Abstract
Abstract. Variation of wood specific gravity from the base to the top of tree and from pith to bark was investigated for Gmelina arborea Roxb. plantations in western Venezuela. Increment cores were taken from thirty trees at five different sections up the stem: 0.1 m; 1.3 m, half total height, 3/4 total height and at the top. These trees were chosen from commercial plantations located at three different sites. Specific gravity was obtained using an X-ray densitometer. The results show that there is an increase in specific gravity from pith to bark. It was also evident that specific gravity decreased from stump to half of the total height, then increased towards the top of the stem. No correlation between specific gravity and height of the tree was found. Correlations in specific gravity with height categories were generally small, and non-significant at level α=0.05.
Palabras clave: Gmelina arborea, Propiedades de la madera, Gravedad específica
Resumen. En la Gmelina arborea Roxb se estudió la variación de la gravedad específica desde la base hasta el tope del árbol y desde la médula hasta la corteza. Se tomaron muestras de madera provenientes de treinta árboles a cinco alturas diferentes a lo largo del fuste a 0.1 m; 1.3 m, mitad de la altura total, 3/4 de la altura total, y del tope, las cuales fueron seleccionadas de plantaciones comerciales localizadas en tres sitios distintos al occidente de Venezuela. La gravedad específica fue determinada con la ayuda de un densitómetro de rayos-x. Los resultados muestran un incremento de la gravedad especifica desde la médula hacia la corteza. También se encontró que la gravedad específica disminuye de la base a la mitad del fuste y luego aumenta hacia el tope del fuste. No se encontró correlación entre la gravedad específica y la altura del árbol. La correlación entre la gravedad específica y las categorías de altura donde las muestras fueron tomadas son generalmente pequeñas y poco significativas a un nivel de probabilidad α=0.05.
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Espinoza, J.A. Within-tree density gradients in Gmelina arborea in Venezuela. New Forests 28, 309–317 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:NEFO.0000040959.42533.e7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:NEFO.0000040959.42533.e7