Radial variation in the wood properties of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) grown on former agricultural soil

Abstract

The soil of former farmland greatly differs from forest soil, and significantly influences tree growth and development compared with other site factors. The effect may also be reflected indirectly in radial variability of wood. This study compared radial variation of wood density, compressive strength along the grain and static bending strength of wood of Scots pine trees growing on former farmland and forest soils. The analyses were conducted in eight mature pine stands. On the basis of the stand description, four stands were classified as growing on forest soil (L) and four as growing on former farmland soil (P). A total of 24 model trees were selected, twelve on each soil type. Analyses of wood properties were conducted along four axes from the cross sectional radius of the trees at breast height. Our analyses showed that radial variation in wood properties of Scots pine (from selected locations in Poland) growing on former farmland is similar to the variation among the control trees growing on forest soils. In both groups of trees, the lowest density and the lowest strength were in the pith (juvenile) zone. Wood with the highest density and greatest strength was located in the central part of the radius. Wood of Scots pine trees growing on former farmland soils in comparison to that of trees growing on forest soil was characterised by a statistically lower basic density, lower compressive strength along the grain and static bending strength.

Why Does Phlebiopsis gigantea not Always Inhibit Root and Butt Rot in Conifers?

“…It should be presumed that similar relationships occur in infected wood of roots and stumps in natural conditions, even if they have not been directly observed. Such a phenomenon may be common in forest stands established on post-agricultural land or rich forest sites, on which trees produce wood with larger annual rings than in trees on poorer forest soils [63]. It has been confirmed that a fast-growing pathogen mycelium, growing from the roots towards the stump, can penetrate wood tissues just as fast as or faster than the mycelium of a weak growing competitor introduced into the cut stump.…”

“…The Faster growth of P. gigantea mycelium ( Figure 5) results not only from its genetically determined ability to degrade host plant cell walls, but also from the structure of the wood itself. Tomczak and Jelonek [63] reported that the physical and chemical structure of the cell walls in Scots pine growing in previously fertilized (post-agricultural) soils is definitely different, with lower wood density, especially in the peripheral part of the tree, compared to pines growing in forest soils. Faster growth of P. gigantea mycelium ( Figure 5) results not only from its genetically determined ability to degrade host plant cell walls, but also from the structure of the wood itself.…”

Comparison of Wood Quality of Douglas Fir and Spruce from Afforested Agricultural Land and Permanent Forest Land in the Czech Republic

“…The authors often point to a lower wood density for former afforested agricultural land [23], and lower strength characteristics [21]. This is because of the fact that agricultural land usually contains a greater quantity (usually artificially supplied) of nutrients that result in a faster growth, which is reflected in the larger annual ring width, and thus for conifers, it is accompanied by a decrease in the density of such wood.…”

“…Most of the works deal with tree species growth, volume production or health status, and at present there is only one study from the Czech Republic dealing with spruce wood quality from afforested agricultural land [20]. Within the wider region, Polish studies are available on wood properties of pine from agricultural land [21,22]. In Sweden, Johansson [23] dealt with the impact of these specific sites on the quality of spruce wood.…”

Macrostructure and density of pine and spruce wood on fallow lands on north-west of Russia

“…On post-agrogenic lands trees show accelerated growth, which can lead to a decrease in the quality of wood. Earlier studies on this issue in various European countries show that, depending on the region of studies, the formation of spruce and pine wood density at the anatomical level can be influenced by various factors (Daugaviete et al, 2015;Bartoš, Soucˇek, & Kacblek, 2010;Tomczak & Jelonek, 2013). Various authors have established trends in the density (physical and mechanical properties) of pine and spruce wood relative to growing conditions (Zeltiņš et al, 2018).…”