Abstract
Tracheid dimension, diameter at breast height (DBH) and heartwood ratio can significantly influence wood properties. Information about their variations upon provenance, rotation age and geometric locations within tree is necessary for the scientific cultivation and better utilization of wood materials. For this purpose, the influences of provenance (Chenshan and Rongshui) and rotation age (10, 20 and 30 years) on DBH, heartwood ratio and radial variation in tracheid dimension of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.), one of the major commercial plantation conifer tree species in China, were investigated. Results showed that for all selected variables, provenance was highly significant. Chinese fir from provenance Chenshan generally had the largest DBH, the biggest heartwood ratio, and tracheids with the longest, widest and thinnest dimensions. Besides, tracheid length displayed a radial increase from pith outwards for Chinese fir. It is more accentuated that DBH, heartwood ratio and tracheid length displayed apparent increments with prolonging the rotation age which were probably contributed from the differences in the differentiation of cambium to xylem, cambium age as well as the adaptability to the ecological conditions between two provenances. The results indicated that the rotation age of 20 years is suitable to carry out a clear felling of the stand for both provenances, and provenance Chenshan is preferable to be cultivated and utilized.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adamopoulos S, Wimmer R, Milios E (2012) Tracheid length—growth relationships of young Pinus brutia grown on reforestation sites. IAWA J 33:39–49
Bannan MW (1954) Ring width, tracheid size, and ray volume in stem wood of Thuja Occidentalis L. Can. J Bot 32:466–479
Bao F, Duan X (2000) Relationship between wood structures and its wood dyeing effects of Chinese fir from plantation. Scientia Silvae Sinicae 36:93–101
Bao F, Jiang Z (1998) Wood properties of main tree species from a plantation in China. China Forestry Publishing House, Beijing
Bao F, Jiang Z, Jiang X, Lu X, Luo X, Zhang S (2001) Differences in wood properties between juvenile wood and mature wood in 10 species grown in China. Wood Sci Technol 35:363–375
Brändström J (2001) Micro- and ultrastructural aspects of Norway Spruce tracheids: a review. IAWA J 22:333–353
Cao T, Valsta L, Härkönen S, Saranpää P, Mäkelä A (2008) Effects of thin and fertilization on wood properties and economic returns for Norway spruce. Forest Ecol Manag 256:1280–1289
Climent J, Chambel MR, Pérez E, Gil L, Pardos J (2001) Relationship between heartwood radius and early radial growth, tree age, and climate in Pinus canariensis. Can J For Res 32:103–111
Cown DJ, Mcconchie DL (1980) Wood property variations in an old-crop stand of radiata pine. N Z J For Sci 10: 508–520
Denne MP (1973) Tracheid dimensions in relation to shoot vigour in Picea. Forestry 46:117–124
Guo J, Guo X, Wang S, Yin Y (2016) Effects of ultrasonic treatment during acid hydrolysis on the yield, particle size and structure of cellulose nanocrystals. Carbohydr Polym 135:248–255
Herman M, Dutilleul P, Avella-Shaw T (1998) Intra-ring and inter-ring variations of tracheid length in fast-grown versus slow-grown Norway spruce (Piceaabies). IAWA J 19:3–23
Jang HF, Seth RS (1998) Characterization of the collapse behavior of paper making fibres using confocal microscopy. Conference proceeding. 84th annual meeting, Canadian Pulp and Paper Association B 205–212
Keith CT (1975) Tangential wall thickenings in conifer tracheids at ray-contact areas. Wood Fiber Sci 7:129–135
Kokutse AD, Baillères H, Stokes A, Kokou K (2004) Proportion and quality of heartwood in Togolese teak (Tectona grandis L. f.). Forest Ecol Manag 189:37–48
Kucera B (1994) A hypothesis relating current annual height increment to juvenile wood formation in Norway spruce. Wood Fiber Sci 26:152–167.
Lehtonen A, Mäkipää R, Heikkinen J, Sievänen R, Liski J (2004) Biomass expansion factors (BEFs) for Scots pine, Norway spruce and birch according to stand age for boreal forests. Forest Ecol Manag 188:211–224
Lundgren C (2004) Cell wall thickness and tangential and radial cell diameter of fertilized and irrigated Norway spruce. Siliva Fennica 38:98–106
Mäkinen H, Hynynen J (2012) Predicting wood and tracheid properties of Scots pine. Forest Ecol Manag 279:11–20
Mäkinen H, Saranpää P, Linder S (2002) Effect of growth rate on fibre characteristics in Norway Spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). Holzforschung 56:449–460
Mäkinen H, Hynynen J, Penttilä T (2015) Effect of thinning on wood density and tracheid properties of Scots pine on drained peatland stands. Forestry 88:359–367
Martín JA, Esteban LG, de Palacios P, García Fernández F (2010) Variation in wood anatomical traits of Pinus sylvestris L. between Spanish regions of provenance. Trees 24:1017–1028
Mencuccini M, Grace J, Fioravanti M (1997) Biomechanical and hydraulic determinants of tree structure in Scots pine: anatomical characteristics. Tree Physiol 17:105–113
Navi P, Sandberg D (2011) Thermo-hydro-mechanical processing of wood. EPFL press, Lausanne
Necesany V (1961) The variation of “normal” wood in view of its structure. Faserforschung und Textiltechnik 12:169–178
Ollinmaa PJ (1961) Study on reaction wood. Acta Forestalia Fennica 72:1–54
Paavilainen L (1992) The possibility of fractionating softwood sulphate pulp according to cell wall thickness. Appita 45: 319–326
Ren H, Nakai T (2006) Intratree variability of wood density and main wood mechanical properties in Chinese fir and poplar plantation (in Chinese). Sci Silvae Sin 42:13–20
Saranpää P, Personen E, Sarén M, Andersson S, Siiriä S, Serimaa R, Paakkari T (2000) Variation of the properties of tracheids in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). In: Savidge RA, Barnett JR, Napier R. (eds) Cell and molecular biology of wood formation. BIOS Scientific Publishers Ltd, Oxford, pp. 337–345
Sellin A (1994) Sapwood-heartwood proportion related to tree diameter, age, and growth rate in Piceaabies. Can J For Res 24:1022–1028
Shapiro SS, Wilk MB (1965) An analysis of variance test for normality (complete samples). Biometrika 52:591–611
Song K, Liu B, Yin Y (2011) Cellular changes of tracheids and ray parenchyma cells from cambium to heartwood in Cunninghamia lanceolate. J Trop For Sci 23:478–487
Song K, Yin Y, Salmén L, Xiao F, Jiang X (2014) Changes in the properties of wood cell walls during the transformation from sapwood to heartwood. J Mater Sci 49:1734–1742
Steffenrem A, Saranpää P, Lundqvist SO, Skrøppa T (2007) Variation in wood properties among five full-sib families of Norway spruce (Picea abies). Ann For Sci 64:799–806
Taylor AM, Gartner BL, Morrell JJ (2002) Heartwood formation and natural durability-a review. Wood Fiber Sci 34: 587–611
Toïgo M, Vallet P, Tuilleras V, Lebourgeois F, Rozenberg P, Perret S, Courbaud B, Perot T (2015) Species mixture increases the effect of drought on tree ring density, but not on ring width, in Quercus petraea-Pinus sylvestris stands. Forest Ecol Manag 345:73–82
Tsoumis G (1991) Science and technology of wood. Structure, properties, utilization. Chapman and Hall, London
Wilkes J (1991) Heartwood development and its relationship to growth in Pinus radiata. Wood Sci Technol 25:85–90
Ye ZH (2002) Vascular tissue differentiation and pattern formation in plants. Annu Rev Plant Biol 53:183–202
Yin Y, Song K, Liu B, Jiang M (2011a) Variation of microfibril angle in plantation trees of Cunninghamia Lanceolata determinded by pit apertures and X-ray diffraction. IAWA J 32(1):77–87
Yin Y, Bian M, Song K, Xiao F, Jiang X (2011b) Influence of microfibril angle on within-tree variations in the mechanical properties of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata). IAWA J 32(4):431–442
Zubizarreta-Gerendiain A, Gort-Oromi J, Mehtätalo L, Peltola H, Venäläinen A (2012) Effects of cambial age, clone and climatic factors on ring width and ring density in Norway spruce (Picea abies) in southeastern Finland. Forest Ecol Manag 263:9–16
Acknowledgements
This study was sponsored by the Chinese State Forestry Administration Project (201104058). We would like to express our gratitude for the technical help given by Professor Xiaomei Jiang at the Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry for her valuable comments on experimental design, and Dr. Kunlin Song and Dr. Lichao Jiao for the collection of wood samples.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Guo, J., Guo, X., Xiao, F. et al. Influences of provenance and rotation age on heartwood ratio, stem diameter and radial variation in tracheid dimension of Cunninghamia lanceolata . Eur. J. Wood Prod. 76, 669–677 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-017-1200-0
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00107-017-1200-0