Trees are a major component of the biosphere and have played an important part in the world's history and culture. With the modern challenges of global warming and dwindling fossil fuel reserves, trees, and in particular their wood, can provide solutions. Unfortunately, too little is known about the biology of these plants, due largely to a lack of

It is widely recognized that spiral grain in trees severely reduces the value of sawn timber through warping and loss of strength, and that it also causes problems for other wood uses as diverse as transmission poles or plywood. Yet, paradoxically, there are highly valued grain patterns including wavy and interlocked grain, whose origins in the cambium invite direct comparison with those of spiral grain, so that many authorities believe them to be related phenomena. In recent years this concept has prompted extensive research into the anatomy, genetics, and physiology of all such grain patterns in wood. As a result it has become apparent that tree cambia provide excellent systems through which to study the origins of stem polarity and the complex processes of morphogenetic control in plants. Beside these and other pressing topics for research, the book examines methods of measuring grain deviations, and considers their influence on wood properties, on the economics of timber production, and on wood manufacturing.

The book is a fundamental reference source on reaction wood for wood scientists and technologists, plant biologists, silviculturists, forest ecologists, and anyone involved in the growing of trees and the processing of wood. It brings together our current understanding of all aspects of reaction wood, and is the first book to discuss both compression wood and tension wood. Trees produce reaction wood to maintain the vertical orientation of their stems and the optimum angle of each branch. They achieve this by laying down fibre cell walls in which differences in physical and chemical structure from those of normal fibres are expressed as differential stresses across the stem or branch. This process, while of obvious value for the survival of the tree, causes serious problems for the utilisation of timber. Timber derived from trees containing significant amounts of reaction wood is subject to dimensional instability on drying, causing twisting, bending and splitting. It is also difficult to work as timber, and for the pulp and paper industry the cost of removing the increased amount of lignin in compression wood is substantial. This has both practical and economic consequences for industry. Understanding the factors controlling reaction wood formation and its effect on wood structure is therefore fundamental to our understanding of the adaptation of trees to their environment and to the sustainable use of wood. The topics covered include: -Morphology, anatomy and ultrastructure of reaction wood -Cell-wall polymers in reaction wood and their biosynthesis -Changes in tree proteomes during reaction wood formation -The biomechanical action and biological functions of reaction wood - Physical and mechanical properties of reaction wood from the scale of cell walls to planks -The detection and characterisation of compression wood -Effects of reaction wood on the performance of wood and wood-based products - Commercial implications of reaction wood and the influence of forest management on its formation

Wood as Raw Material: Source, Structure, Chemical Composition, Growth, Degradation and Identification focuses on the scientific advancements in general forestry. This book discusses the value of wood as a raw material as looked upon from biological, botanical, and technical perspective. Organized into 12 chapters, this book starts with an overview of the importance of forest trees as sources of wood. This text then examines the chemical composition and ultrastructure of wood. Other chapters explain the biological mechanisms of wood and bark formation by forest trees. This book discusses as well the certain fundamental relationships between tree growth and wood structure. The final chapter deals with wood identification in North America and European forest tree species. This book is a valuable resource for students engaged in the study of forest management, wood science and technology, tree physiology, silviculture, forest soils, forest genetics, forest engineering, pulp and paper technology, forest and wood pathology, and other specialized areas. Foresters and technologists will also find this book useful.

This book offers a broad range of options for technically adapting, handling and processing wood with specific wood characteristics. It starts by discussing wood anatomy and the general factors leading to the formation of wood characteristics. The individual characteristics are then categorized into four groups: 1. Wood characteristics inherent in a tree’s natural growth. 2. Biotically-induced wood characteristics. 3. Abiotically-induced wood characteristics. 4. Types and causes of cracks. New to this English edition is a comparison of wood characteristics found in trees from the boreal, temperate and tropical climate zones. The results show a clear relationship between the effects of sunshine duration, the vertical and horizontal angle of radiation, and crown coverage and the way wood characteristics form. The book addresses all those who work with wood professionally: foresters, gardeners and arborists who want to be able to observe a living tree and identify its internal features and the causes of its prominent wood characteristics. Based on the findings described in this book they can determine how to avoid certain undesirable characteristics, or alternatively how to promote favorable ones as the tree and stand grow. Botanists and dendrologists will learn how wood characteristics arise, and how they affect living trees and wood products. The needs of wood technologists seeking to prevent adverse wood characteristics from influencing wood processing, or to enhance favorable wood characteristics, are also addressed.

Dendrochronologists have long estimated the impact of climate on tree-ring growth by empirical-statistical methods. The use of the model is illustrated with examples from widely differing environments, and possible future directions for model development and application are discussed. As forests are the main carbon sink on land, the results are of great importance for all global change studies.

"First published in 1945 by Collins"--Copyright page.

The updated seventh edition of the classic text on wood science and forestry The seventh edition of Forest Products and Wood Science: An Introduction offers a fully revised and updated review of the forest products industry. This classic text contains a comprehensive review of the subject and presents a thorough understanding of the anatomical and physical nature of wood. The authors emphasize its use as an industrial raw material. Forest Products and Wood Science provides thorough coverage of all aspects of wood science and industry, ranging from tree growth and wood anatomy to a variety of economically important wood products, along with their applications and performance. The text explores global raw materials, the increasing use of wood as a source of energy and chemicals and environmental implications of the use of wood. This edition features new material on structural composites, non-structural composites, durability and protection, pulp and paper, energy and chemicals, and global raw materials. This seventh edition of the classic work: Contains new information on a variety of topics including: structural composites, non-structural composites, durability and protection, pulp and paper, energy and chemicals and global raw materials Includes a fully revised text that meets the changing needs of the forestry, engineering, and wood science academics and professionals Presents material written by authors with broad experience in both the private and academic sectors Written for undergraduate students in forestry, natural resources, engineering, and wood science, as well as forest industry personnel, engineers, wood-based manufacturing and using professionals, the seventh edition of Forest Products and Wood Science updates the classic text that has become an indispensable resource.

Trees are a major component of the biosphere and have played an important part in the world's history and culture. With the modern challenges of global warming and dwindling fossil fuel reserves, trees, and in particular their wood, can provide solutions. Unfortunately, too little is known about the biology of these plants, due largely to a lack of