The Formation Of Wood In Tropical Forest Trees

The Formation of Wood in Forest Trees covers the proceedings of the second symposium held under the auspices of the Maria Moors Cabot Foundation for Botanical Research, conducted in Harvard Forest in Petersham, Massachusetts on April 15-19, 1963. The book focuses on the aspects of tree growth, such as the chemistry and submicroscopic morphology of wood and the effects of the environment on growth. The selection first offers information on the evolution of cambium in geologic time; a model for cell production by the cambium of conifers; and structure and development of the bark in dicotyledons. The text then ponders on the aspects of ultrastructure of phloem, stem structure in arborescent monocotyledons, and structure and formation of the cell wall in xylem. The publication takes a look at the general chemistry of cell walls and distribution of the chemical constituents across the walls and ultraviolet and fluorescence optics of lignified cell walls. The text also examines the role of endogenous hormones in cambial activity and xylem differentiation; indirect effects of environment on wood formation; and influence of external pressure on the differentiation of cells and tissues cultured in vitro. The selection is a dependable reference for readers interested in the formation of wood in forest trees.

The volume brings together findings of key research scientists into seedling establishment and environmental requirements in many different forest situations. Commercial and native forest species are examined from different forest types and from different countries. Addressed are such issues as the demography, morphology and physiology of seedlings and their responses to the availability of resources, notably light, nutrient and water. The audience for this book will include foresters, ecologists and resource managers who are interested in the structure, functioning and regeneration of tropical forests.

"First published in 1945 by Collins"--Copyright page.

The new edition of this book offers a fully revised and updated review of the forest products industry. This important text covers the full spectrum of the subject, basing itself in a thorough understanding of the anatomical and physical nature of wood and providing a special emphasis on its use as an industrial raw material. Forest and biomass researchers are provided with comprehensive coverage of all aspects of wood science and industry, ranging from tree growth and wood anatomy to a variety of economically important wood products.

Tropical dry forests are one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth. Despite their ecological, commercial and cultural importance, however, we still know little about their population dynamics. In this thesis I focus on dendrochronological problems and possibilities in the dry tropical biome. I begin with an exhaustive compilation of all the tropical tree species that have been shown to produce annual growth rings, for this I include both wet and dry tropical forests. I follow with a study that was conducted in a tropical dry forest in western Mexico to determine the periodicity of radial wood formation in six drought-deciduous tree species. It is suggested that the intense drought that is prevalent in this climate type induces the cessation of cambial activity in these trees; and thus annual ring formation may be assumed for non-riverine drought-deciduous tree species. A third chapter details an experimental study of the effect of rare dry season rains on leafless tree species. In particular, I examined the relationship between one-time water receipt and (1) the degree of bud burst (and, for one species, flowering), and (2) the formation of a false ring. Also, I used long-term records at a nearby meteorological station to determine the frequency of a rain event exceeding a particular intensity. Finally, I end with a broad review of dry tropical forest ecology, the biome known to be most conducive to the formation of annual growth rings in tropical trees.

Much of the world's tropical timber is still supplied from natural forest, but under current systems of management the forests are rapidly becoming exhausted. Unless management practices change to become genuinely sustainable, neither the forests nor the essential contribution of the timber industry to many economies will survive. Duncan Poore reviews the extent to which natural forests are already being sustainably managed for timber production, and looks at how these practices can be enlarged. He places management for timber in the wider context of tropical forest conservation and outlines a strategy for further action. Thoroughly researched and accessibly written, this book will be useful for everyone working or interested in the subject of tropical forests. Foreword by Dato Dr B.C.Y. Freezailah Originally published in 1989

The countries and their forests. The trees and their woods.