Influence of tree species, tree diameter and soil types on wood density and its radial variation in a mid-altitude rainforest in Madagascar

Published Date
Original Paper

First Online: 

15 September 2016

DOI: 10.1007/s13595-016-0576-z

Cite this article as: 

Ramananantoandro, T., Ramanakoto, M.F., Rajoelison, G.L. et al. Annals of Forest Science (2016). doi:10.1007/s13595-016-0576-z

Author

Tahiana Ramananantoandro

Email author

Miora F. Ramanakoto

Gabrielle L. Rajoelison

Jean C. Randriamboavonjy

Herimanitra P. Rafidimanantsoa

Abstract

Key message

In a tropical rainforest of Madagascar, tree species differed in average wood density depending on their light requirements and on the soil type. Tree diameter had no effect. None of these factors influenced the variation of density related to the distance to the pith.

Context

Wood density (WD) is an important wood property as it correlates with several functional tree traits and mechanical wood properties. Furthermore, wood density is often used in forest biomass and carbon stock estimates. The variation in wood density depends on a range of intrinsic or environmental factors.

Aims

This study investigated the effect of species, tree diameter, soil types and the distance from the pith on wood density in native hardwood species from a natural, mid-elevation rainforest in Madagascar.

Methods

We extracted pith-to-bark core samples from the trunk of 204 trees from 23 species. Each wood core was sectioned into 1 cm-long segments on which measures of volume and weight were performed. Within-tree and between-tree variations of wood density were analysed.

Results

Average wood density was higher on shade-tolerant than on light-demanding species. It was higher on poor ferralitic than on fertile lowland soils. Tree diameter had no influence on average wood density. Regarding within-tree variation, wood density does not vary from pith to bark.

Conclusion

These results help fill the gaps in wood properties database for tree forest species in Madagascar.

Keywords

MadagascarModellingSpecies light requirementSoil typesWood density

Handling Editor: Jean-Michel Leban

Contribution of the co-authors

Tahiana Ramananantoandro: designed the study, supervised the work, run the data analysis, discussed the results and wrote the paper

Miora F. Ramanakoto: collected wood cores in the forest, carried out density measurements, run the data analysis, discussed the results and wrote the paper

Gabrielle L. Rajoelison: helped in defining the light requirements of the different species and discussed the results

Jean Chrysostome Randriamboavonjy: helped in soil type definition and discussed the results

Herimanitra P. Rafidimanantsoa: collected wood cores in the forest, carried out density measurements and discussed the results

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