrive in these conditions; it maintains high values of water potential at noon and has narrower xylem vessels, making it less vulnerable to cavitation. Conclusion The distribution of the three Hypericum species in the páramo responds essentially to soil water content, in line with the physiological mechanisms of the species to cope with water deficit. Hypericum species from moist habitats could decline if longer drought episodes become more common in the future.

Effect of Samples Size on the Water Removal and Shrinkage of Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis Wood during Supercritical CO2 Dewatering

Eucalyptus urophydis E. grandis green wood with different lengths were dewatered using CO2 that was cyclically alternated between the supercritical fluid and gas phases. The results indicate that shorter specimens can be dewatered to below the fiber saturation point (FSP). There was no significant difference in the dewatering rate between the specimens of 20 and 50 mm in length. The dewatering was faster when the moisture content (MC) was over the FSP, leading to a greater gradient and a non-uniform distribution of moisture. The MC distributions in all specimens had no clear differences between in tangential and radial directions. Supercritical CO2 dewatering generated a different moisture gradient than conventional kiln drying. Most water was dewatered from the end-grain section of the wood along the fiber direction, but a small amount of water was also removed in the transverse directions. There was no deformation in the specimens when the MC was above the FSP.