International audienceContext Increased knowledge on diversity in wood properties would have implications both for fundamental research and for promoting a diversification of uses as material. *Aims The objective is to contribute to overcoming the critical lack of data on the diversity of wood dynamic mechanical/viscoelastic vibrational properties, by testing lesser-known species and categorizing sources of variability. *Methods Air-dry axial specific dynamic modulus of elasticity (E'/γ) and damping coefficient (tanδ) were measured on a wide sampling (1792 specimens) of 98 wood types from 79 species. An experimental device and protocol was designed for conducting systematic (i.e. rapid and reproducible) characterizations. *Results Diversity at the specimens' level corroborates the "standard" relationship between tanδ and E'/γ, which is discussed in terms of orientation of wood elements and of chemical composition. Diversity at the species level is expressed on the basis of results for normal heartwood, with specific gravity (γ) ranging from 0.2 to 1.3. Axial E'/γ ranges from 9 to 32 GPa and tanδ from 4×10-3 to 19×10-3. Properties distribution follows a continuum, but with group characteristics. The lowest values of tanδ are only found in certain tropical hardwoods. Results can also suggest alternative species for musical instruments making

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-Six inclined poplar I-69 (Populus deltoids cv. I-69/55) trees were collected for studying the influence of growth stress level on wood properties. Growth stress indicator (GSI) was measured at eight positions around the periphery of each trunk at breast height and corresponding wood samples were obtained. Wood anatomical, physico-mechanical and chemical characteristics were measured, including cell diameter, fibre length, double wall thickness excluding the gelatinous layer, lumen diameter after gelatinous layer removal, proportion of wood tissues, basic density, FSP, MOE, compressive strength, shrinkage and chemical composition. Each property was regarded and discussed in relation to the growth stress level. Populus deltoids