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"Wood Utilization History."
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The museum of the wood age
As a material, wood has no equal in strength, resilience, adaptability and availability. It has been our partner in the cultural evolution from woodland foragers to engineers of our own destiny. Tracing that partnership through tools, devices, construction and artistic expression, Max Adams explores the role that wood has played in our own history as an imaginative, curious and resourceful species. Beginning with an investigation of the material properties of various species of wood, The Museum of the Wood Age investigates the influence of six basic devices wedge, inclined plane, screw, lever, wheel, axle and pulley and in so doing reveals the myriad ways in which wood has been worked throughout human history. From the simple bivouacs of hunter-gatherers to sophisticated wooden buildings such as stave churches; from the decorative arts to the humble woodworking of rustic furniture; Max Adams fashions a lattice of interconnected stories and objects that trace a path of human ingenuity across half a million years of history -- Source other than Library of Congress.
Book
A framework to support the identification of critical habitat for wide-ranging species at risk under climate change
To recover species at risk, it is necessary to identify habitat critical to their recovery. Challenges for species with large ranges (thousands of square kilometres) include delineating management unit boundaries within which habitat use differs from other units, along with assessing any differences among units in amounts of and threats to habitat over time. We developed a reproducible framework to support identification of critical habitat for wide-ranging species at risk. The framework (i) reviews species distribution and life history; (ii) delineates management units across the range; (iii) evaluates and compares current and (iv) potential future habitat and population size and (v) prioritizes areas within management units based on current and future conditions under various scenarios of climate change and land-use. We used Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) and Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) in Canada as case studies. Using geographically weighted regression models and cluster analysis to measure spatial variation in model coefficients, we found geographic differences in habitat association only for Canada Warbler. Using other models to predict current habitat amount for each species in different management units, then future habitat amount under land use and climate change, we projected that: (1) Canada Warbler populations would decrease in Alberta but increase in Nova Scotia and (2) Wood Thrush populations would increase under most scenarios run in Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, but not in Ontario. By comparing results from future scenarios and spatial prioritization exercises, our framework supports identification of critical habitat in ways that incorporate climate and land-use projections.
Journal Article
Exploring the Relationship Between Growth Strain and Growth Traits in Eucalyptus cloeziana at Different Age Stages
The harvesting period is determined by forest maturity. However, there are few studies on the continuity of assessing cultivation duration based on both growth and wood quality, especially for Eucalyptus plantations. This study measures growth traits, such as the diameter at breast height (DBH), oblateness, and other characteristics, as well as wood properties like density and crystallinity, and axial surface growth strain levels at four age stages (6, 10, 22, and 34 years) of Eucalyptus cloeziana (E. cloeziana). By analyzing these factors, particularly the changes in growth strain throughout the tree’s development, the study aims to determine the optimal cultivation period for using E. cloeziana as solid wood. The survey revealed a two-stage pattern in the annual change rate of DBH, tree height, and oblateness: a decrease from 6 to 22 years followed by an increase from 22 to 34 years. In E. cloeziana, heartwood percentage and density rapidly declined during the first 6–10 years, then stabilized between 10 and 34 years. This suggested differential rates of growth and maturation. By analyzing the growth strain, it was observed that the growth strain of E. cloeziana exhibited an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease with age. It reached its peak at 22 years and then gradually declined. Remarkably, at 34 years, the growth strain was even lower than that of 10-year-old E. cloeziana, measuring only 2148 με. This reduction in growth strain is advantageous for minimizing defects such as brittle core formation, cracking, and warping during harvesting. In practical cultivation aimed at solid wood utilization, harvesting can be conducted between 22 and 34 years based on management strategies to reduce operating costs. However, with close-to-nature management practices and sufficient financial resources, extending the cultivation period to 34 years or beyond may result in superior wood quality. We aim to achieve the sustainable utilization of resources, foster the long-term development of the wood processing and solid wood utilization industries, and guide the entire sector towards the goal of sustainable development.
Journal Article
A Natural History of Belize
Belize's Chiquibul Forest is one of the largest remaining expanses of tropical moist forest in Central America. It forms part of what is popularly known as the Maya Forest. Battered by hurricanes over millions of years, occupied by the Maya for thousands of years, and logged for hundreds of years, this ecosystem has demonstrated its remarkable ecological resilience through its continued existence into the twenty-first century. Despite its history of disturbance, or maybe in part because of it, the Maya Forest is ranked as an important regional biodiversity hot spot and provides some of the last regional habitats for endangered species such as the jaguar, the scarlet macaw, Baird's tapir, and Morelet's crocodile. A Natural History of Belize presents for the first time a detailed portrait of the habitats, biodiversity, and ecology of the Maya Forest, and Belize more broadly, in a format accessible to a popular audience. It is based in part on the research findings of scientists studying at Las Cuevas Research Station in the Chiquibul Forest. The book is unique in demystifying many of the big scientific debates related to rainforests. These include \"Why are tropical forests so diverse?\"; \"How do flora and fauna evolve?\"; and \"How do species interact?\" By focusing on the ecotourism paradise of Belize, this book illustrates how science has solved some of the riddles that once perplexed the likes of Charles Darwin, and also shows how it can assist us in managing our planet and forest resources wisely in the future.
eBook
Palaeoethnobotanical analysis of plant remains discovered in the graveyard of the Haihun Marquis, Nanchang, China
Analysis of plant remains of 73 taxa obtained from the graveyard of the Haihun Marquis (circa 59 BC) at Nanchang, China, is presented. Chronology was confirmed by direct AMS radiocarbon dating of both a seed and wood, while plant seeds were collected by wet sieving. Detailed composition of the samples suggests that the fundamental landscape of the graveyard was composed of Platycladus orientalis, a symbol of solemnity and compatible with the high status of the tomb owner Liu He. Furthermore, seeds of Sapium sebiferum, Castanopsis sclerophylla and Lauraceae, among other high-status plants were also discovered and thus could be included in the landscaping of the graveyard of the Haihun Marquis. In addition, plants like Poaceae, Santalaceae, Cyperaceae and Broussonetia sp., among others, represented a considerable share of the graveyard growth. Fruit stones of Amygdalus persica, Armeniaca mume and Cerasus pseudocerasus discovered in the well may have been included as fruit trees, but grew outside the graveyard. In the main tomb (M1), remains of five plant were discovered, i.e. Oryza sativa (rice), Cannabis sativa (hemp), Setaria italica (foxtail millet) and Cucumis melo (sweet melon), as well as Armeniaca mume (Japanese apricot) and had been placed in the tomb for further use as cereals and fruit by the deceased in the world beyond, thus also demonstrating diversified plant use in the Western Han Dynasty.
Journal Article
Chimney sweeps in Sweden: a questionnaire-based assessment of long-term changes in work conditions, and current eye and airway symptoms
Objectives
To explore chimney sweeping work tasks, chimney sweeps’ use of protective equipment, and type of fuel used by clients, over time. Further, to assess work-relatedness of current eye and airway symptoms.
Methods
In a cross-sectional study in 2011, male Swedish chimney sweeps (
n
= 483; age 21–69 years) answered a questionnaire about their occupational history and eye and airway symptoms.
Results
Between 1960 and 2010, black-soot-sweeping in private homes was the major task, although it decreased during the time period, for chimney sweeps. Between 1975 and 2010, the use of petroleum oil decreased, whereas the use of pellets and wood increased. Also, the use of gloves and masks increased significantly. Black-soot-sweeping in industry was associated with work-related eye symptoms (prevalence odds ratio POR = 3.76, 95% CI: 1.72–8.24, for every 10% increment of working time, adjusted for age and tobacco smoking). Chimney sweeps also had slightly higher prevalence of cough with increasing black-soot-sweeping (POR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.99–1.13 for every 10% increment, further adjusted for the use of mask), and the association was more pronounced, although nonsignificant, for black-soot-sweeping in industry (adjusted POR = 1.26, 95% CI: 0.98–1.61).
Conclusions
Chimney sweeping tasks and use of protective equipment as well as type of fuel used by the clients changed significantly over the last 35 years, which may have changed chimney sweeps’ exposure to soot. Still, chimney sweeps in Sweden have black-soot-sweeping-related eye and airway symptoms.
Journal Article
Tree-Ring Evidence of Changes in the Subarctic Forest Cover Linked to Human Disturbance in Northern Labrador (Canada)
We combined dendroecological analyses with historical and ethnographic information to document connections between forest use patterns since the 18th century and stand composition and structure in the Nain region of Labrador, Canada. The highest recruitment periods for both eastern larch and spruce, pulses in growth releases, and decades with greatest harvesting evidence (cut stumps) all occurred primarily between 1910 and 1970. The strongest disturbance signal occurred after 1940, resulting in the absence of old trees and increased larch recruitment. The 1910–1970 period coincides with significant shifts in human settlement and land use patterns. Most notably, the increased demand for fur in the 1920s and 1930s changed Inuit land use: the Inuit spent more time inland where fur-bearing animals and wood resources were available. Moreover, population growth in Nain, which was accelerated by the relocation of Inuit communities in northern Labrador between 1950 and 1960, increased local harvesting intensity. We argue that long-term land use needs to be accounted for as a driver of forest dynamics in this subarctic forest landscape.
Journal Article
Differential post-fledging habitat use of Nearctic-Neotropical migratory birds within an urbanized landscape
Background
Persistent declines in migratory songbird populations continue to motivate research exploring contributing factors to inform conservation efforts. Nearctic-Neotropical migratory species’ population declines have been linked to habitat loss and reductions in habitat quality due to increasing urbanization in areas used throughout the annual cycle. Despite an increase in the number of studies on post-fledging ecology, generally characterized by the period between fledging and dispersal from natal areas or migration, contextual research linking post-fledging survival and habitat use to anthropogenic factors remains limited.
Methods
Here, we examined habitat use of post-fledging habitat-generalist gray catbirds (
Dumetella caroliniensis
), and habitat-specialist wood thrushes (
Hylocichla mustelina
), up to 88 days after fledging within an urbanized landscape. These Neotropical migratory species share many life-history traits, exhibit differential degrees of habitat specialization, and co-occur in urbanized landscapes. Starting from daily movement data, we used time-integrated Brownian bridges to generate probability density functions of each species’ probability of occurrence, and home range among 16 land cover classes including roads from the US Geological Survey National Land Cover Database for each species.
Results
Habitat use differed between pre- and post-independence periods. After controlling for factors that influence habitat use (i.e., pre- or post-independence period, fate (whether individuals survived or not), and land cover class), we found that wood thrushes occupied home ranges containing six times more forest land cover than catbirds. In contrast, catbirds occupied home ranges containing twice the area of roads compared to wood thrushes. Wood thrushes had greater variance for area used (km
2
) among land cover classes within home ranges compared to catbirds. However, once fledglings achieved independence from parents, wood thrushes had lower variance associated with area used compared to catbirds.
Conclusions
Our findings support predictions that habitat-generalist gray catbirds spend more time in developed areas, less time in forest habitat, and use areas with more roads than the forest-specialist wood thrush. We found strong effects of pre- and post-independence periods on all of the response variables we tested. Species-specific habitat use patterns will likely be affected by projected increases in urbanization over the next several decades leading to further reductions in available forest habitat and increased road density, and will have important implications for the ecology and conservation of these birds.
Journal Article
Forty Years of Hardwood Lumber Consumption: 1963 to 2002
An analysis of hardwood lumber consumption found that demand has changed dramatically over the past four decades as a result of material substitution, changes in construction and remodeling product markets, and globalization. In 1963 furniture producers consumed 36 percent of the hardwood lumber used by domestic manufacturers. Producers of hardwood construction and remodeling (CR) products accounted for an additional 32 percent of hardwood lumber consumption with the bulk of this volume being consumed by manufacturers of hardwood flooring. Between 1967 and 1982 hardwood lumber consumption by furniture producers remained relatively constant. By contrast, lumber demand by CR product manufacturers declined by 33 percent as carpeting was substituted for wood flooring. However, this decline in demand was countered by increased production of pallets and crossties, which accounted for 41 percent of hardwood lumber consumption by 1982. In the 1980s and 1990s overall hardwood lumber consumption surged because of increased lumber use by pallet and CR product manufacturers. Since the late 1990s furniture imports have increased while domestic furniture production has declined, thus furniture manufacturers accounted for only 18 percent of domestic hardwood lumber consumption by 2002. By contrast, consumption by the hardwood millwork, cabinet, and flooring sectors have continued to increase, partially offsetting the decreased consumption by the domestic furniture industry.
Journal Article
Land use history and resource utilisation from A.D. 400to the present, at Chibuene, southern Mozambique
This paper discusses changing patterns of resource utilisation over time in the locality of Chibuene, Vilankulos, situated on the coastal plain of southern Mozambique. The macroscopic charcoal, bone and shellassemblages from archaeological excavations are presented and discussed against the off-site palaeoecological records from pollen, fungal spores and microscopic charcoal. The Chibuene landscape has experienced four phases of land use and resource utilisation that have interacted with changes in the environment. Phase 1 (A.D. 400–900), forest savanna mosaic, low intensity cattle herding and cultivation, trade of resources for domestic use. Phase 2 (A.D. 900–1400), forest savanna mosaic, high intensity/extensive cultivation and cattle herding. Phase 3 (A.D. 1400–1800), savanna woodland and progressive decrease in forests owing to droughts. Decline of agricultural activities and higher reliance on marine resources. Possible trade of resources with the interior. Phase 4 (A.D. 1800–1900), open savanna with few forest patches. Warfare and social unrest. Collapse of trade with the interior. Decline in marine resources and wildlife. Loss of cattle herds. Expansion of agriculture locally and introduction of New World crops and clearing of Brachystegia trees. The study shows the importance of combining different environmental resources for elucidating how land use and natural variability have changed over time.
Journal Article