Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Dendrochronological investigation of wood extractives

  • Original
  • Published:
Wood Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

X-ray microdensitometry was applied to a set of Scots pinewood (i.e. low extractive content). Earlywood and latewood properties were determined as minimum and maximum densities of each tree ring and the potential influence of acetone-soluble extractives (i.e. non-structural and secondary constituents of wood) was estimated using tree-ring statistics. The occurrence of extractives in different portions of wood was determined using dendrochronological methods, by comparing the densities of unextracted and extracted wood. It was not only found that unextracted samples exhibited inflated earlywood and latewood density values, but the growth trends were also altered. Extractives flattened the inter-annual growth variability, both in earlywood and latewood, and influenced the estimation of intra-annual radial growth variations. Characterizing the varying amount of extractives is of inter-disciplinary importance. The results in this study describe their occurrence and show that the radial variations in extractives could be highly detailed by simply using densitometry-based dendrochronology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahti T, Hämet-Ahti L, Jalas J (1968) Vegetation zones and their sections in northwestern Europe. Ann Bot Fenn 3:169–211

    Google Scholar 

  • Aniol RW (1983) Tree-ring analysis using CATRAS. Dendrochronologia 1:45–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Assarsson A, Åkerlund G (1964) Studies on wood resin, especially the change in chemical composition during seasoning of the wood. Part 4. The composition of the petroleum ether-soluble nonvolatile extractives from fresh spruce, pine, birch and aspen wood. Svensk Papperstidning 69:517–525

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergsten U, Lindeberg J, Ringdby A, Evans R (2001) Batch measurements of wood density on intact or prepared drill cores using X-ray microdensitometry. Wood Sci Technol 35:435–452

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bergström B (2003) Chemical and structural changes during heartwood formation in Pinus sylvestris. Forestry 76:45–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergström B, Gustafsson G, Gref R, Ericsson A (1999) Seasonal changes of pinosylvin distribution in the sapwood/heartwood boundary of Pinus sylvestris. Trees 14:65–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Berninger F, Hari P, Nikinmaa E, Lindholm M, Meriläinen J (2004) Use of modeled photosynthesis and decomposition to describe tree growth at the northern treeline. Tree Physiol 24:193–204

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bouriaud O, Leban J-M, Bert D, Deleuze C (2005) Intra-annual variations in climate influence growth and wood density of Norway spruce. Tree Physiol 25:651–660

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Briffa KR, Jones PD, Schweingruber FH (1988) Summer temperature patterns over Europe: a reconstruction from 1750 A.D. based on maximum latewood density indices of conifers. Quat Res 30:36–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briffa KR, Bartholin TS, Eckstein D, Jones PD, Karlén W, Schweingruber FH, Zetterberg P (1990) A 1,400-year tree-ring record of summer temperatures in Fennoscandia. Nature 346:434–439

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briffa KR, Jones PD, Bartholin TS, Eckstein D, Schweingruber FH, Karlén W, Zetterberg P, Eronen M (1992) Fennoscandian summers from AD 500: temperature changes on short and long time scales. Clim Dyn 7:111–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briffa KR, Jones PD, Schweingruber FH, Shiyatov SG, Cook ER (1995) Unusual twentieth-century summer warmth in a 1,000-year temperature record from Siberia. Nature 376:156–159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Briffa KR, Osborn TJ, Schweingruber FH, Harris IC, Jones PD, Shiyatov SG, Vaganov E (2001) Low-frequency temperature variations from a northern tree ring density network. J Geophys Res 106(D3):2929–2941

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briffa KR, Osborn TJ, Schweingruber FH, Jones PD, Shiyatov SG, Vaganov EA (2002a) Tree ring width and density data around the Northern Hemisphere. Part 1. Local and regional climate signals. Holocene 12:737–751

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briffa KR, Osborn TJ, Schweingruber FH, Jones PD, Shiyatov SG, Vaganov EA (2002b) Tree-ring width and density data around the Northern Hemisphere. Part 2. Spatio-temporal variability and associated climate patterns. Holocene 12:759–789

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campelo F, Nabais C, Freitas H, Gutiérrez E (2006) Climatic significance of tree-ring width and intra-annual density fluctuations in Pinus pinea from a dry Mediterranean area in Portugal. Ann For Sci 64:229–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook ER, Briffa KR (1990) A comparison of some tree-ring standardization methods. In: Cook ER, Kairiukstis LA (eds) Methods of dendrochronology: applications in the environmental sciences. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 153–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Cown DJ, Ball RD (2001) Wood densitometry of 10 Pinus radiata families at seven contrasting sites: influence of tree age, site, and genotype. NZ J For Sci 31:88–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Cown DJ, Clement BC (1983) A wood densitometer using direct scanning with X-rays. Wood Sci Technol 17:91–99

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Decoux V, Varcin É, Leban J-M (2004) Relationships between the intra-ring wood density assessed by X-ray densitometry and optical anatomical measurements in conifers. Consequences for the cell wall apparent density determination. Ann For Sci 61:251–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fengel D (1991) Aging and fossilization of wood and its components. Wood Sci Technol 25:153–177

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fengel D, Wegener G (1984) Wood: chemistry, ultrastructure, reactions. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritts HC (1976) Tree rings and climate. Academic Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritts HC, Mosimann JE, Bottorff CP (1969) A revised computer program for standardizing tree-ring series. Tree-Ring Bull 29:15–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Gierlinger N, Wimmer R (2004) Radial distribution of heartwood extractives and lignin in mature European larch. Wood Fiber Sci 36:387–394

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hakkila P (1968) Geographical variation of some properties of pine and spruce pulpwood in Finland. Commun Inst For Fenn 66(8):1–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Hannrup B, Danell Ö, Ekberg I, Moëll M (2001) Relationships between wood density and tracheid dimensions in Pinus sylvestris L. Wood Fiber Sci 33:173–181

    Google Scholar 

  • Harju AM, Venäläinen M, Anttonen S, Viitanen H, Kainulainen P, Saranpää P, Vapaavuori E (2003) Chemical factors affecting the brown-rot decay resistance of Scots pine heartwood. Trees 17:263–268

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harris JM, Birt DV (1972) Use of beta rays for early assessment of wood density development in provenance trials. Silvae Genet 21:21–25

    Google Scholar 

  • Helama S, Lindholm M, Meriläinen J, Timonen M, Eronen M (2005) Multicentennial ring-width chronologies of Scots pine along north–south gradient across Finland. Tree-ring Res 61:21–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Helama S, Vartiainen M, Kolström T, Peltola H, Meriläinen J (2008) X-ray microdensitometry applied to subfossil tree-rings: growth characteristics of ancient pines from the southern boreal forest zone in Finland at intra-annual to centennial time scales. Veg Hist Archaeobot 17:675–686

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hillis WE (1962) The distribution and formation of the polyphenols within the tree. In: Hillis WE (ed) Wood extractives and their significance to the pulp and paper industries. Academic Press, New York, pp 60–132

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillis WE (1971) Distribution, properties and formation of some wood extractives. Wood Sci Technol 5:272–289

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hillis WE (1985) Occurrence of extractives in wood tissues. In: Higuchi T (ed) Biosynthesis and biodegradation of wood components. Academic Press, Orlando, pp 209–228

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillis WE (1999) The formation of heartwood and its extractives: an overview. In: Romeo JT (ed) Phytochemicals in human health protection, nutrition, and plant defense. Kluwer, Plenum, New York. Recent advances in phytochemistry 33:215–253

  • Hillis WE, Humphreys FR, Bamber RK, Carle A (1962) Factors influencing the formation of phloem and heartwood polyphenols. Holzforschung 16:114–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holmes RL (1983) Computer-assisted quality control in tree-ring dating and measurement. Tree-Ring Bull 43:69–78

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes MK, Schweingruber FH, Cartwright D, Kelly PM (1984) July–August temperature at Edinburgh between 1721 and 1975 from tree-ring density and width data. Nature 308:341–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaakkola T, Mäkinen H, Saranpää P (2005) Wood density in Norway spruce: changes with thinning intensity and tree age. Can J For Res 35:1767–1778

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jaakkola T, Mäkinen H, Saranpää P (2006) Wood density of Norway spruce: responses to timing and intensity of first commercial thinning and fertilisation. For Ecol Manage 237:513–521

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanowski P, Wright J (1985) Effects of resin extraction on optically determined density of Pinus caribaea Morelet and P. oocarpa Schiede. Commonw For Rev 64:29–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Karppanen O, Venäläinen M, Harju AM, Willför S, Pietarinen S, Laakso T, Kainulainen P (2007) Knotwood as a window to the indirect measurement of the decay resistance of Scots pine heartwood. Holzforschung 61:600–604

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leban J-M, Pizzi A, Wieland S, Zanetti M, Properzi M, Pichelin F (2004) X-ray microdensitometry analysis of vibration-welded wood. J Adhes Sci Technol 18:673–685

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindholm M, Meriläinen J, Eronen M (1998–1999) A 1250-year ring-width chronology of Scots pine for southeastern Finland, in the southern part of the boreal forest belt. Dendrochronologia 16-17:183–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd JA (1978) Distribution of extractives in Pinus radiata earlywood and latewood. NZ J For Sci 8:288–294

    Google Scholar 

  • Meriläinen J, Timonen M (2004) Tree-ring data bank of Saima centre for environmental sciences in Savonlinna [Contribution to The International Tree-Ring Data Bank]. http://www.joensuu.fi/ktl/saima/homepage3/dataa1.htm

  • Monserud RA (1986) Time-series analyses of tree-ring chronologies. For Sci 32:49–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Mörling T (2002) Evaluation of annual ring width and ring density development following fertilisation and thinning of Scots pine. Ann For Sci 59:29–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peltola H, Kilpeläinen A, Sauvala K, Räisänen T, Ikonen V-P (2007) Effects of early thinning regime and tree status on the radial growth and wood density of Scots pine. Silva Fenn 41:489–505

    Google Scholar 

  • Pensar G (1967) The distribution and composition of extractives in wood. 2. Ether extractives of earlywood and latewood in pine (Pinus sylvestris). Acta Acad Åboensis 28B(1):1–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Polge H (1971) Inheritance of specific gravity in four-year-old seedlings of silver fir (in French). Ann Sci For 28:185–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rigling A, Waldner PO, Forster T, Bräker OU, Pouttu A (2001) Ecological interpretation of tree-ring width and intraannual density fluctuations in Pinus sylvestris on dry sites in the central Alps and Siberia. Can J For Res 31:18–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Savva Y, Schweingruber F, Milyutin L, Vaganov E (2002) Genetic and environmental signals in tree rings from different provenances of Pinus sylvestris L. planted in the southern taiga, central Siberia. Trees 16:313–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schinker MG, Hansen N, Spiecker H (2003) High-frequency densitometry: a new method for the rapid evaluation of wood density variations. IAWA J 24(3):231–239

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweingruber FH (1988) Tree rings: basics and applications of dendrochronology. Kluwer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweingruber FH, Fritts HC, Bräker OU, Drew LG, Schär E (1978) The X-ray technique as applied to dendroclimatology. Tree-Ring Bull 38:61–91

    Google Scholar 

  • Schweingruber FH, Bartholin T, Schär E, Briffa KR (1988) Radiodensitometric-dendroclimatological conifer chronologies from Lapland (Scandinavia) and the Alps (Switzerland). Boreas 17:559–566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tuovinen M (2005) Response of tree-ring width and density of Pinus sylvestris to climate beyond the continuous northern forest line in Finland. Dendrochronologia 22:83–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Venäläinen M, Harju AM, Saranpää P, Kainulainen P, Tiitta M, Velling P (2004) The concentration of phenolics in brown-rot decay-resistant and susceptible Scots pine heartwood. Wood Sci Technol 38:109–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Payette S, Bégin Y (2001) 1300-year tree-ring width and density series based on living, dead and subfossil black spruce at tree-line in Subarctic Québec, Canada. Holocene 11:333–341

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Payette S, Bégin Y (2002) Relationships between anatomical and densitometric characteristics of black spruce and summer temperature at tree line in northern Quebec. Can J For Res 32:477–486

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wimmer R (1995) Intra-annual cellular characteristics and their implications for modeling softwood density. Wood Fiber Sci 27:413–420

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yasue K, Funada R, Fukazawa K, Othani J (1996) The effect of climate on the variation in maximum density of Picea glehnii Mast. and associated changes in tracheid dimensions. Dendrochronologia 14:89–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Yasue K, Funada R, Fukazawa K, Ohtani J (1997) Tree-ring width and maximum density of Picea glehnii as indicators of climatic changes in northern Hokkaido, Japan. Can J For Res 27:1962–1970

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Professor Heli Peltola for measuring the samples by X-ray microdensitometry (ITRAX) and for many useful comments on the earlier version of the manuscript. We acknowledge the people who measured the tree-ring widths, technicians of Saima Unit, Mr. Kari Tolvanen and Mr. Risto Tanninen, who also carried out the dendrochronological quality control of these series. The comments of several anonymous referees are acknowledged. The work of SH was supported by the Academy of Finland (Grant #122033).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Samuli Helama

    Present address: Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Samuli Helama

  2. SAIMA Unit of the Savonlinna Department of Teacher Education, University of Joensuu, P.O. Box 86, 57101, Savonlinna, Finland

    Matti Vartiainen & Jouko Meriläinen

  3. Mekrijärvi Research Station, University of Joensuu, Yliopistontie 4, 82900, Ilomantsi, Finland

    Taneli Kolström

Authors
  1. Samuli Helama
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Matti Vartiainen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Taneli Kolström
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jouko Meriläinen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samuli Helama.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Helama, S., Vartiainen, M., Kolström, T. et al. Dendrochronological investigation of wood extractives. Wood Sci Technol 44, 335–351 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-009-0293-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-009-0293-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation