1721 research outputs found
Sort by
Wood energy technologies : technical report : partnership programmes - TCDC/TCCT - TCP/YUG/3201 (D)
Get PDFInfluence of pH value of liquefied wood on shear strength and durability of bond lines
No full textLiquefied wood is a product of wood solvolysis and can be used as a material for bonding of wood elements. The main problems of bond lines, prepared with liquefied wood, are their low shear strength and durability. This can be the
consequence of low reactivity of liquefied wood or pH value, respectively. Curing of liquefied wood was elucidated using
rheological measurements. Influence of different pH values of liquefied wood on shear strength value of bond lines and their
durability was investigated in this work, as well
Process of recognizing the local potentials as a basis for sustainable development
No full textThe article discusses the process of recognizing the local developmental and human potentials in the pilot area of Pohorje, Slovenia.
Special emphasis herein is given to the need of stakeholder participation strategic plan. In the pilot area, the theoretical model was
tested. As we are dealing with a wooded area, the role of forestry is highly significant in this respect, and it has been even established that
it could become a mainstay of the pilot area’s development. The identification of stakeholders was followed by a series of workshops
with SWOT analyses and stipulation of sustainability indicators. The quality of the stakeholders’ integration into the process was also
measured. 79% of them believe that their proposals are totally or predominantly taken into consideration, 78% are satisfied or very
satisfied with the results, whereas the expectations were mostly or fully met by 80% of them. A solid integration of the stakeholders
into the planning process enhances the plan’s implementation, for they identify themselves with the plan and are co-holders as well as
promoters of its implementation. We are providing for a high degree of sustainable development both by educating and informing the
stakeholders and with a suitable direction of the plan’s formation
Quality and timber value of European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) trees in the Karavanke region
No full textAlthough European larch is a commercially important tree species in the Alps, this study is among the first focusing on the quality and value of larch trees. Data from permanent sample plots of the Slovenia Forest Service (802 plots; 1851 trees) was used to model the quality and value of standing larch trees. The share of excellent and very good quality timber amounted to 49%, but the share of veneer logs and sawlogs I was only 11.7%. The quality and value of larch trees were positively influenced by the diameter at breast height and stand basal area, and negatively by altitude and harvesting intensity. In addition, timber value was higher in stands in regeneration and uneven-aged stands and in stands with a low share of spruce or high share of deciduous tree species. Trees from higher social layers and undamaged trees also proved to have more valuable timber. The quality of larch trees was lower on extreme beech and pine forest types
Simulating C cycles in forest soils: Including the active role of micro-organisms in the ANAFORE forest model
No full textA soil module was developed to improve on the ecosystem-scale simulations of forest models. The module includes simulations of bacteria, mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal fungi. The inclusion of these soil organisms allows for the simulation of several soil biological processes in a more mechanistic way. In this paper the soil module is used in combination with the forest model ANAFORE (ANAlysing Forest Ecosystems) a stand-scale forest model that simulates wood tissue development, carbon (C) and water (H2O) fluxes dynamically from physiological principles. Although the main purpose of this paper is the model description, a showcase run of the new soil model was performed using a Bayesian parameterization procedure for 16 forest sites (pedunculate oak, beech, Scots pine and poplar) on different soils in Belgium. Emphasis was on the soil organic horizons formation. The results show that one single parameter set could be used for the different forests in the study, and yielded reasonably close fits for most sites concerning pH and formation of the humus layer. Although running the Bayesian procedure to obtain good input parameter distributions was time-consuming (several months), runs using the developed parameter set are reasonably fast (days). These results are promising. However, the high uncertainty of both the input and the output of the model indicates that it is mainly useful as an experimental tool, rather than a predictive instrument
Cd, Hg, Pb, and As in European species of wild growing forest landscape fungi: a review
Get PDFMetals, which originate from anthropogenic and natural activities, frequently occur in forest landscape with habitats of many European
species of wild growing fungi. The presented review focuses on cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) levels in
fruiting bodies of wild growing European species of fungi of forest landscape. Furthermore, a comparison with studies of this kind
performed in Slovenia was made with the aim to assess the metals levels in fungi from differently polluted areas in Slovenia (the Upper
Meža Valley, the Šalek Valley, the Poljana Valley). The usual reported levels for most species grown in unpolluted areas are in the
following ranges: Cd: < 0,5 mg/kg – 5 mg/kg dry weight (dw), Hg: < 0,5 mg/kg – 10 mg/kg dw, Pb: < 0,5 mg/kg – 5 mg/kg dw, As:
< 0,5 mg/kg –1 (2) mg/kg dw (As), respectively. The presented data reveal that cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) have probably been
the most detrimental trace elements in fruiting bodies, which can reach increased levels even in unpolluted areas. It is evident for all
analyzed trace elements that values can considerably increase in fungi picked in severely polluted areas. According to data regarding
Slovene studies and comparison with other European studies, it is obvious that the Šalek Valley is enriched with Cd and As, while the
Upper Meža Valley is considerably polluted with Pb and Cd
Trace metal levels in edible mushrooms from the Šalek and the Upper Meža Valleys with emphasis on assessment of potential human health risk due to mushroom consumption
No full textCd, Pb, Hg, and As levels were measured in fruiting bodies of edible mushroom species collected in the vicinity of abandoned smelter (Upper
Meža Valley) and the biggest thermal power plant in Slovenia (Šalek Valley). The survey was performed with the aim to compare research areas
with other European studies and to assess the potential human risk due to mushroom consumption. Provided results revealed that consumption
of fruiting bodies can pose a health risk to humans. Agaricus arvensis, Agaricus silvicola, Boletus reticulatus and Laccaria amethystina
originating from the Šalek Valley, and Boletus edulis, Lycoperdon perlatum, Leccinum versipelle, Armillaria mellea and Macrolepiota procera
originating from the Upper Meža Valley should not be consumed at all. Furthermore, several of the analysed fungal species should be consumed
with caution. Cadmium has been probably the most detrimental (problematic) metal in both areas, since Cd levels in fruiting bodies of most
fungal species determined maximum acceptable biomass of mushrooms, considering the WHO/FAO directives setting the permitted weekly
intake of metals in human body. The monitoring programme of the most problematic metals in fruiting bodies should be established in degraded
areas (e.g., Jesenice and Celje basin) and traditional fungi picking areas (Pokljuka and Smrekovec)