Eucalypts are the most planted trees worldwide, but most of them are frost sensitive. Overexpressing transcription factors for CRT-repeat binding factors (
) in transgenic
confer cold resistance both ...in leaves and stems. While wood plays crucial roles in trees and is affected by environmental cues, its potential role in adaptation to cold stress has been neglected. Here, we addressed this question by investigating the changes occurring in wood in response to the overexpression of two
, taking advantage of available transgenic
lines. We performed histological, biochemical, and transcriptomic analyses on xylem samples.
ectopic expression led to a reduction of both primary and secondary growth, and triggered changes in xylem architecture with smaller and more frequent vessels and fibers exhibiting reduced lumens. In addition, lignin content and syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) ratio increased. Consistently, many genes of the phenylpropanoid and lignin branch pathway were upregulated. Most of the features of xylem remodeling induced by
overexpression are reminiscent of those observed after long exposure of
trees to chilling temperatures. Altogether, these results suggest that
plays a central role in the cross-talk between response to cold and wood formation and that the remodeling of wood is part of the adaptive strategies to face cold stress.
This study investigated the physical and mechanical properties of six groups of bamboo–wood composites (BWC) made from bamboo and wood wastes, which are produced from the industry processing in ...Taiwan. Results obtained from non-destructive testing (NDT) indicated that the boards made with 100% bamboo residues (Group B) revealed higher ultrasonic-wave velocity (
V
u
) and tap tone sound velocity (
V
t
) than other BWC boards. Both
V
u
and
V
t
of composite boards were proportional to the ratio of bamboo residues contains. Three-layer composites made with bamboo/wood/bamboo residues at 1:2:1 ratio (Group B/2W/B) had the highest specific strength as well as modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) among all the composites. B/2W/B composite board had structural characteristics similar to those of medium-density fiberboards (MDF) and particleboards; thus, it might have better compression resistance than other types of boards. B/2W/B composite board also had the highest screw holding strength (SHS); next was the boards composed entirely of woody wastes (Group W). The results obtained from analysis of water absorption rate (WA%) show a positive correlation with porous bamboo contents; meanwhile, wood chips have higher water-absorption swelling rate than bamboo residues. Hence, it showed greater change in thickness swelling coefficient (TS%) and volume swelling coefficient (
S
%).
Thermal modification mechanisms and their effects on physical and mechanical properties of native Amazon hardwoods are not yet completely understood. It is expected that such treatments can improve ...the properties of low-value Amazonian woods and sapwood residues. This study aimed to investigate the impact of heat treatment on the swelling and mechanical properties (strength and stiffness to Static Bending and Janka hardness) of tauari wood (Couratari spp.), a low-value Amazonian hardwood. For this, tauari wood samples were thermally modified in an electric oven under hot air irradiation at final temperatures of 160 °C, 170 °C, 180 °C, 190 °C, 200 °C, and 210 °C for 2.5 h. The main results showed that thermal modification increased the hydrophobicity of tauari wood without any noticeable effects on the mechanical behavior of the wood up to 200 °C. It was stated that up to 200 °C thermal modification is beneficial in terms of gains in hydrophobicity. In contrast, above 200 °C, despite an increase in hydrophobicity, consistent decreases in strength (MOR) and hardness were observed.
This study investigated antifungal properties of four different tannins as potential environmentally friendly wood preservatives. Scots pine wood samples were impregnated with 3, 5, 10, and 15% ...valonia, chestnut, tara, and sulphited oak tannins, and then were exposed to brown rot fungi Coniophora puteana and Postia placenta, and white rot fungi Trametes versicolor and Pleurotus ostreatus attack to determine the best tannin type and the optimum concentration level for sufficient decay resistance. Leaching test was conducted in order to evaluate any loss in effectiveness in decay resistance due to possibility of tannin leaching. Tannins were found efficacious in suppressing brown rot fungi attacks when no leaching prior the decay test was used, however, they seemed to be ineffective against white rot fungi attacks. The lowest weight losses were obtained with valonia and chestnut tannins both for brown and white rot fungi probable related with their high ellagic tannin content.
CO2 fluxes from wood decomposition represent an important source of carbon from forest ecosystems to the atmosphere, which are determined by both wood traits and climate influencing the metabolic ...rates of decomposers. Previous studies have quantified the effects of moisture and temperature on wood decomposition, but these effects were not separated from the potential influence of wood traits. Indeed, it is not well understood how traits and climate interact to influence wood CO2 fluxes. Here, we examined the responses of CO2 fluxes from dead wood with different traits (angiosperm and gymnosperm) to 0%, 35%, and 70% rainfall reduction across seasonal temperature gradients. Our results showed that drought significantly decreased wood CO2 fluxes, but its effects varied with both taxonomical group and drought intensity. Drought‐induced reduction in wood CO2 fluxes was larger in angiosperms than gymnosperms for the 35% rainfall reduction treatment, but there was no significant difference between these groups for the 70% reduction treatment. This is because wood nitrogen density and carbon quality were significantly higher in angiosperms than gymnosperms, yielding a higher moisture sensitivity of wood decomposition. These findings were demonstrated by a significant positive interaction effect between wood nitrogen and moisture on CO2 fluxes in a structural equation model. Additionally, we ascertained that a constant temperature sensitivity of CO2 fluxes was independent of wood traits and consistent with previous estimates for extracellular enzyme kinetics. Our results highlight the key role of wood traits in regulating drought responses of wood carbon fluxes. Given that both climate and forest management might extensively modify taxonomic compositions in the future, it is critical for carbon cycle models to account for such interactions between wood traits and climate in driving dynamics of wood decomposition.
Our results showed that drought significantly decreased wood CO2 fluxes, but its effects varied with both taxonomical group and drought intensity. Drought‐induced reduction in wood CO2 fluxes was larger in angiosperms than gymnosperms for the 35% rainfall reduction treatment, but there was no significant difference between these groups for the 70% reduction treatment. This is because wood nitrogen density and carbon quality were significantly higher in angiosperms than gymnosperms, yielding a higher moisture sensitivity of wood decomposition.
Liquid reductive processing of birch wood in the presence of commercial Ru/C or Pd/C catalysts yields about 50% of a select set of phenolic monomers and a variety of phenolic di- and oligomers, next ...to a solid carbohydrate pulp. Changing the catalyst from Ru/C to Pd/C drastically increases the OH-content of the lignin-derived products, in particular for the phenolic monomers.
Koromiko Hebe salicifolia G. Forst. (Penneil) is a woody angiosperm native to New Zealand and Chile. Hebe spp. belong to the otherwise herbaceous family Plantaginaceae in the order Lamíales. Reaction ...wood exerting expansional forces was found on the lower side of leaning H. salicifolia stems. Such reaction wood is atypical for angiosperms, which commonly form contracting reaction wood on the upper side of leaning stems. Reaction wood typical for angiosperms is formed by species in other families in the order Lamiales. This suggests that the form of reaction wood is specific to the family level. Functionally the reaction wood of if. salicifolia is similar to that found in gymnosperms, which both act by pushing. However, their chemical, anatomical and physical characteristics are different. Typical features of reaction wood present in gymnosperms such as high density, thick-walled rounded cells and the presence of (1 → 4)-β-galactan in the secondary cell wall layer are absent in H. salicifolia reaction wood. Reaction wood of H. salicifolia varies from normal wood in having a higher microfibril angle, which is likely to determine the direction of generated maturation stresses.
•Abundance and characteristics of large and small instream wood were investigated.•Higher frequencies of small wood did not turn into its larger active-channel volumes.•Large and small wood spanned a ...similar proportion of the active channel width.•Small wood was more frequent in streams surrounded by a deciduous tree canopy.•Conifers tend to supply wood of larger dimensions (usually entire trees).
The effect of instream wood on stream hydraulics and geomorphic processes depends on wood and channel dimensions. We investigated abundance and characteristics (i.e., wood orientation, proportion of spanned channel width, stability and decay classes) of large wood (LW; defined here as having a length ≥ 1 m and a diameter ≥ 0.1 m) and small wood (SW; including two categories with length ≥ 0.5 m and diameter ≥ 0.1 m or length ≥ 1 m and diameter ≥ 0.05 m) in three steep, confined headwater channels of medium-high mountain ranges of the Western Carpathians (Central Europe). Results show that SW is more frequent than LW, however, active-channel LW load varied between 26 and 305 m3∙ha−1, whereas SW showed much lower active-channel load (8–16 m3∙ha−1). Differences between LW and SW active-channel volumes were considerably smaller in streams under dominant deciduous canopy. In these streams, morphological steps – created exclusively by SW – were more frequent than LW steps. This higher frequency of SW in streams surrounded by a deciduous tree canopy can be explained by the continuous supply of branches rather than entire dead trees. On the other hand, the volume and frequency of LW was related to the proportion of conifers in the valley corridor. We observe very high active-channel load in two channel reaches for which values exceeded most of those observed in similarly small streams across the globe. We also observe an unusually large proportion of instream wood (both LW and SW) oriented parallel to the flow direction, which might suggest a higher mobility of bed material in the flysch-dominated headwater channels of our study site.
Deadwood is a large global carbon store with its store size partially determined by biotic decay. Microbial wood decay rates are known to respond to changing temperature and precipitation. Termites ...are also important decomposers in the tropics but are less well studied. An understanding of their climate sensitivities is needed to estimate climate change effects on wood carbon pools. Using data from 133 sites spanning six continents, we found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highly sensitive to temperature (with decay increasing >6.8 times per 10°C increase in temperature)-even more so than microbes. Termite decay effects were greatest in tropical seasonal forests, tropical savannas, and subtropical deserts. With tropicalization (i.e., warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access more of Earth's surface.
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