1721 research outputs found
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Risk assesment methodologies: meeting of the Council for protection of the environment (SAAS) with international participation, Ljubljana 14. 1. 2016 : book of extended abstracts
Full text linkQuantitative Wood Anatomy — Practical Guidelines
No full textQuantitative wood anatomy analyzes the variability of xylem anatomical features in trees, shrubs, and herbaceous species to address research questions related to plant functioning, growth, and environment. Among the more frequently considered anatomical features are lumen dimensions and wall thickness of conducting cells, fibers, and several ray properties. The structural properties of each xylem anatomical feature are mostly fixed once they are formed, and define to a large extent its functionality, including transport and storage of water, nutrients, sugars, and hormones, and providing mechanical support. The anatomical features can often be localized within an annual growth ring, which allows to establish intra-annual past and present structure-function relationships and its sensitivity to environmental variability. However, there are many methodological challenges to handle when aiming at producing (large) data sets of xylem anatomical data. Here we describe the different steps from wood sample collection to xylem anatomical data, provide guidance and identify pitfalls, and present different image-analysis tools for the quantification of anatomical features, in particular conducting cells. We show that each data production step from sample collection in the field, microslide preparation in the lab, image capturing through an optical microscope and image analysis with specific tools can readily introduce measurement errors between 5 and 30% and more, whereby the magnitude usually increases the smaller the anatomical features. Such measurement errors—if not avoided or corrected—may make it impossible to extract meaningful xylem anatomical data in light of the rather small range of variability in many anatomical features as observed, for example, within time series of individual plants. Following a rigid protocol and quality control as proposed in this paper is thus mandatory to use quantitative data of xylem anatomical features as a powerful source for many research topics
Influence of selected environmental factors on moisture dynamics of beech wood
No full textBeech is one of the most important tree species in Slovenia. Unfortunately, there is much more beech wood incremented annually than consumed. Thus, it is of great importance to develop new applications for use of beech wood. One of the possible solutions is use of beech in outdoor applications. However, if beech is used outdoor it has to be somehow protected. In the recent period, non-biocidal methods of wood protection such as thermal modification and use of wax emulsions are gaining more and more importance, hence we applied these two methods to beech wood in present research as well. During the research, water exclusion efficacy of wood was determined. Wood was subjected to various abiotic and biotic degradation protocols. The results exhibited that the best water performance was achieved in wax treated thermally modified beech. Water performance of wax treated wood was not affected by abiotic and biotic degradation factors. By contrast, the aging protocols applied considerably reduced water exclusion efficacy of beech and thermally modified beech wood
The state and development of competencies of employees in wood based production
No full textThe great changes in business environment, rapid technological development and different approaches to work execution demand
from employees in industry, including woodworking, to constantly develop their capabilities and widen their knowledge.
Education and training are key parts of development of each employee, through which he can gain new knowledge. It is the
key to ensuring their competencies for the job, which in turn leads to greater competitiveness of the companies. The objective
of the research was to assess the level of competencies for different profiles of employees in wood industry production and to
determine the effect of systematic training on the reduction of deficits in competencies. We have established that the biggest
deficits in competencies prior to training were in the fields of development, quality management and control, use of computer
tools and programming and management of CNC technologies. It can be concluded that the state of competencies of production
workers in wood industry is good. Particularly notable is the positive effect of systematic training on the improvement of their
competencies, as there was a significant progress of almost all competencies (by 51.8% on average)
Annual cambial rhythm in Pinus halepensis and Pinus sylvestris as indicator for climate adaptation
No full textTo understand better the adaptation strategies of intra-annual radial growth in Pinus halepensis and Pinus sylvestris to local environmental conditions, we examined the seasonal rhythm of cambial activity and cell differentiation at tissue and cellular levels. Two contrasting sites differing in temperature and amount of precipitation were selected for each species, one typical for their growth and the other represented border climatic conditions, where the two species coexisted. Mature P. halepensis trees from Mediterranean (Spain) and sub-Mediterranean (Slovenia) sites, and P. sylvestris from sub-Mediterranean (Slovenia) and temperate (Slovenia) sites were selected. Repeated sampling was performed throughout the year and samples were prepared for examination with light and transmission electron microscopes. We hypothesized that cambial rhythm in trees growing at the sub-Mediterranean site where the two species co-exist will be similar as at typical sites for their growth. Cambium in P. halepensis at the Mediterranean site was active throughout the year and was never truly dormant, whereas at the sub-Mediterranean site it appeared to be dormant during the winter months. In contrast, cambium in P. sylvestris was clearly dormant at both sub-Mediterranean and temperate sites, although the dormant period seemed to be significantly longer at the temperate site. Thus, the hypothesis was only partly confirmed. Different cambial and cell differentiation rhythms of the two species at the site where both species co-exist and typical sites for their growth indicate their high but different adaptation strategies in terms of adjustment of radial growth to environmental heterogeneity, crucial for long-term tree performance and survival
A new record of Rhizoctonia butinii associated with Picea glauca 'Conica' in Slovenia
No full textIn 2013, the death of needles of dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’) seedlings was observed in an arboretum in Slovenia. Needles on infected P. glauca ‘Conica’ twigs were covered with thick, yellowish brown hyphal cushions. The outgrowing mycelium was white and had completely overgrown some needles and connected them to each other. To definitively identify the fungus affecting P. glauca ‘Conica’, morphological examinations of isolated pure cultures were performed, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rDNA was sequenced. Based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses together with the performed pathogenicity trial, we identified the causal agent of the observed symptoms as Rhizoctonia butinii – a recently described species. This report connects this fungus to a new locality and a new host plant
Urban forests for resilient cities: book of abstracts of 19th European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF 2016), May 31 - June 4, 2016, Ljubljana and Celje, Slovenia
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