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How the scots pine and beech aging process affects wood
This study investigates the effects of aging trees on wood properties, which are caused by climate change, the withdrawal of coniferous species from Central Europe, and the increased crown sweep in old beech stands. The research was carried out in old tree stands with a high proportion of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) species. The collected material was from five tree pine stands aged between 151 and 182 and three beech stands between the ages of 165 and 184. The samples were subjected to an analysis of wood properties such as density and modulus of elasticity. The results and findings of this study indicate that the Scots pine currently reaches the optimal wood tissue quality at around 80 years of age, which is approximately 20 years earlier than the species’ anticipated cutting age. However, the beech, which reaches maturity at about 120–140 years, reaches the maximal quality of wood tissue already at the age of 80–90 years. Above the age of 110, the quality of beech wood (density and modulus of elasticity) decreases. Moreover, it is necessary to emphasize that the radial trend of wood density does not coincide with the trend of the modulus of elasticity. Additionally, it is found that wood density is not a perfect representation of its mechanical qualities; it can, however, be regarded as a measure of the technical quality of wood tissue. The results indicate that the pine and the beech that grow on the European Plain mature faster and reach technical quality earlier than just a couple of decades before.
How the Spruce Ageing Process Affects Wood
Climate change and the gradual phaseout of the spruce from Central Europe inspired us to study the effects of the ageing process of trees on wood properties. This study was conducted in old tree stands with significant involvement of the spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst) in the ages between 122 and 177 years. The study material (samples) was collected from the selected trees to study wood properties such as density, resilience to compressive strength, resilience to bending strength, and modulus of elasticity. The results and findings of this study indicate that the spruce currently reaches the optimal technical quality of wood tissue at approximately 60 years of age. It is approximately 20 years earlier than the planned cutting age for the species. This could be due to water stress which led to adaptive changes in the wood tissue and earlier technical maturation of the wood in the studied trees. Significant radiant variabilities of wood properties of the Norway spruce were observed. It was determined that wood density does not fully reflect its mechanical properties, and it can be considered an indicator of the technical quality of wood tissue, but only within a limited scope. The results obtained may not only be applied in optimising the use of wood from spruce stands. They can also indicate the need to change the approach to managing spruce stands and their conversion towards broadleaf species.