Variabilidade anatomica, fisica e quimica da madeira da Eucalyptus globulus Labill

Ten Eucalyptus globulus trees, in each of four different sites within Portugal, were felled to study the anatomic, physical and chemical variability of wood characteristics. The age of all the used trees was close to that commonly used by pulpwood industry. Axial variability was studied at DBH level and at five additional levels calculated as a function of total height. At each of these levels, five points per radii were selected to estimate the radial variability. Chemical composition was estimated only at DBH level. As this species (E. globulus) is mainly used for pulpwood industry, pulpwood was directly produced from the sampled trees (using only wood material collected at DBH level) and the corresponding total pulp yield as well as physical and mechanical pulp characteristics were estimated. The relationships between pulp characteristics (total yield, physical and mechanical properties) and wood characteristics (anatomic, physical and chemical) were also studied. The results obtained allowed the definition of patterns of axial and radial variability of anatomic and physical wood parameters. Wood density was found to be a parameter with little influence on pulp yield. Anatomic characteristics, mainly some of the cross section dimensions, showed to be responsible for the main physical and mechanical pulp characteristicsAvailable from Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, Servico de Informacao e Documentacao, Av. D. Carlos I, 126, 1200 Lisboa / FCT - Fundação para o Ciência e a TecnologiaSIGLEPTPortuga