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Worldwide, silicified woods are found in many geological formations. Significantly, the organic materials of wood are no longer dominant; almost all wood fossils have been mineralized into inorganic silica materials. These unique geological processes must be understood to develop better understanding on organic material fossilization, particularly in the micron scale. Therefore, our aim was to characterize the composition of silicified wood using comprehensive microanalysis. The methods utilized were XRF, ICP-MS, XRD, FTIR, and FE-EPMA. Specimens are from Jasinga, West Java, Indonesia. The results showed that wood silicification was controlled by the infiltration of silica from the host rock into the spaces of the wood structure. In Jasinga, they are controlled by Pliocene tuffaceous sedimentary rocks. The ratio of silica phases revealed a trend in the degree of silicification. Besides silica, the distribution of trace elements also demonstrates the geochemical interaction between the wood fossil and host rock. Wood fossils are affected by the gradual replacement of organic carbon-based materials with silica through silicification. Silica enrichment occurs in the internal of wood, facilitates permineralization and recrystallization. Silica replaces organic material and preserves the wood structures. The microanalytical approach provides comprehensive perspectives on wood petrification, leads to better insights for paleontological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the performance and factors affecting the species classification of convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture using whole-part and earlywood-part cross-sectional datasets of six Korean Quercus species. The accuracy of species classification for each condition was analyzed using the datasets, data augmentation, and optimizers—stochastic gradient descent (SGD), adaptive moment estimation (Adam), and root mean square propagation (RMSProp)—based on a CNN architecture with three to four convolutional layers. The model trained with the augmented dataset yielded significantly superior results in terms of classification accuracy compared to the model trained with the non-augmented dataset. The augmented dataset was the only factor affecting classification accuracy in the final five epochs. In contrast, four factors in the entire epoch, such as the Adam and SGD optimizers and the earlywood-part and whole-part datasets, affected species classification. The arrangement of earlywood vessels, broad rays, and axial parenchyma was identified as a major influential factor in the CNN species classification using gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) analysis. The augmented whole-part dataset with the Adam optimizer achieved the highest classification accuracy of 85.7% during the final five epochs of the test phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleoclimate reconstructions from the Holocene are important for defining baseline conditions in order to interpret and contextualize the effects of modern climate change. Such records are particularly lacking for Siberia, a region that represents ~ 50% of the Arctic. In addition, the majority of proxy-based paleoclimate reconstructions for the Holocene represent mean annual conditions, and few quantify winter temperature, which is particularly important for predicting the effects of global warming in Arctic environments. Here we provide the first quantitative proxy reconstruction of precipitation and temperature for both summer and winter for 3000 years ago via novel high-resolution intra-annual carbon and oxygen isotope measurements across annual growth rings of fossil wood mummified within the permafrost of far northeastern Siberia. We found that the site experienced greater precipitation year-round (~ 10% increase in summer and ~ 30% increase in winter), cooler summer temperatures, and warmer winter temperatures, compared with today. Our findings indicate that warmer winter temperatures (+ 3.0 °C above early twentieth century values) in the Arctic 3000 years ago drove higher mean annual temperature by up to 1 °C, despite the existence of cooler summers, a similar phenomenon to what is observed within today's Arctic environments, and past intervals of extreme global warmth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the succession of terrestrial plant communities is well studied, less is known about succession on dead wood, especially how it is affected by environmental factors. While temperate forests face increasing canopy mortality, which causes considerable changes in microclimates, it remains unclear how canopy openness affects fungal succession. Here, we used a large real-world experiment to study the effect of closed and opened canopy on treatment-based alpha and beta fungal fruiting diversity. We found increasing diversity in early and decreasing diversity at later stages of succession under both canopies, with a stronger decrease under open canopies. However, the slopes of the diversity versus time relationships did not differ significantly between canopy treatments. The community dissimilarity remained mainly stable between canopies at ca. 25% of species exclusively associated with either canopy treatment. Species exclusive in either canopy treatment showed very low number of occupied objects compared to species occurring in both treatments. Our study showed that canopy loss subtly affected fungal fruiting succession on dead wood, suggesting that most species in the local species pool are specialized or can tolerate variable conditions. Our study indicates that the fruiting of the fungal community on dead wood is resilient against the predicted increase in canopy loss in temperate forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel approach to fabricating interdigitated capacitive (IDC) touch sensors using graphite-based pencils on a wood substrate. The sensors were designed to detect touches and pressure variations, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for sensor fabrication. The fabrication process involved abrasion of graphite pencils on a wooden substrate to create conductive traces, followed by the integration of interdigitated electrode structures. Capacitance variations resulting from touch interactions were investigated to calibrate sensor responses for tailored tasks. The sensitivity of the sensor was found to be 1.2 pF/kPa, highlighting its responsiveness to pressure variations. Additionally, the sensors were interfaced with an Arduino Uno microcontroller board to demonstrate practical applications, such as replicating arrow key functionality. Additionally, the sensors exhibit sensitivity to environmental factors, with the relative change in capacitance increasing from 0.1 to 0.65 as relative humidity ranges from 30 to 90%. Furthermore, variations in temperature from 30 to 60ºC result in a relative change in capacitance increasing to approximately 0.5. The results indicate the feasibility and versatility of using wood-based substrates and graphite-based pencils for fabricating IDC touch sensors, offering promising prospects for sustainable and accessible sensor technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study presents a novel approach to fabricating interdigitated capacitive (IDC) touch sensors using graphite-based pencils on a wood substrate. The sensors were designed to detect touches and pressure variations, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for sensor fabrication. The fabrication process involved abrasion of graphite pencils on a wooden substrate to create conductive traces, followed by the integration of interdigitated electrode structures. Capacitance variations resulting from touch interactions were investigated to calibrate sensor responses for tailored tasks. The sensitivity of the sensor was found to be 1.2 pF/kPa, highlighting its responsiveness to pressure variations. Additionally, the sensors were interfaced with an Arduino Uno microcontroller board to demonstrate practical applications, such as replicating arrow key functionality. Additionally, the sensors exhibit sensitivity to environmental factors, with the relative change in capacitance increasing from 0.1 to 0.65 as relative humidity ranges from 30 to 90%. Furthermore, variations in temperature from 30 to 60ºC result in a relative change in capacitance increasing to approximately 0.5. The results indicate the feasibility and versatility of using wood-based substrates and graphite-based pencils for fabricating IDC touch sensors, offering promising prospects for sustainable and accessible sensor technology.

The development of flame-retardant materials has become an important research direction. For the past dozen years, researchers have been exploring flame retardants with high flame-retardant efficiency, low toxicity, less smoke, or other excellent performance flame retardants. Therefore, this work aimed to synthesize new cyclodiphosph(V)azane derivatives and their Cu(II) and Cd(II) metal complexes and investigated their potential applications as high flame-retardant efficiency. Various techniques were used to characterize the prepared ligand H2L and its metal complexes, including elemental analyses, mass spectra, conductivity measurements, electronic spectral data UV–vis, FT-IR, 1H,13C-NMR, TGA, XRD, and molecular docking experiments studies were M. tuberculosis receptors (PDB ID: 5UHF) and the crystal structure of human topoisomerase II alpha (PDB ID: 4FM9). Wood-based paint was physically mixed with the ligand H2L and its metal complexes. The obtained results of mechanical characteristics of the dried paint layers were noticed to improve, such as gloss value, which ranged from 85 to 95, hardness 1.5–2.5 kg, adhesion 4B to 5B, and impact resistance, which improved from 1.3 to 2.5 J. Moreover, the obtained results of flame-retardant properties showed a significant retardant impact compared to the blank sample, such as ignitability, which includes the heat flux which increased from 10 to 25 kW/m2, and ignition time, ranging from 550 to 1200 s, respectively, and limiting oxygen index (LOI) (%) which has been increased from 21 to 130 compared with the plywood sample and sample blank. The ordering activity of the observed results was noticed that coated sample based on Cd(II) metal complexes > coated sample based on Cu(II) metal complexes of Cyclophosphazene ligand > coated sample based on phosphazene ligand H2L > coated sample without additives > uncoated sample. This efficiency may be attributed to (1) the H2L is an organophosphorus compound, which contains P, N, Cl, and aromatic six- and five-member ring, (2) Cu(II) and Cd(II) metal complexes characterized by high thermal stability, good stability, excellent performance flame retardants, and wide application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in wood treatment include the use of eco-friendly coatings to improve the wood's dimensional stability and appearance. Assessing coating performance during its service life is critical for establishing a knowledge base for product optimization. Numerous approaches, including microimaging, are available for analyzing coating behavior. In addition to conventional microscopic techniques, high-resolution X-ray microtomography is a tool that provides nondestructive imaging of coatings and their substrates. In this study, we performed two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) visualization of tomographic reconstruction images of two coating types, spray and brush, to observe and assess the distribution of several commercial Japanese coating materials in Fagus crenata. X-ray images and plot profiles were used to determine the penetration depths and thicknesses of coatings. Each coated sample was scanned using X-ray microtomography, which allowed successful visualization and quantification of the coating penetration depth. Chemical content and concentration of the coating materials influenced penetration depth and amount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fireproof coatings are the simplest, most efficient, and oldest method for protecting a wide range of flammable products, such as wood. Furthermore, surface ignition is the initial phase, so surface protection is essential to reduce fire propagation. Furthermore, delaying the spread of flames can help to save someone when a fire starts. This project synthesized flame-resistant resin starting from tetraallyloxysilane monomer as a halogen-free monomer, an intrinsic flame retardant co-curing agent. The following step synthesized polyester resin using terephthalic acid as a heat-resistant resin. Unsaturated polyester was used by bulk radical polymerization. FT-IR and 1H-NMR analysis showed the successful synthesis of the desired monomer and polymeric compound. The thermal degradation and flame retardancy of pure unsaturated polyester resin (UPE) and allyloxysilane-unsaturated polyester (AUPE) were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTG/DSC). The burning test and the thermal stability of the coating layers were evaluated using standard UL 94. Physical properties of resins were evaluated using Heat Deflection Temp tests (HDT) ISO 75-A, ASTM 648, Hardness ASTM D2583, Volumetric shrinkage ASTM 3521, and Water absorption ASTM D570. The results of the tests show the successful synthesis and their flame retardant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timber plantations across the world are suffering from the effects of increasingly frequent wildfires, which potentially degrade the wood of affected trees, depending on the exposure temperature and time. However, it is rather complicated to determine the exact temperature of the fire, or the temperature to which the wood was exposed. This study aimed to determine the exposure temperature of wood retrospectively through solid-state NMR analysis. Models were developed from softwood and hardwood samples exposed to defined temperatures, which successfully linked the NMR signal to the exposure temperature. Various fit equations were developed to link the half-width or peak area of the NMR signal to the exposure temperatures. Hard- and softwoods displayed noticeable differences: a linear function best described the half-width in the higher temperature region for Pine and Eucalyptus, whereas a parabolic function for the peak area of Eucalyptus yielded the best correlation to the entire temperature range. This non-destructive and direct method offers a valuable evaluation method to determine, if wood in burnt trees is degraded and can be processed. An informed choice can be made on the decision to use, or discard burnt wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The genus Melia is known for its secondary metabolites and recently, this genus is being explored for its timber. There are vast differences among its species. For instance, Melia azedarach is reported to be invasive and while another species, M. dubia, has diverse utility with complex germination and regeneration characteristics. Researchers globally have been working on various aspects of this genus; In this study, using topic modelling and science mapping approach, we attempted to understand research facets on this genus. The literature corpus of the Web of Science database was explored using a single keyword—“Melia” which yielded 1523 publications (1946–2022) and after scrutiny metadata of 1263 publications were used in the study. Although nine individual species were cited in the publications, only three species are accepted viz., M. dubia, M. azedarach, and M. volkensii. This implies taxonomic uncertainty, with potential confusion in assigning scientific findings to particular species. Thus, a taxonomic relook on this genus is warranted for a better assessment of the economic utility in many countries. More importantly, our results indicate that the research interests have recently shifted from the secondary metabolite constituents towards growth, biomass, wood properties, germination, plantation, and green synthesis. The shift in research focus toward wood properties of Melia sp. can impact the wood demand–supply at a global scale owing to its fast growth and the possibility of cultivation over a wider geographical range.

Apple is the most important fruit tree in West Azarbaijan province of Iran. In a survey of apple orchards, a disease with crown and collar canker and necrosis symptoms was observed in three young apple orchards in Urmia, affecting 15% and 1% of 'Red Delicious' and 'Golden Delicious' cultivars, respectively. A fungus with typical characteristics of the asexual morph of Cytospora was regularly isolated from the diseased tissues. Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses inferred from the combined dataset of the ITS-rDNA, parts of LSU, tef1-α, rpb2, and act1 genes revealed that the isolates represent a new species of Cytospora, described herein as Cytospora balanejica sp. nov.. The pathogenicity of all isolates was confirmed on apple cv. 'Red Delicious' based on Koch's postulates. Also, the reaction of 12 other apple cultivars was assessed against five selected isolates with the highest virulence. The results showed that except for cv. 'Braeburn', which did not produce any symptoms of the disease, the other 11 cultivars showed characteristic disease symptoms including sunken and discolored bark and wood. The mean length of the discolored area was different among the 11 so-called susceptible cultivars, hence cvs. 'M4' and 'Golden Delicious' showed the highest and the lowest lesion length, respectively. Moreover, the aggressiveness of the five tested isolates was different, and the isolates BA 2-4 and BA 3-1 had the highest and lowest aggressiveness, respectively. Based on our observations on the potential ability of the fungus to cause disease on young and actively growing apple trees, it will be a serious threat to apple cultivation and industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Melia is known for its secondary metabolites and recently, this genus is being explored for its timber. There are vast differences among its species. For instance, Melia azedarach is reported to be invasive and while another species, M. dubia, has diverse utility with complex germination and regeneration characteristics. Researchers globally have been working on various aspects of this genus; In this study, using topic modelling and science mapping approach, we attempted to understand research facets on this genus. The literature corpus of the Web of Science database was explored using a single keyword—"Melia" which yielded 1523 publications (1946–2022) and after scrutiny metadata of 1263 publications were used in the study. Although nine individual species were cited in the publications, only three species are accepted viz., M. dubia, M. azedarach, and M. volkensii. This implies taxonomic uncertainty, with potential confusion in assigning scientific findings to particular species. Thus, a taxonomic relook on this genus is warranted for a better assessment of the economic utility in many countries. More importantly, our results indicate that the research interests have recently shifted from the secondary metabolite constituents towards growth, biomass, wood properties, germination, plantation, and green synthesis. The shift in research focus toward wood properties of Melia sp. can impact the wood demand–supply at a global scale owing to its fast growth and the possibility of cultivation over a wider geographical range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activated carbon (AC) and ZnO@AC composite derived from wood sawdust were prepared to be utilized as adsorbents for methyl red (MR) and methyl orange (MO) anionic dyes from the aqueous solutions. The maximum adsorption capacity of the AC and ZnO@AC composite toward both dyes was achieved in the strong acidic medium (pH = 3), and under stirring for 60 min. The kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption of MR and MO dyes onto the AC and ZnO@AC composite fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model. Furthermore, the intraparticle diffusion and Elovich kinetic models confirmed the adsorption is controlled by external surfaces, and the adsorption is chemisorption process. The isotherm results indicated that the MR and MO dye adsorption occurred via monolayer adsorption, and the estimated maximum adsorption capacities of both dyes onto the ZnO@AC composite were higher than those achieved by AC. Thermodynamic analysis suggested that the adsorption is endothermic and spontaneous. The mechanism for MR, and MO dyes adsorption onto the AC and ZnO@AC composite is proposed to be controlled by electrostatic bonding, π–π interactions, and ion exchange, while H-bonding and n–π interactions were minor contributors. This study reveals the potential use of carbon-based adsorbents derived from wood sawdust for the removal of anionic dyes from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curly (Karelian) birch is a special variety of Betula pendula Roth distributed in the northwestern part of Europe. Karelian birch is well-known for its valuable figured curly wood also known as "wooden marble". The genetic basis underlying curly wood formation has been debated since last century, however, there was no data about loci responsible for the curly wood trait. In the present study, we analyzed two full-sibs populations derived from experimental crosses of curly birches and segregating for the trait. RADseq genotyping was applied to reveal how many loci are involved in 'curliness' formation and to search for genetic variants associated with this trait. One single interval on chromosome 10 was detected containing possible candidate genes. InDel marker BpCW1 was suggested for the first time for marker-assisted selection of trees with curly wood at their earliest stages of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepiolite is a silicate mineral that improves the fire properties in solid wood when mixed with a water-based coating. The present study was carried out to investigate and evaluate the effects of sepiolite addition to acrylic-latex paint on the pull-off adhesion strength, as an important characteristic of paints and finishes used in the modern furniture industry and historical furniture as well for preservation and restoration of heritage objects. Sepiolite was added at the rate of 10%, and brushed onto plain-sawn beech (Fagus orientalis L.) wood specimens, unimpregnated and impregnated with a 400 ppm silver nano-suspension, which were further thermally modified at 185 °C for 4 h. The results showed that thermal modification had a decreasing effect on the pull-off adhesion strength, primarily as a result of the thermal degradation of cell-wall polymers (mostly hemicelluloses). Still, a decreased wettability as a result of condensation and plasticization of lignin was also partially influential. Based on the obtained results,thermal modification was found to have a significant influence on pull-off adhesion strength. Sepiolite addition had a decreasing effectin all treatments, though the effect was not statistically significant in all treatments. The maximum and minimum decreases due to sepiolite addition were observed in the unimpregnated control (21%) and the thermally-modified NS-impregnated (4%) specimens. Other aspects of the sepiolite addition, and further studies that cover different types of paints and coatings, should be evaluated before coming to a final firm conclusion in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multi-scale characterization of building materials is necessary to understand complex mechanical processes, with the goal of developing new more sustainable materials. To that end, imaging methods are often used in materials science to characterize the microscale. However, these methods compromise the volume of interest to achieve a higher resolution. Dark-field (DF) contrast imaging is being investigated to characterize building materials in length scales smaller than the resolution of the imaging system, allowing a direct comparison of features in the nano-scale range and overcoming the scale limitations of the established characterization methods. This work extends the implementation of a dual-phase X-ray grating interferometer (DP-XGI) for DF imaging in a lab-based setup. The interferometer was developed to operate at two different design energies of 22.0 keV and 40.8 keV and was designed to characterize nanoscale-size features in millimeter-sized material samples. The good performance of the interferometer in the low energy range (LER) is demonstrated by the DF retrieval of natural wood samples. In addition, a high energy range (HER) configuration is proposed, resulting in higher mean visibility and good sensitivity over a wider range of correlation lengths in the nanoscale range. Its potential for the characterization of mineral building materials is illustrated by the DF imaging of a Ketton limestone. Additionally, the capability of the DP-XGI to differentiate features in the nanoscale range is proven with the dark-field of Silica nanoparticles at different correlation lengths of calibrated sizes of 106 nm, 261 nm, and 507 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change poses a serious risk to sustainable forest management, particularly in boreal forests where natural disturbances have been projected to become more severe. In three Quebec boreal forest management units, biomass carbon storage under various climate change and management scenarios was projected over 300 years (2010–2310) with a process-based dynamic landscape model (PnET-succession for Landis-II). Several strategies varying in their use of partial cuts and clear cuts, including business as usual (BAU) (clear-cut applied on more than 95% of the managed area), were tested and compared to conservation scenarios (no-harvest). Based on simulation results at the landscape scale, the clearcut-based scenarios such as BAU could result in a decrease of biomass carbon stock by 10 tC ha−1 yr−1 compared to the natural scenario. However, this reduction in carbon stock could be offset in the long term through changes in composition, as clearcut systems promote the expansion of trembling aspen and white birch. In contrast, the use of strategies based on partial cuts on more than 75% or 50% of the managed area was closer to or better than the natural scenario and resulted in greater coniferous cover retention. These strategies seemed to be the best to maximize and stabilize biomass carbon storage and ensure wood supply under different climate change scenarios, yet they would require further access and appropriate infrastructure. Furthermore, these strategies could maintain species compositions and age structures similar to natural scenarios, and thus may consequently help achieve forest ecosystem-based management targets. This study presents promising strategies to guide sustainable forest management in Eastern Canada in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gonystylus bancanus wood or ramin wood has been generally known as a source of agarwood (gaharu) bouya, a kind of agarwood inferior type, or under the exported trading name of aetoxylon oil. The massive exploitation of ramin wood is causing this plant's extinction and putting it on Appendix II CITES and IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. To date, no scientific publication concerns the chemical exploration of G. bancanus wood and preserving this germplasm through its metabolite profiling. Therefore, research focused on chemical components profiling of G. bancanus is promised. This research is aimed to explore metabolomics and analyze the influence of solvent polarities on the partitioning of metabolites in G. bancanus wood. A range of solvents in different polarities was applied to provide comprehensive extraction of metabolites in G. bancanus wood. Moreover, a hydrodistillation was also carried out to extract the volatile compounds despite the non-volatile ones. LCMS and GCMS analyses were performed to identify volatile and non-volatile components in the extracts and essential oil. Multivariate data analysis was processed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and agglomerative hierarchical clustering. 142 metabolites were identified by LCMS analysis, while 89 metabolites were identified by GCMS analysis. Terpenoids, flavonoids, phenyl propanoids, and saccharides are some major compound classes available from LCMS data. Oxygenated sesquiterpenes, especially 10-epi-γ-eudesmol, and β-eudesmol, are the major volatile components identified from GCMS analysis. PCA of LCMS analysis demonstrated that PC1 discriminated two clusters: essential oil, dichloromethane, and n-hexane extracts were in the positive quadrant, while methanol and ethyl acetate extracts were in the negative quadrant. Three-dimensional analysis of GCMS data revealed that n-hexane extract was in the superior quadrant, and its composition can be significantly distinguished from other extracts and essential oil. G. bancanus wood comprises valuable metabolites, i.e., terpenoids, which benefit the essential oil industry. Comprehensive extraction by performing solvents in different polarities on G. bancanus wood could allow exploration of fully extracted metabolites, supported by the exhibition of identified metabolites from LCMS and GCMS analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new two-step densification method for wooden materials entitled hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is proposed. This method has the advantage over previous densification methods that can achieved almost the full densification of wood, reaching values up to 1.47 kg/m3, which exceeds any value ever reported for a hardwood species. Furthermore, it can preserve about 35% of the original volume, in comparison to other methods which typically can preserve only 20% of the volume. Although not tested in this investigation, in principle, the HIP method should be capable of densifying any shape of wood including circular and tubular cross sections because the main densification mechanism is based on gas pressure that is equally exerted in the entire surface, rather than localized mechanical compression, which can only be effective with rectangular cross sections. In the first stage of the two-step proposed method, the compressive strength of the anatomical wood structure is reduced by delignification, and, in the second, a full densification is achieved by hot isostatic pressing under argon atmosphere. Three tropical hardwood species with distinct anatomical characteristics and properties were used to test the method. The HIP-densified wood's microstructural, chemical, physical, and mechanical properties were assessed. Apart from the high densification values and volume preservation, the results indicate that proposed method was effective for all the tested species, showing homogenous density patterns, stable densification without noticeable shape recovery, and enhanced mechanical properties. Future research should test the HIP method in softwoods and consider the ring orientation in order to enhance the control of the densified geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Harvested wood/bamboo products (HWP/HBP) constitute a large global carbon stock. However, the contribution of HBP to carbon stocks has been neglected in mixed wood and bamboo data, especially in China. Therefore, the production approach and the first-order decay method were used to estimate the spatiotemporal carbon stock change in HWP/HBP based on provincial production data from the China Forestry Statistical Yearbooks for 1987–2020. The results showed that China's total carbon stocks of HWP and HBP were 328.7 teragram carbon (TgC) and 129.7 TgC between 1987 and 2020. Of this, the HWP carbon stock was mainly sourced from three provinces across the north and south: Guangxi (60.8 TgC), Heilongjiang (37.2 TgC), and Fujian (24.2 TgC), and HBP carbon stock was mainly sourced from three southern provinces: Fujian (33.4 TgC), Guangxi (20.3 TgC), and Zhejiang (13.7 TgC). The proportion of the HBP carbon stock in the total carbon stock increased from 20% in 2010 to 28% in 2020, indicating that bamboo products play an important role in the accumulation of carbon stocks in China. The differences in contributions to spatiotemporal trends between the provinces provide more specific information to make precise decisions about forest management and carbon sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood is a sustainable natural resource and an important global commodity. According to the 'moon wood theory', the properties of wood, including its growth and water content, are believed to oscillate with the lunar cycle. Despite contradicting our current understanding of plant functioning, this theory is commonly exploited for marketing wooden products. To examine the moon wood theory, we applied a wavelet power transformation to series of 2,000,000 hourly stem radius records from dendrometers. We separated the influence of 74 consecutive lunar cycles and meteorological conditions on the stem variation of 62 trees and six species. We show that the dynamics of stem radius consist of overlapping oscillations with periods of 1 day, 6 months, and 1 year. These oscillations in stem dimensions were tightly coupled to oscillations in the series of air temperature and vapour pressure deficit. By contrast, we revealed no imprint of the lunar cycle on the stem radius variation of any species. We call for scepticism towards the moon wood theory, at least as far as the stem water content and radial growth are concerned. We foresee that similar studies employing robust scientific approaches will be increasingly needed in the future to cope with misleading concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Egypt, sunflower charcoal-rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina and maize late-wilt caused by Magnaporthiopsis maydis are the most prevalent, and can lead to huge yield losses of both crops under epidemic conditions. In this study, the potential use of vermitea and wood vinegar for management of both diseases was investigated. Data revealed that, among the 17 bacterial strains obtained from vermitea, three strains named VCB-2, VCB-7 and VCB-11 were chosen for having the greatest in vitro inhibitory effect against M. phaseolina and M. maydis, with fungal inhibition values of 54.2; 61.7, 65.2; 74.0 and 57.1; 87.0% against both pathogens, respectively. These strains were identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Serratia marcescens and Bacillus velezensis, respectively. Wood vinegar significantly reduced the colony diameter of M. phaseolina and M. maydis in in vitro trials conducted on potato dextrose agar medium amended with the desired concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5%. The efficiency increased with increasing wood vinegar concentration, and 2.0% was the most effective (100% suppression). Data from greenhouse experiments showed that the application of vermitea or wood vinegar tended to decrease the incidence (% dead plants) of sunflower charcoal-rot (by 61.1 and 66.7%) and maize late-wilt (by 70.6%). These treatments had positive impacts on the plant growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments and antioxidative enzymes of sunflower and maize plants. Data from field experiments showed that the application of vermitea or wood vinegar decreased the incidence of charcoal-rot (by 72.8 and 72.0%) and late-wilt (by 88.7 and 87.0%) as well as increased the production sunflower and maize plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every evening, chimpanzees build sleeping "nests" in trees. In some studied communities, individuals appear to be selective about the tree species used, which has led researchers to hypothesize whether chimpanzees prefer trees that repel troublesome insects or/and that provide comfortable and stable structures. We investigate these hypotheses, or a trade-off between both, though study of tree species preference based on their biomechanical and/or biochemical properties in the Sebitoli chimpanzee community in Kibale National Park, Uganda. The ten tree species most frequently used for nesting were compared with ten abundant in their environment but not preferred for nesting. For these 20 tree species, we determined their biomechanical and morphological characteristics such as foliar density, foliar units form (shape and size) and branch rigidity. Their spatial repellent activity, previously tested against Anopheles gambiae was incorporated into the analysis. Chimpanzees chose tree species with medium-sized and elongated foliar units, high foliar density and branch with stiffer wood. In addition, most tree species with such mechanical and morphological properties also have mosquito repellent activity. These tree properties may provide a comfortable sleeping environment enhancing sleep quality. Finally, a comparison across chimpanzee communities would be relevant to understand whether these choices are not only ecological but also cultural. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass cookstove food preparation is linked to aero-digestive cancers, mediated by ingested and inhaled carcinogens (e.g., heterocyclic amines, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons). We investigated the association between gastric adenocarcinoma, wood cookstove use, H. pylori CagA infection and risk modification by variants in genes that metabolize and affect the internal dose of carcinogens. We conducted a population-based, case–control study (814 incident cases, 1049 controls) in rural Honduras, a high-incidence region with a homogeneous diet and endemic H. pylori infection, primarily with the high-risk CagA genotype. We investigated factors including wood cookstove use, H. pylori CagA serostatus, and 15 variants from 7 metabolizing genes, and the interactions between wood stove use and the genetic variants. Male sex (OR 2.0, 1.6–2.6), age (OR 1.04, 1.03–1.05), wood cookstove use (OR 2.3, 1.6–3.3), and CagA serostatus (OR 3.5, 2.4–5.1) and two SNPs in CYP1B1 (rs1800440 and rs1056836) were independently associated with gastric cancer in multivariate analysis. In the final multivariate model, a highly significant interaction (OR 3.1, 1.2–7.8) was noted between wood cookstove use and the rs1800440 metabolizing genotype, highlighting an important gene-environment interaction. Lifetime wood cookstove use associates with gastric cancer risk in the high-incidence regions of Central America, and the association is dependent on the rs1800440 genotype in CYP1B1. H. pylori CagA infection, wood cookstove use and the rs1800440 genotype, all of which are highly prevalent, informs who is at greatest risk from biomass cookstove use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The substitution of wood apple juice and soybean powder in the seaweed jelly product can be used as an alternative to emergency supplementary feeding (ESF) for children under five years of age, which contains high protein, fiber, and calories. This study aimed to determine the effect of adding wood apple juice and soybean powder to the nutrition content, vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, total phenol, antioxidant activity, acceptability, and shelf-life of seaweed jelly products. This study was an experimental study with a completely randomized design with two treatment factors, which consisted of making seaweed jelly products with three different ratios of wood apple juice and soybean powder, 60:40 (F1), 50:50 (F2), and 40:60 (F3), dried at 40 °C (T1) and 50 °C (T2). Macronutrients were determined using proximate analysis. The total phenol and vitamin C were measured using Folin-ciocalteu reagent and UV–Vis spectrophotometry. Antioxidant activity was analyzed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH). The contents of zinc and magnesium were evaluated through Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Estimation of shelf life was determined with Accelerated Shelf-Life Test (ASLT) method and Arrhenius equation model. The best formula based on proximate analysis was F3, which contained 361.98 kcal of energy and 33.79 g of protein. The best formula (F1) dried at 40 °C; contains 56.28 mg/100 g vitamin C; zinc was 1.55 mg/100 g; magnesium was 79.25 mg/100 g; antioxidant activity (IC50) was 88.39 μg/mL; and total phenol was 8.59 mg GAE/g. The quality attributes of the best formula show the potential of the jelly as an emergency food despite its short shelf-life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nevertheless, looking at xylem anatomy of conifers with elongated tracheids for axial transport and very few pits connecting tracheids radially suggests that radial conductance must be much lower than axial conductance and appears to be mainly conducted through rays[7]. If the axial conductance is 20 times higher, losing half of the conductive area at 1.8 m results in a total reduction of sap flow of 7% and if axial conductance is 10 or 30 times higher, total flow would be reduced by 6% or 9%, respectively (Supplementary Table S1C). Because radial conductance is very low and not relevant for the re-distribution of sap flow, the simplified model is two-dimensional with axial to tangential conductance 20:1 (see text for details). The resistance of the xylem to this embolism formation is thought to be an important aspect of plant drought resistance[3] and the total conductance of the transport system must be sufficient to maintain water flow without the water potential becoming too negative[4]. [Extracted from the article]

Transparent wood (TW) has garnered significant global attention due to its unique properties. In this study, TW composites were fabricated using two timber species of different density classes: Ailanthus triphysa (common name: Ailanthus wood) and Hevea brasiliensis (common name: Rubberwood). Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and Hydrogen peroxide-based alkali method was used to modify the lignin in these veneer samples, producing a white cellulose template with a fully intact hierarchical cell structure. Subsequently, a cost-effective thermosetting unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) was infiltrated into the redesigned framework and polymerized to create rigid nanostructured transparent composites. High optical haze (of 94% and 89%) and favourable light transmittance of 59 and 55 percent were exhibited by the UPR-TW composites made from rubberwood and ailanthus wood, respectively. TW was characterised using Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The mechanical properties of TW were measured and compared with those of natural wood and pure-polymer. Furthermore, the anisotropic light diffusion behaviour displayed by TW in accordance with the fibre orientation indicates the utility of material as a potential light shaping device. Therefore, a cost-effective and commercially viable strategy to fabricate multipurpose TW composites using a combination of lesser-known timber species (LKTS) and UPR resin was successfully demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pine wood (PW) and beech wood (BW) are the most used wood in furniture and other applications owing to their unique characteristics and low machining cost. However, their biodegradability and varied moisture content limit their wider use and durability. Therefore, in this study, nanotechnology was used as a novel eco-friendly approach to enhance the durability, antimicrobial properties, and color of wood. Selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) were prepared in spherical shape at varied concentrations (25 and 50 mM) using an eco-friendly method in the range of 35–80 and 40–155 nm, respectively. Se-NPs formation at the nanoscale was confirmed using UV/Vis analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The prepared Se-NPs were then impregnated into PW and BW for different periods ranging from 2 h to 1 week. The treated wood were then leached in distilled water for 14 days to eliminate excess Se-NPs from the wood surface. The treated wood surfaces were examined using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the depth of Se-NPs penetration into the treated wood at both tangential and radial sides was determined. Se-NPs impacts on the color properties, density, moisture content and antimicrobial activities of the treated wood were evaluated. PW treated with Se-NPs showed better antimicrobial and color characteristics than treated BW. PW samples immersed in 50 mM Se-NPs for 2 h showed the highest K/S values, whereas the highest antimicrobial values were obtained for those immersed at the same concentration for 2 days, and 1 week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing an efficient deconstruction step of woody biomass for biorefinery has been drawing considerable attention since its xylem cell walls display highly recalcitrance nature. Here, we explored transcriptional factors (TFs) that reduce wood recalcitrance and improve saccharification efficiency in Populus species. First, 33 TF genes up-regulated during poplar wood formation were selected as potential regulators of xylem cell wall structure. The transgenic hybrid aspens (Populus tremula × Populus tremuloides) overexpressing each selected TF gene were screened for in vitro enzymatic saccharification. Of these, four transgenic seedlings overexpressing previously uncharacterized TF genes increased total glucan hydrolysis on average compared to control. The best performing lines overexpressing Pt × tERF123 and Pt × tZHD14 were further grown to form mature xylem in the greenhouse. Notably, the xylem cell walls exhibited significantly increased total xylan hydrolysis as well as initial hydrolysis rates of glucan. The increased saccharification of Pt × tERF123-overexpressing lines could reflect the improved balance of cell wall components, i.e., high cellulose and low xylan and lignin content, which could be caused by upregulation of cellulose synthase genes upon the expression of Pt × tERF123. Overall, we successfully identified Pt × tERF123 and Pt × tZHD14 as effective targets for reducing cell wall recalcitrance and improving the enzymatic degradation of woody plant biomass.

In the current study, two molds, Aspergillus flavus (ACC# LC325160) and Penicillium chrysogenum (ACC# LC325162) were inoculated into two types of wood to be examined using scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM–EDX) and computerized tomography (CT) scanning. Ficus sycomorus, a non-durable wood, and Tectona grandis, a durable wood, were the two wood blocks chosen, and they were inoculated with the two molds and incubated for 36 months at an ambient temperature of 27 ± 2 °C and 70 ± 5% relative humidity (RH). The surface and a 5-mm depth of inoculated wood blocks were histologically evaluated using SEM and CT images. The results showed that A. flavus and P. chrysogenum grew enormously on and inside of F. sycomorus wood blocks, but T. grandis wood displayed resistance to mold growth. The atomic percentages of C declined from 61.69% (control) to 59.33% in F. sycomorus wood samples inoculated with A. flavus while O increased from 37.81 to 39.59%. P. chrysogenum caused the C and O atomic percentages in F. sycomorus wood to drop to 58.43%, and 26.34%, respectively. C with atomic percentages in Teak wood's C content fell from 70.85 to 54.16%, and 40.89%, after being inoculated with A. flavus and P. chrysogenum. The O atomic percentage rose from 28.78 to 45.19% and 52.43%, when inoculated with A. flavus and P. chrysogenum, respectively. Depending on how durable each wood was, The examined fungi were able to attack the two distinct types of wood in various deterioration patterns. T. grandis wood overtaken by the two molds under study appears to be a useful material for a variety of uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast-growing trees like Capirona, Bolaina, and Pashaco have the potential to reduce forest degradation because of their ecological features, the economic importance in the Amazon Forest, and an industry based on wood-polymer composites. Therefore, a practical method to discriminate specie (to avoid illegal logging) and determine chemical composition (tree breeding programs) is needed. This study aimed to validate a model for the classification of wood species and a universal model for the rapid determination of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin using FTIR spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics. Our results showed that PLS-DA models for the classification of wood species (0.84 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.91, 0.12 ≤ RMSEP ≤ 0.20, accuracy, specificity, and sensibility between 95.2 and 100%) were satisfied with the full spectra and the differentiation among these species based on IR peaks related to cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose. Besides, the full spectra helped build a three-species universal PLS model to quantify the principal wood chemical components. Lignin (RPD = 2.27, R c 2 = 0.84) and hemicellulose (RPD = 2.46, R c 2 = 0.83) models showed a good prediction, while cellulose model (RPD = 3.43, R c 2 = 0.91) classified as efficient. This study showed that FTIR-ATR, together with chemometrics, is a reliable method to discriminate wood species and to determine the wood chemical composition in juvenile trees of Pashaco, Capirona, and Bolaina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure and features of resin ducts provide valuable information about environmental conditions accompanying the growth of trees in the genus Pinus. Therefore analysis of resin duct characteristics has been an increasingly common measurement in dendrochronology. However, the measurement is tedious and time-consuming since it requires thousands of ducts to be manually marked in an image of an enlarged wood surface. Although tools exist to automate some stages of this process, no tool exists to automatically recognize and analyze the resin ducts and standardize them with the tree rings they belong to. This study proposes a new fully automatic pipeline that quantifies the properties of resin ducts in terms of the tree ring area to which they belong. A convolutional neural network underlays the pipeline to detect resin ducts and tree-ring boundaries. Also, a region merging procedure is used to identify connected components corresponding to successive rings. Corresponding ducts and rings are next related to each other. The pipeline was tested on 74 wood images representing five Pinus species. Over 8000 tree-ring boundaries and almost 25,000 resin ducts were analyzed. The proposed method detects resin ducts with a sensitivity of 0.85 and precision of 0.76. The corresponding scores for tree-ring boundary detection are 0.92 and 0.99, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal plant pathogens remain a serious threat to the sustainable agriculture and forestry, despite the extensive efforts undertaken to control their spread. White root rot disease is threatening rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) plantations throughout South and Southeast Asia and Western Africa, causing tree mortality and severe yield losses. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of the basidiomycete fungus Rigidoporus microporus, a causative agent of the disease. Our phylogenetic analysis confirmed the position of R. microporus among the members of Hymenochaetales, an understudied group of basidiomycetes. Our analysis further identified pathogen's genes with a predicted role in the decay of plant cell wall polymers, in the utilization of latex components and in interspecific interactions between the pathogen and other fungi. We also detected putative horizontal gene transfer events in the genome of R. microporus. The reported first genome sequence of a tropical rubber tree pathogen R. microporus should contribute to the better understanding of how the fungus is able to facilitate wood decay and nutrient cycling as well as tolerate latex and utilize resinous extractives.

In this study, we used shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterise the microbial metabolic potential for lignocellulose transformation in the gut of two colonies of Argentine higher termite species with different feeding habits, Cortaritermes fulviceps and Nasutitermes aquilinus. Our goal was to assess the microbial community compositions and metabolic capacity, and to identify genes involved in lignocellulose degradation. Individuals from both termite species contained the same five dominant bacterial phyla (Spirochaetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Fibrobacteres and Bacteroidetes) although with different relative abundances. However, detected functional capacity varied, with C. fulviceps (a grass-wood-feeder) gut microbiome samples containing more genes related to amino acid metabolism, whereas N. aquilinus (a wood-feeder) gut microbiome samples were enriched in genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism and cellulose degradation. The C. fulviceps gut microbiome was enriched specifically in genes coding for debranching- and oligosaccharide-degrading enzymes. These findings suggest an association between the primary food source and the predicted categories of the enzymes present in the gut microbiomes of each species. To further investigate the termite microbiomes as sources of biotechnologically relevant glycosyl hydrolases, a putative GH10 endo-β-1,4-xylanase, Xyl10E, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Functional analysis of the recombinant metagenome-derived enzyme showed high specificity towards beechwood xylan (288.1 IU/mg), with the optimum activity at 50 °C and a pH-activity range from 5 to 10. These characteristics suggest that Xy110E may be a promising candidate for further development in lignocellulose deconstruction applications.

The impact of material chemical composition on microbial growth on building materials remains relatively poorly understood. We investigate the influence of the chemical composition of material extractives on microbial growth and community dynamics on 30 different wood species that were naturally inoculated, wetted, and held at high humidity for several weeks. Microbial growth was assessed by visual assessment and molecular sequencing. Unwetted material powders and microbial swab samples were analyzed using reverse phase liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Different wood species demonstrated varying susceptibility to microbial growth after 3 weeks and visible coverage and fungal qPCR concentrations were correlated (R2 = 0.55). Aspergillaceae was most abundant across all samples; Meruliaceae was more prevalent on 8 materials with the highest visible microbial growth. A larger and more diverse set of compounds was detected from the wood shavings compared to the microbial swabs, indicating a complex and heterogeneous chemical composition within wood types. Several individual compounds putatively identified in wood samples showed statistically significant, near-monotonic associations with microbial growth, including C11H16O4, C18H34O4, and C6H15NO. A pilot experiment confirmed the inhibitory effects of dosing a sample of wood materials with varying concentrations of liquid C6H15NO (assuming it presented as Diethylethanolamine).

Dispersal from wood to wood is essential for wood-inhabiting fungi and wood-inhabiting insects play an important role in the dispersal success of such fungi. However, it is poorly understood whether wood-inhabiting insects which change the habitats from wood to non-wood environments can contribute to the fungal dispersal. Larvae of most stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) are wood feeders, while adults are sap feeders. Female adults of lulcanids possess specialized organs (mycetangia) for transportation of fungal symbionts and harbor specific yeasts (e.g., Scheffersomyces spp.) within. Here, we report that the lucanid Aegus subnitidus harbors non-specific yeasts facultatively in mycetangia. We conducted yeast isolation from mycetangia and hindguts of female adults, in a larval gallery in wood-associated materials, and in female-visiting fermented tree sap using culture-dependent methods. Less than half of the females carried a total of 20 yeast species with small amounts using mycetangia and a female harbored up to five species, suggesting the absence of an intimate association with specific yeasts that are found in other lucanids. Yeast species compositions markedly differed between the larval gallery and sap. Most yeasts from the larval galley exhibited xylose-assimilation abilities, while few yeasts from sap did. Mycetangial yeasts comprised a combination from both sources. In hindguts, most yeasts were found in sap (> 70%) with no yeasts in the larval gallery. Sap-associated yeasts in each female mycetangium were also obtained from the female-visiting sap patch, while mycetangial, larval gallery-associated yeasts were absent from the patch, suggesting the survival success of larval gallery-associated yeasts in mycetangia through sap patches. Therefore, wood-inhabiting insects that possess mycetangia can potentially act as vectors of non-symbiotic wood-inhabiting yeasts dispersing from wood to wood via other environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reliable assessment of forest carbon sequestration depends on our understanding of wood ecophysiology. Within a forest, trees exhibit different timings and rates of growth during wood formation. However, their relationships with wood anatomical traits remain partially unresolved. This study evaluated the intra-annual individual variability in growth traits in balsam fir [Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.]. We collected wood microcores weekly from April to October 2018 from 27 individuals in Quebec (Canada) and prepared anatomical sections to assess wood formation dynamics and their relationships with the anatomical traits of the wood cells. Xylem developed in a time window ranging from 44 to 118 days, producing between 8 and 79 cells. Trees with larger cell production experienced a longer growing season, with an earlier onset and later ending of wood formation. On average, each additional xylem cell lengthened the growing season by 1 day. Earlywood production explained 95% of the variability in xylem production. More productive individuals generated a higher proportion of earlywood and cells with larger sizes. Trees with a longer growing season produced more cells but not more biomass in the wood. Lengthening the growing season driven by climate change may not lead to enhanced carbon sequestration from wood production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of two terpene-derived polymers, termed TPA6 and TPA7, as possible consolidants for archaeological wood was carried out. The overall objective of this work was to expand the non-aqueous treatment toolkit which is available for the conservation of the highly degraded Oseberg collection. The wood artefacts which were found on the Oseberg ship were treated with alum in the early twentieth century, leading to the formation of sulfuric acid and to the precarious state that they are in today. Some of these artefacts cannot be treated with conventional aqueous consolidants, like polyethylene glycol, due to their highly degraded and/or reconstructed nature. This study sought to examine the level of penetration of the polymers in archaeological wood and to evaluate their consolidative effect. Both TPA6 and TPA7 were soluble in isopropanol and had a Mw of 3.9 and 4.2 kDa respectively. A number of archaeological wood specimens were immersed in solutions of these polymers. Their penetration and effects were evaluated using weight and dimensional change, colour change, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and hardness tests. Both polymers successfully penetrated the wood specimens, with a higher concentration found on the surface versus the core. Additionally, both polymers appeared to increase the hardness of the specimen surfaces. Increasing the polymer concentration and soaking time in future investigations could potentially facilitate the penetration to the wood cores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coatings on wood must sometimes give aesthetic and basic protection to wooden elements and prevent the development and transmission of microorganisms. Several polymers containing different nanoparticles have already been offered to day for this purpose. The research presents a novel poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) polymer composite with MoO3 nanowires with the ability to form coating films on wood. The films of the developed coating exhibit elastic behaviour, which depends on the coating film thickness [tested wet film thicknesses (90, 180 and 360) µm]. The coating showed the ability to interact well with the surface of common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) wood, in terms of wetting (contact angles of 15.6°), fast spilling on the surface, good penetration of the coating in wood structure and formation of up to 40 µm-thick films with excellent pull-off adhesion strength (6 MPa). An increased roughness of wood coated with C + MoO3 was a consequence of wood etching by the dimethylformamide solvent present in the coating. Moreover, the presence of C + MoO3 on wood made it considerably more hydrophobic, with contact angle of water raising to 123° from initially 46° measured on uncoated wood. The irradiation of wood surfaces with ultra-violet light resulted in visible colour changes on both uncoated and coated wood. The wood coated with C + MoO3 has a good resistance to water, alcohol and dry heat (grade 3 to 4). The antimicrobial testing showed that the presence of MoO3 in the coating plays an important role in the resistance of the coated wood to blue-stain fungi and mould development. The developed PVDF-HFP/PVP/MoO3 coating has an excellent ability to interact with the wood surface and has the potential to be used as a protection for wood in sensitive environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcobiosis, the symbiosis of algae and corticioid fungi, frequently occurs on bark and wood. Algae form a layer in or below fungal basidiomata reminiscent of the photobiont layer in lichens. Identities of algal and fungal partners were confirmed by DNA barcoding. Algal activity was examined using gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence techniques. Carbon transfer from algae to fungi was detected as 13C, assimilated by algae, transferred to the fungal polyol. Nine fungal partners scattered across Agaricomycetes are associated with three algae from Trebouxiophycae: Coccomyxa sp. with seven fungal species on damp wood, Desmococcus olivaceus and Tritostichococcus coniocybes, both with a single species on bark and rain-sheltered wood, respectively. The fungal partner does not cause any obvious harm to the algae. Algae enclosed in fungal tissue exhibited a substantial CO2 uptake, but carbon transfer to fungal tissues was only detected in the Lyomyces-Desmococcus alcobiosis where some algal cells are tightly enclosed by hyphae in goniocyst-like structures. Unlike lichen mycobionts, fungi in alcobioses are not nutritionally dependent on the algal partner as all of them can live without algae. We consider alcobioses to be symbioses in various stages of co-evolution, but still quite different from true lichens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve flame retardancy of wood, a novel high-water-retention and self-healing polyvinyl alcohol/phytic acid/MXene hydrogel coating was developed through facile one-pot heating and freeze–thaw cycle methods, and then painted on wood surface. The coating exhibit excellent self-healing property and significantly enhanced water-retention property (water content ≥ 90 wt%), due to the increased hydrogen bonds within the coating system with the presence of MXene nanosheets. Compared to pristine wood, the flame retardancy of coated wood is greatly improved, such as passed V0 rating in UL-94 test, increasing time to ignition (TTI, from 32 to 69 s), and decreased heat release rate and total heat release by 41.6% and 36.14%. The cooling effect and large thermal capacity of high-water-retention hydrogel, and physical barrier effects for flammable gas products, heat and oxygen by MXene nanosheets and the compact char layer formed during combustion play key roles in the flame retardancy enhancements of the wood. High thermal stability of MXene nanosheets is another beneficial factor. The detailed flame-retardant and self-healing mechanisms were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality and quantity of DNA extracted from wood is important for molecular identification of wood species, which can serve for conservation of wood species and law enforcement to combat illegal wood trading. Rosewood (Dalbergia and Pterocarpus) and agarwood (Aquilaria) are the most commonly found hardwood in timber seizure incidents. To monitor international trade of timber and commercial wood products and to protect these endangered wood species from further population decline, in this study, we have compared three extraction protocols for DNA extraction from 12 samples of rosewood and agarwood timber logs, and later applied the best DNA extraction protocol on 10 commercial wood products claimed to be rosewood and agarwood. We also demonstrated the applicability of DNA mini-barcoding with multi-loci combination with reference library for identifying the species of timber and commercial wood products. We found that a silica column-based method with guanidine thiocyanate-containing binding buffer served the best in DNA extraction from different parts of wood in all three genera with good quality and quantity. Single barcode region ITS2 or multi-loci combinations including ITS2 barcode region generally provide better discriminatory power for species identification for both rosewood and agarwood. All 10 products were identified to species-level using multi-loci combination. In terms of accuracy in labelling, 80% of them were labelled correctly. Our work has shown the feasibility of extracting good quality of DNA from authentic wood samples and processed wood products and identifying them to species level based on DNA barcoding technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Pant-hoot displays' are a species-typical, multi-modal communicative behaviour in chimpanzees in which pant-hoot vocalisations are combined with varied behavioural displays. In both captivity and the wild, individuals commonly incorporate striking or throwing elements of their environment into these displays. In this case study, we present five videos of an unenculturated, captive, adult male chimpanzee combining a large rubber feeding tub with excelsior (wood wool) in a multi-step process, which was then integrated into the subject's pant-hoot displays as a percussive tool or 'instrument'. During the construction process, the subject demonstrated an understanding of the relevant properties of these materials, 'repairing' the tub to be a more functional drum when necessary. We supplement these videos with a survey of care staff from the study site for additional detail and context. Although care must be taken in generalising data from a single individual, the behaviour reported here hints at three intriguing features of chimpanzee communicative cognition: (1) it suggests a degree of voluntary control over vocal production, (2) it is a so-far unique example of compound tool innovation and use in communicative behaviour and (3) it may represent an example of forward planning in communicative behaviour. Each of these would represent hitherto undocumented dimensions of flexibility in chimpanzee communication, mapping fertile ground for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sparassis latifolia is a valuable edible mushroom, growing on fresh pine wood sawdust substrate. However, the mechanistic bases are poorly understood. The gene expression profiles of S. latifolia were analyzed from submerged cultures with fresh pine wood sawdust substrate for different time (0 h, 1 h, 6 h, 1 day, 5 days, and 10 days, respectively). The total number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified under pine sawdust inducing was 2,659 compared to 0 h (CK). And 1,073, 520, 385, 424, and 257 DEGs were identified at the five time points, respectively. There were 34 genes in common at all inoculated time points, including FAD/NAD(P)-binding domain-containing protein, glucose methanol choline (GMC) oxidoreductase, flavin-containing monooxygenase, and taurine catabolism dioxygenase. Weighted gene co-expression analysis (WGCNA) was then used to compare the molecular characteristics among the groups and identified that the blue module had the highest correlation with the time induced by pine wood sawdust. There were 102 DEGs out of 125 genes in the blue model, which were most enriched in nitronate monooxygenase activity, dioxygenase activity, and oxidation–reduction process GO terms (p < 0.05), and peroxisome in KEGG pathway. This may provide clues into mechanisms that S. latifolia can grow on fresh pine wood sawdust substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Oseberg Viking ship burial is one of the most extensive collections of Viking wooden artefacts ever excavated in Norway. In the early twentieth century, many of these artefacts were treated with alum in order to preserve them, inadvertently leading to their current degraded state. It is therefore crucial to develop new bioinspired polymers which could be used to conserve these artefacts and prevent further disintegration. Two hydroxylated polymers were synthesised (TPA6 and TPA7), using α-pinene- and oleic acid-derived monomers functionalised with an acrylate moiety. Characterisation using biomolecular hydrodynamics (analytical ultracentrifugation and high precision viscometry) has shown that these polymers have properties which would potentially make them good wood consolidants. Conformation analyses with the viscosity increment (ν) universal hydrodynamic parameter and ELLIPS1 software showed that both polymers had extended conformations, facilitating in situ networking when applied to wood. SEDFIT-MSTAR analyses of sedimentation equilibrium data indicates a weight average molar mass Mw of (3.9 ± 0.8) kDa and (4.2 ± 0.2) kDa for TPA6 and TPA7 respectively. Analyses with SEDFIT (sedimentation velocity) and MultiSig however revealed that TPA7 had a much greater homogeneity and a lower proportion of aggregation. These studies suggest that both these polymers—particularly TPA7—have characteristics suitable for wood consolidation, such as an optimal molar mass, conformation and a hydroxylated nature, making them interesting leads for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soilless culture has been widely used in horticultural plant production, but little research has been done on bryophyte. In this study, we selected a cultivation substrate mixed and proportioned with garden soil, granular soil, grass charcoal soil, general-purpose nutrient soil, and decomposed grade II, III, and IV fallen wood of Pinus massoniana as the raw materials of soilless substrate to investigate its effects on the growth and physiology of Plagiomnium acutum. The results showed that the total porosity, water-holding porosity, and water-holding capacity of the mixed substrate containing fallen wood of P. massoniana were significantly higher than those of other cultivated substrates. The average cover of the P. acutum was significantly and positively correlated with the substrate's total porosity and water-holding porosity. Chlorophyll content was highly significantly and positively correlated with the water holding capacity and total nitrogen content of the substrate. Among them, VIII decomposition grade Pinus massoniana fallen log:Vgrass charcoal soil = 1:1 (SW8) substrate had the highest overall evaluation index and the best overall growth condition of P. acutum. In summary, VIII decomposition grade Pinus massoniana fallen log:Vgrass charcoal soil = 1:1 (SW8) substrate can be the best substrate for cultivation of P. acutum. The addition of P. massoniana fallen wood to the soil substrate increased the total porosity, water-holding porosity, and water-holding capacity of the substrate, which was conducive to the growth of P. acutum and the increase of chlorophyll content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charcoal is a popular form of biofuel embraced for domestic and industrial purposes. However, the use of Charcoal has some associated challenges, such as the required charcoal pot and setting it into the fire at first by using Charcoal-Ignition-Aiders (CIA) (e.g. discarded paper, nylon, rubber, plastics, petrol, the residue of processed palm oil, maise cob, wood, and kerosene). Coupled with the chemical properties of Charcoal, the resulting gases from CIA are capable of polluting the environment with perceived Adverse-Health-Implications (AHI) on the ecosystem. Therefore, this study conducted a safety assessment of charcoal biofuel usage and the effects of common CIA on combustion indices. This study followed standard methods and the use of peculiar equipment. This study established that Charcoal is commonly used in the studied area because it is cheap, readily available and requires less technical know-how. Considering the combustion indices, using paper as a CIA generated the lowest carbon monoxide (CO) value, 28.1 ppm, with 3,434.54 ppm volatile organic compound, VOC. Compared with the ACGIH standard permissible exposure level of ≤ 30 ppm, the paper gave a lesser CO value of 28.10 ppm among all the CIA. At the same time, all the CIA recorded higher VOC compared with EPA standard permissible exposure level of ≤ 15 ppm. ANOVA analysis conducted on the socio-demographic profile of the respondents, cooking attributes of the respondents, and use of charcoal pot types by the respondents in Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3 gave p-values of 0.032, 0.028, and 0.039, respectively. These imply significant differences within the zones in each of the indices. The average energy content reported for charcoals sourced from oak trees, afara, obeche, mahogany, and iroko woods is 3,2149 kJ/kg compared to the lower ones. Therefore, this study recommended using these charcoals alongside discarded paper as CIA because they are a better combination to reduce AHI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forests cover 30% of the terrestrial Earth surface and are a major component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Humans have doubled the amount of global reactive nitrogen (N), increasing deposition of N onto forests worldwide. However, other global changes-especially climate change and elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations-are increasing demand for N, the element limiting primary productivity in temperate forests, which could be reducing N availability. To determine the long-term, integrated effects of global changes on forest N cycling, we measured stable N isotopes in wood, a proxy for N supply relative to demand, on large spatial and temporal scales across the continental U.S.A. Here, we show that forest N availability has generally declined across much of the U.S. since at least 1850 C.E. with cool, wet forests demonstrating the greatest declines. Across sites, recent trajectories of N availability were independent of recent atmospheric N deposition rates, implying a minor role for modern N deposition on the trajectory of N status of North American forests. Our results demonstrate that current trends of global changes are likely to be consistent with forest oligotrophication into the foreseeable future, further constraining forest C fixation and potentially storage.

The distribution and good spreading of adhesive resins is critical for the wood-based panels industry. Full 3D non-destructive characterization is necessary, but methods are limited due to the chemical similarities between the resins and the wood fibers. For X-ray microtomography (μ CT), the doping of the resin with a highly attenuating contrast agent is necessary to visualize the resin distribution. However, the attenuation signal remains hard to segment clearly due to partial volume effects in the image, and phase mixing in the material. To help in the identification of the doped resin, dual-energy X-ray CT (DECT) is used to exploit the contrast agent's K-edge, based on simulations which take into account the polychromatic properties of the X-ray tube and detector response. The contrast agent's identification with DECT is validated with elemental mapping using scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) on the surface of a wood-based panel sample, using data fusion between DECT and SEM-EDX. Overall, DECT results here in the first 3D identification of doped resin inside wood fiberboards, guiding the industry's efforts in further improving the durability of wood-based panels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]