To achieve full utilization of each harvested tree, interest centers on use of all of the tree components. The objective of the study is to determine the influence of the morphological characteristics of pulp fiber from 12 western U.S. softwood species, representative of a wide range of fiber. The effect of the morphology of the wood pulp fiber as distinguished from that of the wood fiber is emphasized because differences in performance of fiber-based products are traced to the pulp fiber. Interrelationships of fiber morphology and pulp sheet properties are discussed. The results indicate that it is not possible to fully characterize the performance of a pulp by a single morphological characteristic and that the morphological characteristics significantly influence strength properties of sheets.

The breadth and depth of understanding of many areas concerning basidiomycetes has increased dramatically since the premier publication of Frankland et al., Decomposer Basidiomycetes: their Biology and Ecology. New vistas have opened up with the advent of powerful computing, modeling and molecular approaches helping to greatly increase the general understanding of the ecology of basidiomycetes. This is tantamount to understanding the role of fungi in natural ecosystems because they are major agents of decomposition and nutrient cycling. These remarkable advances have been incorporated into this volume that discusses all aspects of saprotrophic basidiomycete ecology.