Wood quality of white spruce from north central Alberta

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Forest Research
• Main Authors: Wang, Eugene I. C., Micko, Michael M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1984
• Subjects: Footner Lake; Stump; Slave Lake
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/x84-035; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/x84-035

Wood specific gravity and tracheid lengths were measured from increment cores and discs of 10 white spruce (Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss) trees from each of four stands in the Slave Lake forest of north central Alberta. Such measurements were used to indicate the variation of wood properties among trees and within individual stems. The specific gravity of white spruce grown in the Slave Lake area was somewhat greater than that found in the Edson and Footner Lake areas reported earlier. Tracheid length was comparable to that found in trees from Footner Lake and longer than that from the Edson trees on the same age basis. Within a tree, growth rate affected wood specific gravity negatively. However, no correlation was evident between these parameters among trees. Seven trees were examined intensively to determine the variation of properties within the stem. The complex variation patterns from pith-to-bark and stump-to-crown are reported. Contrary to the Edson and Footner Lake trees, a very high corewood specific gravity was not observed. Tracheid length increased from pith to the periphery and from stump to crown.