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Looking for differences in wood properties as a function of the felling date: lunar phase-correlated variations in the drying behavior of Norway Spruce (Picea abies Karst.) and Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.)

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Abstract

A large-scale field experiment on the drying behavior of Norway Spruce (Picea abies Karst.) and Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) in relation to the felling date was conducted over a period of 24 weeks in order to investigate the existence of variations linked to lunar rhythms, which are mentioned as having a role in many traditional forestry practices. The measured criteria were the water loss from fresh to dry state, the shrinkage linked to this water loss, and the relative density (ratio between the dry density and the initial fresh density) for both sapwood and heartwood in Picea and heartwood in Castanea. In addition to seasonal trends, slight but significant variations with lunar periodicities (both synodic and sidereal; to a much lesser extent tropic) characterize the three investigated criteria. These lunar rhythmicities occur in both Picea and Castanea, in heartwood and sapwood. These results raise new questions and perspectives about a rhythmic character of the wood–water relation.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by funds provided by Wolfermann-Nägeli-Foundation Zürich, Chambre des Bois de l’Ouest Vaudois, Sezione Forestale Cantonale (Ticino), Federlegno Ticino, Graubünden Holz (Amt für Wald Mittelbünden), Kantonsforstamt Schwyz, Schwyzer Arbeitsgemeinschaft HOLZ, Kloster Einsiedeln SZ, and Thoma Holz GmbH (Austria). The realization occurred with the collaboration of Christian Rogenmoser, Dr. Thomas Volkmer, Werner Gerber, Andrea Florinett, Christian Barandun, Eric Treboux, Denis Pidoux, Serge Lüthi, Christophe Rémy, Daniel Meyer, Marco Delucchi, Theo Weber, Dr. Joan Davis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Solothurnstrasse 102, P.O. Box 6071, 2504, Biel-Bienne, Switzerland

    Ernst Zürcher

  2. Laboratory of Ecological Systems (ECOS), Institute for Environmental Sciences and Technologies (ISTE), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) Station 2, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    R. Schlaepfer

  3. Research Unit Ecosystem Boundaries, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL (Forest, Snow and Landscape), Via Belsoggiorno 22, 6500, Bellinzona, Switzerland

    M. Conedera

  4. Federlegno Ticino, Casella Postale 280, 6902, Rivera, Switzerland

    F. Giudici

Authors
  1. Ernst Zürcher
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  2. R. Schlaepfer
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  3. M. Conedera
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  4. F. Giudici
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Correspondence to Ernst Zürcher.

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Communicated by H. Rennenberg.

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Zürcher, E., Schlaepfer, R., Conedera, M. et al. Looking for differences in wood properties as a function of the felling date: lunar phase-correlated variations in the drying behavior of Norway Spruce (Picea abies Karst.) and Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.). Trees 24, 31–41 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-009-0376-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-009-0376-2

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