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A sample of wooden implements that come from two pre-Hispanic sites in the Casma Valley (Bahía Seca and Huaynuná), among which fire starters stand out, were manufactured from wood, which histological analyses of the vascular anatomy indicated the use of Prosopis sp. wood “algarrobo”, using thick and thin secondary branches. These findings indicate that the generation of fire in pre-Hispanic times was carried out using technological knowledge and the use of wood, in this case using a species that has the characteristic of having resinous wood, favorable for the generation and obtaining of fire, a technology that would have extended over the period of 3,000 years in the prehistory of the Peruvian coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juglans neotropica Diels (Walnut) is a highly desired species for the various products obtained from it. Its wood is considered fine and has different uses, which is why it is important to correctly identify the species; However, there are various descriptions that make its optimal identification difficult, so it was proposed, in addition to describing the anatomical (macroscopy) and organoleptic characteristics of the wood, but also, by comparison, determining the general characteristics of the species. The study was carried out in the province of Imbabura, northern Ecuador, the trees were selected based on the NTE INEN 1158 standard: the anatomical characteristics based on the IAWA list and the COPANT standard No. 30:1-019; while for the organoleptic characteristics the NTE INEN 1163 standard was used; It is worth mentioning that the Virtual Color Atlas digital resource was used for color; Furthermore, by comparison, the macroanatomical characteristics and general organoleptic properties of the wood were obtained. It was evident that the analyzed characteristics of Juglans neotropica Diels wood present differences in terms of descriptions, however general descriptors were determined to facilitate the identification of the wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robinia pseudoacacia, native to the United States of America and naturalized on various continents, is the third most cultivated fast-growing broadleaf in the world. In Argentina, cultivation for productive purposes is minimal, its local market is small, and there are few studies on its behaviour in commercial forestations. Due to the possibility of constituting a viable productive alternative, the adaptation of the species and the lack of data on its productive behaviour in the region, the aim of this contribution is to integrate different forestry-productive aspects of R. pseudoacacia. Dendrology, growth, yields, uses, pests and fungal diseases, seed production and propagation methods of the species were reviewed. Due to its plasticity and adaptation in the region, R. pseudoacacia constitutes a silvicultural alternative with a potential production of quality and multipleuses wood. Although, under proper management, the production of quality wood is promising, studies are needed on productive behaviour, management, yields, products, the real impact of pests and diseases, and market niches in the region. There are sources of local genetic material that would allow starting a breeding program from naturalized populations in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Argentina, the cultivation of Robinia pseudoacacia is uncommon, and there are few studies on its behavior in forest plantations. Forestry research in the Alto Valle has been mainly oriented to the commercial cultivation of "poplars" and "willows" (Salicaceae) and there are not any records on the cultivation of R. pseudoacacia. Due to the lack of information on the cultivation of this species in the region, this review aims to integrate different botanical and ecological aspects of R. pseudoacacia to evaluate its feasibility as a silvicultural alternative in the Alto Valle de Río Negro. A bibliographical review of botanical and ecological aspects of the species was carried out, as well as local field studies. Information on the nomenclature, taxonomy, distribution, habitat, and ecology of the species is included. Robinia pseudoacacia presents plasticity and is adapted to the agro-ecological conditions of the region, so its cultivation is feasible. We expect to describe, in future contributions, aspects of the forestry-productive type that complement this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this research study is to examine the chemical composition of Samanea saman (Rain tree) wood, oil, and seed meal through chemical analyses to explore potential applications. The study area is a 300ha extension with S. saman trees that are used for shading mainly. Wood and seeds are collected, dried, and crushed. Wood analyses characterize its humidity, extractives, ashes, lignin, cellulose, and holocellulose. Oil is extracted from seeds to assess its physicochemical properties and fatty acid profile. Seed meal is examined by conducting a proximal analysis. The results reveal that S. saman wood is rich in cellulose (45.3%) and holocellulose (63.6%). S. saman oil contains a high proportion (81.77%) of unsaturated fats and its seed meal has high protein and carbohydrate content. In conclusion, the chemical compositions of S. saman wood, oil, and seed meal have adequate characteristics to make paper, medicines, and food, among other derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the impact on productivity and cost reduction, decision making in industrial processes is one of the most required aspects in the industry. Specifically in the panel industries, product quality depends on multiple variables, especially wood variability. Among other factors, quality depends on the adhesion of veneers or perpendicular tensile strength. The main objective of this study was to evaluate a Machine Learning approach to predict the adhesion under industrial conditions in the gluing and pre-pressing stage. The control variables that determine this adhesion are mainly: operational times, amount of adhesive, environmental conditions, and veneer temperature. Using Knowledge Discovery in Databases data analytics methodology, Artificial Neural Networks and Support Vector Machine were evaluated. Sigmoid activation function was used with 3 hidden layers and 245 neurons. In addition to the Adam optimizer, Multi-Layer Perceptron, Artificial Neural Networks delivered the best accuracy levels of over 66 %. Best result with Relu and Sigmoid functions were obtained. Sigmoid showed accuracy over 66 %, precision fit good to find positive results (70 %). Relu function obtained the best recall (over 74 %) showing a good capacity to identify reality. Results show that it is not sufficient to generate a data set using the averages of each process variable, since it is difficult to obtain better results with the algorithms evaluated. This work contributes to defining a methodology to be used in plywood plants using industrial data to train and validate Machine Learning models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Environmental pollution can affect tree health and biodiversity of microorganisms, among them fungi, existing in the bark. Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh. is the most cultivated tree in Buenos Aires city. The purposes of this work were to screen the micromycetes present in green-ash wood and bark, to determine if the micromycetes most frequently associated with ash bark produce lignocellulolytic enzymes, to describe the anatomical changes they caused in wood and to evaluate their tolerance to Cu and Pb as indicators of environmental polution. M&M: Barks and wood were collected along an urban-periurban gradient. The decay caused in vitro in green-ash wood by the most frequently isolated micromycetes was evaluated, anatomical characters were described. The production of lignocellulolytic enzymes by these fungi and their tolerance to Cu and Pb was assessed. Results: Diplodia sp., Fusicoccum sp. and Sordaria sp. were the most frequently found micromycetes in green-ash bark, whereas Alternaria sp., Diplodia sp. and Phialophora sp. were isolated from wood. None of them caused symptoms of soft rot. They colonized ash wood in vitro but neither important wood weight losses were detected (3-5% after 6 months) nor micro anatomical relevant changes. Cellulolytic activity was produced by all the assayed micromycetes. All of them were able to grow with the addition of 250 mg/Kg of Cu or 1000 mg/Kg of Pb. Conclusions: The micromycetes most frequently isolated did not affect tree health. Their tolerance to high concentrations of heavy metals suggests their potential as biomonitors of environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rural part of the Manabí province, cooking food is done using wood, with the risk of forest degradation and human health. The objective is to study the potential of biomass derived from cattle for use in the family context. The work aims to present the results of an evaluation of the biomass potential derived from cattle breeding, as part of the study in the initial stage of the project. The article is integrated by an introduction, materials and methods, the results, their discussion and the conclusions. The deductive method was applied and the literature review and statistical analysis as research techniques to define the biogas potential in the studied area. It is concluded that the use of biogas in the family environment can meet the energy needs for cooking food of the peasant family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of this study is to assess consumer preferences in the Colombian Caribbean when purchasing furniture made with wood that is environmentally friendly. Reclaimed wood used in furniture contributed to the growth of the Colombian manufacturing industry by 26.1% in the year 2021. However, not 100% of this natural resource is used, generating waste that pollutes the environment. A quantitative analysis is performed and a validated instrument is applied to survey 384 economically active individuals. Data is processed by using SPSS statistics and by performing categorical analyses. The results show that the majority of respondents prefer products based on a combination of traditional and reclaimed wood, upholstered with natural materials, and with ecological paints and fillers. It is concluded that these preferences are fundamental to developing distinctive and environmentally-friendly products with high added value for consumers, society, and industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2018, the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development, the FAO, and the European Union have been supporting the implementation of eight pilots involving community natural forest management. To this effect, a characterization of the wood value chain of each forest area was performed along with the compilation of their wood harvesting costs, in order to identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement, as well as to move towards the formalization of initiatives and their sustainability. This article analyzes the costs and the harvesting and market conditions in four forest areas, and it identifies the main barriers that influence the model's sustainability. The results indicate that said barriers are specific to each area and, although there are common factors among areas, they should not be generalized for a national model. These findings suggest the need for specific actions in each cluster, which are presented as recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction-- Wood is a biodegradable material and its use requires information on the effect of protective substances on its mechanical properties. In such a way that it is important to develop technology for its conservation when it is in service. Objective-- To impregnate with boron salts using the hot-cold bath process test specimens of Fraxinus americana, Albizia plurijuga and Spathodea campanulata. Methodology-- Boron salt retention, density, wave velocity and dynamic modulus of the wood were determined. Stress wave tests were performed before and after the impregnation treatment. Results-- The retention increases as the concentration increases and decreases as the density of the wood increases. No statistically significant differences were observed between the density and wave velocity samples of each species. No differences were found for the elasticity modules of S. campanulata. For F. americana and A. plurijuga differences were identified. Conclusions-- The results suggest that the retention capacity of boron salts from wood depends mainly on the species. The average values of boron salt retention for concentrations of three percent were greater than the lower toxic retention limit to meet the minimum requirements of the standards for wood used indoors. For engineering design and calculation purposes, it is advisable to consider the scope of the results of this research that is limited to small-sized specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to determine the main preferred woods for the furniture manufacture in the provinces of Pinar del Rio and Artemisa. The method used to measure the preferences of the specialists was the so-called Hierarchical Analysis Process through the application of a survey to 350 individuals related to the consumption of wooden articles. The results obtained allowed us to define that the most preferred woods for the production of furniture are Swietenia mahagoni (L.) Jacq., Cedrela odorata L., Cordia gerascanthus (L.) Moldenke, Hibiscus elatus L. y Tectona grandis Sw. From the application of the hierarchical analysis of the species selection process, it is stated that the most accepted species is Swietenia mahagoni, presenting an acceptance range of 100 %. Respondents also state that the attributes associated with quality aspects have a great impact on the preference of the product over the designs, when the furniture is made of solid wood. Based on the forest management project of the Costa Sur (Artemisa), Pinar del Río and Macurije (Pinar del Rio) agroforestry companies, it was defined that Pinus caribaea var caribaea, Eucalyptus saligna, Samanea saman, Gmelina arborea y Acacia mangium have the potential to be used in the furniture industry based on their volumes and permanence in the forest heritage of the companies studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pyrolytic cracking of forest residues is a complex process that determines the characteristics of the biochar obtained. The objective is to specify through experimental design, the experimental variables that influence the pyrolysis of sawdust from Ecuadorian Teak, Fernán Sánchez and Guachapelí woods and their most favorable values to achieve higher yields in this process, so that it allows elucidating a Experimental procedure for obtaining biochars, as well as their characterization. The applied experiment design showed that temperature is the only parameter that significantly affects pyrolysis and allows us to propose an experimental procedure to obtain biochar. The SEM and the FT-IR of the biochars demonstrate the effectiveness of the process and the EDX of the biochars obtained show a stoichiometric ratio of C/O 5:1 enriched in charcoal, as well as the elemental composition of its ashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For centuries, resources from the forests were indispensable for the survival and daily life both in the rural world and in the cities. Wood, used for the construction and manufacture of tools, coal and firewood were considered essential fuels for households and for the operation of numerous crafts and became essential elements whose use needed to be carefully regulated by both the kingdom's and local authorities. The main objective of the present study is to analyse the conflicts which derived from the use of these resources and its impact in the courts of justice for the violation of the ordinances in a territory in the interior of Castile, the Montes de Toledo, which was subject to the feudal regime of the City Council of the capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the thousand years of the Middle Ages, landscape images evolve at the rate of economic growth (or decline) and environmental conditions, but also depending on changes in the value system. Wildernesses, forest and animals played distinct roles and functions over the centuries. This paper seeks to detect through literary sources evolution and modifications in the landscape perception of the medieval West. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palimpsest defines a superposition of events, like a piece that has been redrafted. Wooden toys take shape from the flesh of tree, giving it a second "life", not natural but symbolic. Thereby, we will endeavour to propose a semiology of children playthings as symbolic containers of wonder, to then study the paradigm of wooden playful artifacts in the Ancient Mediterranean. Digging through archaeological materials, iconographic and literary sources, we will explore how the craftsman, anonymous maker often overlooked by art historians, turns wood into an image, that is to say a semiotic artifact serving the most diverse children and adults imaginaries. Likewise, we will endeavour to link the "renaissance" and the improvement of wooden toys with some technical advances, such as the discovery of the pedal lathe in the 12th century, followed by the introduction of hydraulic mechanisms in the 16th century, which has liberated the maker's hands and finetuned the finishing of the pieces. Already present in the infant tombs of Coptic Egypt, 3rd and 4th centuries AC, this "minimal sculptures" flowed into the daily life of the main Mediterranean and continental cultures, surviving even the current Global Plastic Village. Furthermore, yo-yos, tops, windmill toys and hobbyhorses, dolls and rocking toys lead us along the paths of religious beliefs, Christian moral literature, both holders of folk modern tales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We approach the study of the wood used for the construction of the galleys in the area of El Puerto de Santa María and the necessary material to carry out the repairs of these ships, based on two new writings located in the General Archive of Simancas. With this article we intend to bring to light new data that contribute to the study of the naval industry in El Puerto de Santa María, specifically in the galleys, as well as the groves that are part of its closest natural environment that were used as the main material for the shipyards in the area. Finally, following the line of study of the ships in the last quarter of the 16th century, we inform on the cost and material of the repairs to the galleys in Cartagena, as well as the name of the four most outstanding galleys, according to the documentation from Valladolid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sawmills are economically important in Mexico due to the generation of added value in forest species Mexico due to the transformation of round wood to sawn wood, the sawmill industry is located in all agro ecological regions and states. These units are source of employment for women and men in remote areas inhabited by the poor and extreme poverty population, the objective of the was to quantify the monetary value that the sawmill industry contributes to the forest economy, for which statistical data from INEGI was used and SEMARNAT, the first with valuable information and the second on production in m3r; a 25-years horizon was considered: 1995-2019, which was broken down into four six-year terms and the first year of the current administration to know, the behavior, trend and participation of the economic value of the sawmill in various macroeconomic aggregates. The methodology consisted of using current (market) values and constant (deflated) values, with the base year 2013 (according to INEGI and in thus make the data comparable, know trends and quantify their variations with the statistical function average annual growth rate (tmca). In real terms, the importance of the value in the Mexican economy of the sawmill industry during the period of analysis was very scarce since at the country level it represented on average of the 25 years considered, only 0.09% of the national GDP and at the sector level primary (agriculture, livestock, forestry, hunting and fishing) increased its share to 2.81% of primary GDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge of the factors that produce the deformations of the wood can help to a suitable selection of the material before its sawing. One way to address the problem of deformation is with the understanding of the mechanisms that regulate it. The objective of the work was to describe the behavior of the movement of water during the drying of wood as an influential factor in the deformations of the same during this process from a theoretical model, which unifica features Newton's dynamics of a system of particles and schemes of the methods of the finite elements. This model allows to establish in detail the qualitative and quantitative influence of the humidity in the nature of the deformations, which facilitates to value the experimental results, to make predictions in the practical activity, and to obtain a considerable saving of resources and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an absence of studies on tropical timber species that show the optimization in quantity and dimensions of wood photography in anatomical studies, an aspect that restricts the statistical representativeness in anatomical studies in tropical species. The study presented as an objective to determine the dimensions and minimum quantity of macroscopic photographs that can be represented in tropical species and to analyze the relationship between photographic dimensions and anatomical characteristics. Ten tree species were selected for this purpose; eight to fifteen cylindrical wood specimen of 12.5 mm diameter and 75 mm length were collected from each species, which were dried and photographed on the transverse side. The results showed a variation from 19 to 35 photographs as minimum quantity per species, being Spondias mombin the species with the highest requirement of photographs with 35, while Caryocar costarricense the one with the lowest amount of minimum photographs; furthermore, the optimal common dimension of photographs was 1.25 x 1.25 mm, being Peltogyne purpurea the species that could be worked with even lower dimensions. The combination of the minimum number of photographs and the optimal dimension allowed to be representative and reproducible in more than 90%. Finally, a correlation was found between the size of the image and the diameter of the vessels; the ratio was that as the diameter of the vessels is smaller, it is possible to work with smaller photographs with a ratio greater than 70%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the main characteristics of the compounds produced with cement, sand and lignocellulosic waste for the production of woodcement compounds. Residues of Bambusa vulgaris var. vulgaris (bamboo) and Manllkara sp. (maçaranduba) were used to determine compatibility with Portland cement CP IV-32. The physical-mechanical tests were carried out in the Forestry Technology laboratories, belonging to the Forestry Science Department, at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, and the Federal University of Espirito Santo, Brazil; based on the ABCP standard, 2002. The mixture used was 1: 0.05: 3: 0.4, respectively cement, lignocel lulosic, sand and water. From the hydration temperatures obtained, it was possible to establish the possibility of using Portland cement CP IV-32 in the production of cement-wood-sand-water compounds. During the determination of the degree of compatibility of the cement with the bamboo and maçaranduba, the resistance to the compression presented the most evident results for the non-structural use of the obtained compounds. The non-destructive method of stress waves proved to be an excellent tool for determining the dynamic elastic modulus of cement-wood-sand-water compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The micro businesses are particularly important for national economies, not only because of their contributions to the production and distribution of goods and services, but also because of the high potential for job creation. They represent an excellent means to boost economic development and a better distribution of wealth. Mexico, like other countries in the world, has micro-business as an economic backbone. In the State of Yucatan, micro-businesses are also crucial for development. However, they face increasing difficulties due to competition and changing markets. Complicating its permanence in the market and causing its closure. For this reason, quality in the service has been used as a tool to boost competitiveness, in a way that allows the survival of these micro-businesses. This analysis is particularlyimportant since the crafts are the cultural heritage of the nation. The methodology is a quantitative approach, not experimental, cross-sectional and descriptive, determining differences between expectations and perceptions of clients based on the quality in the service of 10 micro-businesses, located in a field study and who agreed to participate in the study., applying an adaptation of the SERVQUAL instrument of Zeithaml, Parasuraman and Berry [1], with 19 items and a Likert scale of 7 points. Finally, the obtained results are discussed, and proposals are made for designing strategies to improve the quality of the service and the permanence in the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article outlines the results of the archaeobotanical analysis of desiccated woods and wood charcoal fragments from La Fortaleza granary (Santa Lucía de Tirajana, Gran Canaria). These results constitute the first xylological and anthracological data from such storage spaces, suggesting wood-gathering activities local to the granary. The most abundant taxon is the Canary Island Pine, which would have been of preferable use for the refurbishment of the space. Anthracological analyses applied to other granaries in Gran Canaria would contribute to a global picture of wood use by aboriginal groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industry that uses wood as an input requires, for calculation and design purposes, engineering parameters derived from experimental tests. The objective of the research was to determine the dynamic modulus of elasticity, the quality factor and the material index of 25 wood species. The density and moisture content of the wood were calculated and transverse vibration tests were performed. The values range of wood density was broad. The species Spathodea campalunata resulted to have lower density; and the wood of Dalbergia granadillo was reported with the maximum density. The minimum value of the modulus of dynamic elasticity corresponded to S. campalunata, and the maximum to Tabebuia chrysantha. It was verified that the density of the wood is a good predictor of its dynamic modulus of elasticity. The quality factor correlates well with density. In contrast, the material index does not correlate. The quality factor and the material index normalize the value of the modulus of elasticity, in this case, the dynamic one. These parameters find application to classify a species of wood for a specific use, and to use them as a selection criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species Quercus cubana A. Rich is the only true oak of the flora of Cuba, already recognized as Cuban endemic, exclusive of the west of the country, limited only to Pinar del Río and with a widespread use in rural life, because its fruits, commonly called acorns, are used as animal food for pigs because they have a high fat content, and its wood is useful in obtaining charcoal to make food. The research was carried out in three moments, starting from the selection of the individuals, using the Quercus cubana A. Rich species, which for its complexities has made difficult the introduction of this one in the industry of secondary transformation of the wood. The objective has been to determine the behaviour of the friction coefficient of this species on surface of wood and metal, obtaining as a result the existing variation between the different sections of the pith towards the bark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is undeniable that industrial activity remains a core sector in the economic functioning of the territories. But the spatial strategies of companies are not stable, they have been modified looking to monetize their benefits. These processes affect the status of the territories where they are located. This paper focuses on reviewing the significance of these processes within a traditional industry, the wood processing industry, and within a specific territory, Galicia which possesses raw material and which has always used the resource, first as a craft and later, as a manufacturing sector, always with the main goal of adapting to new business strategies. In this work the past and present to adapt to possible changes in operating strategies of processing activities is observed and how it translates into the territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anatomical characteristics, physical properties, mechanical properties and air-drying speed were determined for the wood of five trees of Quercus sideroxyla Humb. & Bonpl. (red oak) and two of Quercus rugosa Nee (white Oak), collected in three municipalities of the State of Durango. For the macroscopic anatomical study specimens of 12 cm x 7 cm x 1 cm were used and for the microscopic anatomical study, thin slices were cut and used along with fragmented material. Histochemical tests were carried out to determine tannins. The measurable elements were classified based on the average. They included the taxonomic position, morphological characteristics, geographic and altitudinal distribution and common names. The technological characteristics were determined in green and dry conditions, using specimens of various dimensions. The wood of the seven individuals, presented similar characteristics in some cases and different in others between subgenera and differences between individuals of the same subgenus were recorded. The physical characteristics of both species are classified as high to very high; the mechanical properties in both green and dry conditions are classified as hard, stiff and strong in the majority of the cases, with the notable exception of the strength in compression parallel of the two species and shear parallel of Q. rugosa which is moderately strong. The results were compared with data available in the literature for both species, coinciding in many characteristics with the studied in the present work. Based on the results suggested applications are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population of Zumárraga, in the province of Guipúzcoa, is fortunate to preserve its original late Gothic wooden parish church. The geometric analysis has shown the high speculative level of its architectural design and the extraordinary coherence of its system of proportions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood's supply was an essential aspect for the Kingdom of Valencia during the medieval centuries. The large plain around the coast and the forest shortage caused, firstly, the development of supplying strategies and, secondly, the creation of specifical orders in order to guarantee it. In that sense, Júcar and its tributary Cabriel played an important role in the trunks traffic coming from the mountains of Cuenca. Also, the surrounding countryside was primordial in the procedure. In this article we are going to analyse the methods in use in the Almoravid period and the circumstances of the trunks navigation on the river after the conquest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to identify wood density differences between sites for each species as well as to relate the basic wood density of Pinus patula and Pinus ayacahuite var. veitchii with some soil physico-chemical properties. In order to identify differences between wood density, soil properties and assess the influence degree of pH, percentage of organic matter, humic and non humic fractions, total carbon, texture, porosity and soil bulk density, two natural stands where both species coexist, were selected from Central Mexico. 78 trees were used to determine basic wood density. No differences within species between sites for basic wood density were found. Most of the edaphic properties were significantly different between sites and higher variation were observed within Ejido Ingenio del Rosario. Soil bulk density was negatively correlated with wood density of Pinus patula native from Ejido Ingenio del Rosario, Xico, Veracruz. It is concluded that soil factors do not influence strongly the expression of this feature in both species, so commercial or conservation plantations can be done in different soils types without changes in wood quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Record of the entry of pine wood in Argentina from historical buildings. The objective of this work is to analyze under what period was introduced pine wood from historical buildings in Argentina. The work is based on characterizing and determining wooden pieces of historical constructions. Were analyzed woods belonging to: The Pioneers Museum (Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz), Church of Our Lady of the Rosary (Salsipuedes, Córdoba) and Céspedes Tower (Jesus María, Córdoba). Ten samples were analyzed corresponding to wooden roof structures. Terminology of the Nomenclature Committee of IAWA for characterization of wood was followed. The timber identification keys that were used are: Jacquiot; Clement, Greguss and García Esteban et al. Pinus woods were used in the three analyzed buildings. These buildings date from the late nineteenth century and certified the importation of gymnosperm wood, from the middle of this century. These references allow discerning the constructive habits. From these studies, we can infer changes in the use of wood in the country and opening up to European and American markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to explain the origin and most relevant characteristics of vernacular housing in the lower Guayas River Basin. Most o f the existing buildings were built by craftsman in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, during the cocoa boom whose economic impact made it possible to introduce architectural improvements and changes that had been in development since colonial times and which soon became known as the traditional wooden architecture of the Ecuadorian coast. Some of these buildings are still standing in both urban and rural areas, in spite of the indifference towards this type of architecture, whose contribution is still not fully recognized as part of Ecuador's built heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woody biomass as an energy source varies according to species, environmental conditions that influence their production and dispersal in the territory. The estimation of the suitability of this resource is crucial for sustainable development of agro-forestry and, specifically, of the value chain forest-industry-consumer. Considering this situation, the aim of this paper was to determine the suitability of three types of trees as solid biofuel. A forest species (Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp); an energy crop (Paulownia spp.) and three fruit species Citrus sinensis (orange), Olea europaea (olive) and Prunus amygdalus (almond). In order to achieve this goal, the paper is focused on the physical, chemical and energetic characteristics of woody biomass of these species. Based on representative sampling, the results obtained qualitatively determined the capabilities and limitations of these species as solid biofuel. The main results of the analysis show that the biomass of all species are suitable for energy use as solid biofuel, with the exception of the orange tree wood that has some limitations for the production of pellets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of commercial naming for lumber has been extensively studied for a considerable time; however, none of these studies has so far used rigorous scientific procedures. Most of them have been simply a compilation of a number -greater or smaller- of common names, listed in order. This study uses statistical techniques to analyse common names. The methodology employed detects the most commonly used commercial names by means of the mode, and characterizes the dispersion presented by the alternatives through the Index of Qualitative Variation and the Bimodality Index (defined in this study). We also analyze the possible effect caused by the geographic region and the size of the company using the Exact Test for tables r x c and Logistical Regression. The results indicate a clear convergence in common names for European hardwoods. The rest of the lumbers have dispersions associated principally to only two names (tropical woods) or to a larger number of names (softwoods and non-tropical American hardwoods). Regarding the possible alterations owing to the geographic origin of the commercial name, only one of the 92 woods analysed presents significant values. The size of the lumber company does not have any influence on the type of commercial names it uses. To study the degree of compliance with the EN standard we used the Cohen's Kappa coefficient. It is worth noting that society barely uses the names recommended in the standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]