Article

 

Variation in the anatomy and specific gravity of wood within and between trees of red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) Public Deposited

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/articles/2f75r8480

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • Six 40-year-old red alders (Alnus rubra Bong.) were harvested from a mixed stand of A. rubra and big-leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum Pursh) in the Oregon Coast Range to evaluate variation in their wood characteristics at two heights. Because the trees had a slight lean (4 to 14°), we sampled along a diametric strip from the lower to upper side of the lean. For a disk from breast height and one from an upper height (5.8 to 6.1 m), we sampled 12-14 designated growth rings on both sides of the pith. For each sample we determined fiber length, vessel diameter, tissue proportion (proportion of a cross section occupied by fibers, vessels, rays, or axial parenchyma), and specific gravity. The variation of these properties between the two heights, between the lower and upper sides of the lean, and along the radius was analyzed among the within trees. Variations between the two heights and between the lower and upper sides of the lean were minor or not significant for all measured characteristics. In the radial direction, fiber length and vessel diameter increased rapidly during the first 8 to 12 years (from 0.8 to 1.2 mm and 47 to 60 um, respectively) and then leveled off. From pith to bark, there was no significant change in ray proportion, a small increase in the vessel proportion (from 23 to 28%), and a small decrease in the fiber proportion (from 63 to57%). Specific gravity was constant radially and with height but varied significantly among trees (from 0.45 to 0.51 for tree means). These results suggest that the wood characteristics of A. rubra are quite uniform within individual trees with the exception of fiber length and vessel diameter, which increase radially in the first several growth rings.
  • Keywords: specific gravity, vessel, wood quality, fiber, radial variation, ray
Resource Type
Date Available
Date Issued
Citation
  • Barbara L. Gartner, Hua Lei, and Michael R. Milota. 1997. Variation in the anatomy and specific gravity of wood within and between trees of red alder (Alnus rubra bong.) Wood and Fiber Science, 29(1):10-20.
Journal Title
Journal Volume
  • 29
Journal Issue/Number
  • 1
Academic Affiliation
Rights Statement
Publisher
Language
Replaces

Relationships

Parents:

This work has no parents.

Items