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Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

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Publications

Modelling agroforestry systems with Web-EcoYieldSAFE

Publication . Palma, J.H.N.; Tomás, A.

2018Other

Open access

Natural durability assessment of thermo-modified young wood of Eucalyptus

Publication . Knapic, Sofia; Santos, Joana; Santos, José; Pereira, Helena

This study focuses on the effect on wood strength and natural durability of Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus botryoides when subjected to heat treatments with low energy consumption. The objective was to improve the wood durability, without negatively impacting the strength properties. Six-year-old trees from Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus botryoides were used. The samples were heat treated for 4 h conditioned to very low oxygen availability. A field test for assessing the resistance to termites and fungal degradation was conducted according to EN 252:1989/ AC1:1989 Inspections were made every six months for 3 years. All the samples of Eucalyptus globulus showed signs of termite and microorganisms attack, most showing extensive galleries. Eucalyptus botryoides wood showed no sign of termite attack and only few traces of microrganisms presence. The wood bending strength was smaller upon thermal treatment for both species, decreasing 3.8% and 4.8% for Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus botryoides, respectively. Overall the results are promising regarding some common utilizations, mainly floor coverings, decks, doors and door and window frames, fences (only for Eucalyptus botryoides), decorative arbors and pergolas (only for Eucalyptus botryoides) but excluding structural beams for building roofs or bridges due to the fragility of the wood treated thermally towards impacts

2018Journal article

Open access

An integrated characterization of Picea abies industrial bark regarding chemical composition, thermal properties and polar extracts activity

Publication . Neiva, Duarte M.; Araújo, Solange; Gominho, Jorge; Carneiro, Angélica de Cássia; Pereira, Helena

The present work determines the chemical and thermal characteristics as well as the phytochemical and antioxidant potential of the polar extractives of the Picea abies bark from an industrial mill, their wood and bark components and also different bark fractions obtained by mechanical fractionation (fine B1, Φ<0.180 mm, medium B3, 0.450 < Φ<0.850 mm and coarse B6, 2 < Φ<10 mm). The aim is to increase the knowledge on the Picea abies bark to better determine possible uses other than burning for energy production and to test an initial size reduction process to achieve fractions with different characteristics. Compared to wood, bark presented similar lignin (27%), higher mineral (3.9% vs 0.4%) and extractives (20.3% vs 3.8%) and lower polysaccharides (48% vs 71%) contents. Regarding bark fractions the fines showed higher ash (6.3%), extractives (25%) and lignin (29%) than the coarse fraction (3.9%, 19% and 25% respectively). Polysaccharide contents increased with particle size of the bark fractions (38% vs 52% for B1 and B6) but showed the same relative composition. The phytochemical profile of ethanol and water extracts presented higher contents for bark than wood of total phenols (2x higher), flavonoids (3x higher) and tannins (4- 10x higher) with an increasing tendency with particle size. Bark antioxidant activity was higher than that of wood for ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP, 10 vs 6 mmolFe2+/gExt for the ethanol extract) and free radical scavenging activity (DPPH, 6 vs 18 mg/L IC50 for the ethanol extract) methods. The different bark fractions antioxidant activity was very similar. Bark thermal properties showed a much lower volatiles to fixed carbon ratio (V/FC) than wood (3.1 vs 5.2) although the same higher heating value (20.3 MJ/kg). The fractions were quite similar. Bark presented chemical features that point to their possible upgrade, whether by taking advantage of the high extractives with bioactive compounds or the production potential for hemicellulose-derived oligomers with possible use in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries

2018Journal article

Open access

Understory effect on tree and cork growth in cork oak woodlands

Publication . Faias, Sónia; Paulo, Joana Amaral; Palma, J.H.N.; Tomé, Margarida

Aim of study: Cork oak is one of the main forest tree species in Portugal that typically occurs in montado, where operational practices oriented to the tree, crop or animal management may influence several of the ecosystem components. This study aimed at contributing to fulfil the a lack of knowledge on the effect of these practices on the cork and wood growth, by comparing the wood diameter growth and the annual cork increment under two different understory management options. Material and methods: An experimental trial implemented on an uneven-aged cork oak pure stand during a cork rotation period of 9 years, was established with the specific goal of comparing understory management options: a yellow lupine pasture versus spontaneous vegetation. Cork samples were taken at the beginning and end of the period and were used to measure cork thickness and annual cork rings. The differences between treatments were assessed performing a non-parametric test and a more robust approach using linear mixed model. Precipitation and treatment levels were jointly considered on the analysis. Main results: A slight effect was found on the cork thickness regarding the treatment with lupine application. However, no distinct effect was found, regarding wood and the annual cork increment pattern. Additionally, annual cork ring width showed a positive correlation with precipitation and a negative correlation with ring age. Research highlights: The results of this study indicate no distinct pattern regarding the annual cork and wood increment when comparing the understory effect of yellow lupine pasture versus spontaneous vegetation

2018Journal article

Open access

Bioclimatic modeling in the Last Glacial Maximum, Mid-Holocene and facing future climatic changes in the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.)

Publication . Ribeiro, Maria Margarida; Roque, Natália; Ribeiro, Sílvia; Gavinhos, Catarina; Castanheira, Isabel; Quinta-Nova, Luís; Albuquerque, Teresa; Gerassis, Saki

Increasing forest wildfires in Portugal remain a growing concern since forests in the Mediterranean region are vulnerable to recent global warming and reduction of precipitation. Therefore, a long-term negative effect is expected on the vegetation, with increasing drought and areas burnt by fires. The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) is particularly used in Portugal to produce a spirit by processing its fruits and is the main income for forestry owners. Other applications are possible due to the fruit and leaves’ anti-oxidant properties and bioactive compounds production, with a potential for clinical and food uses. It is a sclerophyllous plant, dry-adapted and fire resistant, enduring the Mediterranean climate, and recently considered as a possibility for afforestation, to intensify forest discontinuity where pines and eucalypts monoculture dominate the region. To improve our knowledge about the species’ spatial distribution we used 318 plots (the centroid of a 1 km2 square grid) measuring the species presence and nine environmental attributes. The seven bioclimatic variables most impacting on the species distribution and two topographic features, slope and altitude, were used. The past, current and future climate data were obtained through WorldClim. Finally, the vulnerability of the strawberry tree to the effects of global climate change was examined in the face of two emission scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 8.5), to predict distribution changes in the years 2050 and 2070, using a species distribution models (MaxEnt). The reduction of suitable habitat for this species is significant in the southern regions, considering the future scenarios of global warming. Central and northern mountainous regions are putative predicted refuges for this species. Forest policy and management should reflect the impact of climate change on the usable areas for forestry, particularly considering species adapted to the Mediterranean regions and wildfires, such as the strawberry tree. The distribution of the species in the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and Mid-Holocene (MH) agrees with previous genetic and paleontological studies in the region, which support putative refuges for the species. Two in the southern and coastal-central regions, since the LGM, and one in the eastcentral mountainous region, considered as cryptic refugia

2019-01Journal article

Open access