Anatomical features of branchwood and stemwood of Betula costata Trautv. from natural secondary forests in China

Abstract

To enhance effective wood utilization, knowledge of the anatomical features that impact its service behavior is indispensable. The anatomical features of branchwood and stemwood of Betula costata Trautv. from natural secondary forests in central (Muzhaling mountain) and northeast (Maoershan mountain) China were studied to provide adequate information to enhance their efficient utilization, especially branchwood, whose use could widen the raw material base of the timber industry. Microtomed sections were employed to determine the tissue dimensions and proportions. Analyses of variance were used to test the anatomical feature differences between the two different sites, between the stemwood and branchwood, and between the heartwood and sapwood. The results showed that B. costata wood is diffuse-porous with more but narrower vessels located in the branch than in the stem. The branchwood also had a significantly higher fiber proportion than the stemwood. The sapwood exhibited significantly longer fibers than the heartwood. B. costata from Maoershan had significantly longer fibers, lower fiber proportions, larger fiber lumen diameter, and higher vessel density than that from Muzhaling. The results suggested that B. costata branchwood from Maoershan is suitable for papermaking and glued plates, while stemwood can be used for light construction purposes.

Characterization of Asoka (Saraca Indica L.) branch wood for pulp and paper manufacturing

“…28,31 The higher quantity of solubility in water (4.12%) can cause many problems such as reduced yield and increased alkali consumption. 31 Previously, the branch wood exhibited lower cellulose and higher hemicellulose content than the trunk wood of Betula platyphylla 32 or Trema orientalis. 5 Furthermore, branch wood contained a larger amount in lignin, total extractives than those determined in stem wood of E. camaldulensis, Acacia gerardii, and Tamarix aphylla.…”

“…In another species, the branch wood of Betula platyphylla could be used to produce low-grade paper despite it met the basic requirements of papermaking. 32 By bisulfite CMP process, Law and Lapointe 4 found that the branch pulps had lower strength properties than the corresponding bole pulps. The weaker mechanical properties might be due to the differences in dimension of fibers and vessel elements and the relative proportion of these cells in the wood.…”

Blended paper: physical, optical, structural, and interfiber bonding analysis

“…According to figure 7, fibers were thin and short in T1 as expected for eucalyptus fibers and presented vessel elements on the surface. Vessel elements can bring poor mechanical features to paper since they can act as a weak link due to low individual strength and connections (Zhao et al, 2019). T1 also presented voids in paper structure and more scattered fibers.…”

Differences and similarities in radial growth of Betula species to climate change

“…Yang et al (2018) studied the correlation between DBH, height and crown width of the species in mixed coniferous broad-leaved forests in the Xiaoxing'an Mountains but did not examine relationships between growth and climate. Studies on wood anatomy of B. costata trunks and branches found that xylem anatomical characteristics varied with location and age (Zhao et al 2019).…”