Search results for "Wood"

Experimental Analysis of the Thermal Performance of Wood Fiber Insulating Panels

2023

During the last decades, attention to energy and environmental problems has significantly grown, along with the development of international and national policies addressing sustainability issues. In the construction sector, one of the most widespread energy efficiency strategies consists of thermal insulation of buildings thanks to external insulating panels. Among these, wood fiber is an insulating material characterized by a natural, eco-sustainable and biodegradable structure, coming from the recycling of waste wood from sawmills. The present study aimed to characterize small test building insulated with wood fiber panels from the thermal point of view, comparing the results with those …

Microbiological characterization of the biofilms of wooden shelves used for ripening of traditional raw milk cheeses produced in Sicily (South Italy).

The production of artisanal Sicilian cheeses is generally carried out with wooden equipment. For centuries, wood has been the main material used in cheese making due to its availability, low cost and resistance over time. Among dairy wooden equipment, the wooden vat used for milk curdling plays a role of paramount importance to inoculate the bulk milk with desired lactic acid bacteria (LAB) responsible for the acidification of the curd. In the last few years, the biofilms associated to these containers have been object of study of different research groups, mainly Italian and French, but so far, very little is known about the microbiological characteristics of the wooden shelves used for ch…

Projecting biodiversity and wood production in future forest landscapes: 15 key modeling considerations

2017

A variety of modeling approaches can be used to project the future development of forest systems, and help to assess the implications of different management alternatives for biodiversity and ecosystem services. This diversity of approaches does however present both an opportunity and an obstacle for those trying to decide which modeling technique to apply, and interpreting the management implications of model output. Furthermore, the breadth of issues relevant to addressing key questions related to forest ecology, conservation biology, silviculture, economics, requires insights stemming from a number of distinct scientific disciplines. As forest planners, conservation ecologists, ecologica…

Sūnu daudzveidība uz atmirušās koksnes egļu mežos saistībā ar koksnes vecumu un substrāta īpašībām

2015

Atmirusī koksne ir specifisks un dinamisks substrāts. Tā kalpo kā dzīves vide daudzām retām un tieši šim substrātam specifiskām sūnu sugām, kas norāda uz nepieciešamību veikt detalizētus pētījumus par atmirušo koksni kā sūnām nozīmīgu substrātu. Pētījumā salīdzināts sūnu sugu un funkcionālo grupu sastāvs uz dažādiem atmirušās koksnes veidiem (kritalām, stumbeņiem, sausokņiem), analizēta sūnu sugu un funkcionālo grupu bagātība saistībā ar atmirušās koksnes vecumu un substrāta parametriem (izmēri, sadalīšanās pakāpe). Kopumā uz visiem atmirušās koksnes veidiem konstatētas 53 sūnu sugas (40 lapu un 13 aknu sūnas). Novērotas atšķirības sūnu sugu sastāvā starp kritalām un stāvošu atmirušo koksni…

Influence of Cognettia sphagnetorum (Enchytraeidae) on birch growth and microbial activity, composition and biomass in soil with or without wood ash

2001

In this laboratory study using microcosms with seedlings of silver birch (Betula pendula), we explored whether Cognettia sphagnetorum (Enchytraeidae) can retain its important role of accelerating decomposition processes in soils and stimulating primary production under disturbance. We established systems with or without wood ash amendment (first-order disturbance) in the soil, either in the presence or absence of C. sphagnetorum. To test whether the systems treated with wood ash are more sensitive to an additional disturbance than the ash-free systems, the microcosms were later on disturbed by drought. To determine the influence of two disturbances on the enchytraeids and populations of oth…

A synthesis of multi-taxa management experiments to guide forest biodiversity conservation in Europe

2023

Most European forests are used for timber production. Given the limited extent of unmanaged (and especially primary) forests, it is essential to include commercial forests in the conservation of forest biodiversity. In order to develop ecologically sustainable forest management practices, it is important to understand the management impacts on forest-dwelling organisms. Experiments allow testing the effects of alternative management strategies, and monitoring of multiple taxa informs us on the response range across forest-dwelling organisms. To provide a representative picture of the currently available information, metadata on 28 multi-taxa forest management experiments were collected from…

Challenges in the use of Near Infrared Spectroscopy for improving wood quality : A review

2017

Aims of study: Forestry-related companies require quality monitoring methods capable to pass a large number of samples. This review paper is dealing with the utilization of near infrared (NIR) technique for wood analysis. Area of study: We have a global point of view for NIR applications and characterization of different kind of wood species is considered. Material and methods: NIR spectroscopy is a fast, non-destructive technique, applicable to any biological material, demanding little or no sample preparation. NIR spectroscopy and multivariate analysis serve well in laboratories where the conditions are controlled. The main challenges to NIR spectroscopy technique in field conditions are …

The effects of post-pasture woody plant colonization on soil and aboveground litter carbon and nitrogen along a bioclimatic transect.

2013

Abstract: We investigated the effects of woody plant colonization of abandoned pastures on soil and litter organic carbon (C) stocks and nitrogen (N) content along a bioclimatic transect in a semi-arid environment (Sicily, Italy). Soil samples were taken in three successional stages (grazed pasture, shrubland, forest) within each of three bioclimates (supramediterranean - “supra”, mesomediterranean - “meso”, thermomediterranean - “thermo”). Organic C and N in litter and soil (0-10 cm and 10-30 cm depth) were determined, as well as soil bulk density. Especially at 0-10 cm depth, changes in C and N contents along successional stages differed among bioclimates. Soil organic carbon (SOC) stock …

El Niño in the Eocene greenhouse recorded by fossil bivalves and wood from Antarctica

2011

[1] Quasi-periodic variation in sea-surface temperature, precipitation, and sea-level pressure in the equatorial Pacific known as the El Nino – Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is an important mode of interannual variability in global climate. A collapse of the tropical Pacific onto a state resembling a so-called ‘permanent El Nino’, with a preferentially warmed eastern equatorial Pacific, flatter thermocline, and reduced interannual variability, in a warmer world is predicted by prevailing ENSO theory. If correct, future warming will be accompanied by a shift toward persistent conditions resembling El Nino years today, with major implications for global hydrological cycles and consequent impact…

Structural variables drive the distribution of the sensitive lichen Lobaria pulmonaria in Mediterranean old-growth forests

2015

a b s t r a c t We tested the hypothesis that structural variables related to old-growth features affect the distribution of Lobaria pulmonaria in a Mediterranean National Park of Italy. A total of 36 plots, with old-growth characteristics and representing overall three forest types (beech- oak- and mixed- forests) were studied. The lichen was absent in about half of the sites, suggesting that the selection of old-growth forests based solely on structural features is not sufficient to predict the presence of this species, which therefore proves to be rather sensitive and selective. Its abundance was related to high tree circumference and basal area, and to availability of deadwood, confirmi…