This dissertation was undertaken in collaboration with the Nisga’a First Nation of northwestern British Columbia to document their traditional plant knowledge. This information was gathered through collaborative audio recorded open-ended discussion with 21 Nisga’a elders, supplemented with material from the published literature and archival sources. Background information with respect to the Nisga’a culture, language, geography, plant classification and resource management is documented in the past and as exercised today. Nisga’a names or uses of 110 plant species are described. Of these, 72 species were documented as having been used for food, 52 for medicinal purposes; 12 for spiritual purposes and 70 for technological purposes. The role of plants in traditional Nisga’a culture is further explored through comparisons of plant distribution, plant names and pre-contact trade between the Nisga’a and their immediate neighbours, the Gitxsan, Tsimshian, Haida, Tahltan and Tlingit First Nations. Maps are presented which highlight the distribution of seven plant species traditionally important in these cultures: Shepherdia canadensis (soapberry), Vaccinium membranaceum (black huckleberry), Oplopanax horridus (devil’s club), Corylus cornuta (beaked hazelnut), Malus fusca (Pacific crabapple), Veratrum viride (false hellebore), and Taxus brevifolia (western yew). Currently, one of the plants most important to the Nisga’a is wa’ums or devil’s club (Oplopanax horridus). Devil’s club stems were measured in clearcuts of different ages to examine how quickly this important spiritual and medicinal species recovers after logging. Results suggest that although devil’s club does persist after clearcut logging, stems of a suitable size are rarely found in cutblocks less than 10 years old and that time since logging only partially accounts for the persistence or recovery of this species. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of historical Nisga’a plant knowledge. The gender of those who have held and transmitted traditional knowledge and the gender of present knowledge holders is tabulated and discussed. Results suggest that although both men and women hold and pass on traditional knowledge, women were and still are more commonly involved in its transmission to the next generation. Current plant uses are highlighted and prospects for the sustainable use of plants for personal and commercial purposes are discussed. / Graduate

The wood-based building products industry has experienced significant turbulence over the past several decades as a function of multiple forces including among others globalization, product and process innovation, and shifting customer and consumer interest and demands. Collectively, these changes have challenged the historical tenets which have defined industry strategy and competition in the realm of basic products and contributed to consolidation and labor reductions. Consequently, an onus has been placed on industry participants to better understand and adapt to the new competitive landscape or risk loss of competitive advantages built on the practices suited to historical tradition. However, a limited range of work that considers the machinations of turbulence and resulting strategic implications has been directed toward the industry particularly where differentiation of products is limited. A contributing factor for this deficiency is the relative stability that has defined the industry for generations due in part to limited strategic variation beyond cost and production, limited cycles of technological and product innovation, commodity nature of many products, and passive manner of consumption. Accordingly, there is value in work that takes a critical and empirical view of industry changes in the context of both strategic and competitive implications, how participating firms address challenges, and what factors influence consumer purchase decisions. This work addresses this need through examination of each element, industry, firm, and consumer, in the context of turbulence, competition, and strategy and delineates previously unidentified considerations for competing in the new landscape. At the industry level, drivers of industry turbulence and subsequent strategic challenges, adaptations, and opportunities are identified and reviewed. Analysis suggests that improved strategy which considers organizational and product differentiation beyond cost and production efficiencies permits greater stability and increased leverage in the turbulent competitive environment. Recognizing a need for improved strategy, the firm level analysis employs a primary qualitative approach to isolate previously unidentified firm qualities analogous to successful deployment of a market orientation strategy using the resource based view of the firm as a framework for analysis. Connecting strategy to the consumer and product, theoretical consumer behavior constructs (consumption, behavior, and involvement) were connected to conceptualize dimensions of product differentiation capable of holding consumer appeal and acting as behavioral drivers in the passively consumed arena of primary wood-based building products. Taken together this work provides a view of strategic considerations within the wood-based building product industry that extends beyond previous work in several ways. First, by considering industry environment, firm strategy, and consumer behavior and product differentiation collectively in the manner described, this work provides a more vertically complete strategic perspective for industry participants. Second, within each chapter, findings and case based examples relevant to each element are presented. / Graduation date: 2012

Wood and wood products are of great economical and environmental importance, both in Sweden and globally. Biotechnology can be used both for achieving raw material of improved quality and for industrial processes such as biobleaching. Despite the enormous amount of carbon that is fixed as wood, the knowledge about the enzymes involved in the biosynthesis, re-organization and degradation of plant cell walls is relatively limited. In order to exploit enzymes more efficiently or to develop new biotechnological processes, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of the function and mechanism of the enzymes. This work has aimed to increase the knowledge about some of the enzymes putatively involved in the wood forming processes in Populus. Xyloglucan endotransglycosylases and a putative xylanase represent transglycosylating and hydrolytic enzymes, respectively. Carbohydrate binding modules represent non-catalytic modules, which bind to the substrate. Among 24 genes encoding for putative xyloglucan endotransglycosylases or xyloglucan endohydrolases that were identified in the Populus EST database, two were chosen for further studies (PttXTH16-34 and PttXTH16-35). The corresponding proteins, PttXET16-34 and PttXET16-35, were expressed in P. pastoris, purified and biochemically characterized. The importance of the N-glycans was investigated by comparing the recombinant wild-type proteins with their deglycosylated counterparts. In order to obtain the large amounts of PttXET16-34 that were needed for crystallization and development of biotechnological applications, the conditions for the large-scale production of PttXET16-34 in a fermenter were optimized. In microorganisms, endo-(1,4)-β-xylanases are important members of the xylan degrading machinery. These enzymes are also present in plants where they might fulfill a similar, but probably more restrictive function. One putative endo-(1,4)-β-xylanase, denoted PttXYN10A, was identified in the hybrid aspen EST library. Sequence analysis shows that this protein contains three putative carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM) from family 22 in addition to the catalytic module from GH10. Heterologous expression and reverse genetics were applied in order to elucidate the function of the catalytic module as well as the binding modules of PttXYN10A. Just as in microorganisms, some of the carbohydrate active enzymes from plants have one or more CBM attached to the catalytic module. So far, a very limited number of plant CBMs has been biochemically characterized. A detailed bio-informatic analysis of the CBM family 43 revealed interesting modularity patterns. In addition, one CBM43 (CBM43PttGH17_84) from a putative Populus b-(1,3)-glucanase was expressed in E. coli and shown to bind to laminarin (β-(1,3)-glucan), mixed-linked β-(1,3)(1,4)-glucans and crystalline cellulose. Due to their high specificity for different carbohydrates, CBMs can be used as probes for the analysis of plant materials. Generally, they are more specific than both staining techniques and carbohydrate-binding antibodies. We have used cellulose- and mannan binding modules from microorganisms as tools for the analysis of intact fibers as well as processed pulps. / QC 20100903

Diss. Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Waterloo, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Jan. 26, 2006). Includes bibliographical references (p. 187-201).

Bigleaf maple tapping has become increasingly popular on Vancouver Island and additional information is needed to assist in the sustainable development of this non-timber forest product. This research is an exploratory study that investigates sap flow in the 2006/2007 season on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Sap flow was highly variable throughout the season. Fluctuations in air temperature, above and below zero, were shown to trigger sap flow. This study characterizes the dissolved solid components of the sap and syrup collected during the 2006/2007 season. The carbohydrate content of the bigleaf maple sap is mainly sucrose with a minor component of fructose and glucose. The concentration of carbohydrates varied throughout the season. The main cations in the bigleaf maple sap and syrup are calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Este trabalho tem como propósito, caracterizar um sensor capaz de identificar o estado de umidade da madeira de Pinus da espécie Elliotti. O sensor projetado, foi implementado por duas placas metálicas de formato geométrico retangular formando um componente bipolar capacitivo. Para condicionar os sinais do sensor, foi implementado um circuito elétrico em ponte e integrado o sensor capacitivo nesse circuito elétrico que será alimentado por uma fonte de energia elétrica em corrente alternada (VCA) de alta frequência. O objetivo dessa integração, é obter nos ramos da ponte uma variação de sinal elétrico, em função da variação da reatância capacitiva entre as placas do sensor. A reatância capacitiva, é uma propriedade elétrica identificada na madeira quando essa atua como dielétrico entre as placas metálicas do sensor, e poderá sofrer variações em função da variação de umidade dos corpos de prova. Com a variação da reatância elétrica da madeira de pinus, foi possível registrar a variação da umidade dos corpos de prova tendo como parâmetro as variações dos sinais elétrico fornecidos pela ponte em função da reatância capacitiva. Para se obter os registros e realizar um método de comparação entre a umidade dos corpos de prova e sinal elétrico, os corpos de prova foram inicialmente saturados com água e durante um processo de secagem, foram coletados valores de leitura das grandezas elétrica envolvidas durante intervalos de tempos iguais até atingir o peso de massa seca. O diferencial desse trabalho em relação a outros do mesmo tema, é a sua capacidade de identificar em apenas uma ação, sem a utilização de processos destrutivos, pequenas áreas úmidas dentro de uma área de maior dimensão do material analisado. Os resultados obtidos, poderão ser visualizadas através de quadros, tabelas e gráficos. / This work proposes to characterize a sensor able to identify the Pinus wood moisture status of the Elliotti species. The designed sensor was implemented by two metal plates of rectangular geometric shape forming a bipolar capacitive component. To conditionate the sensor signals, a bridged electric circuit has been implemented and the capacitive sensor integrated into this electrical circuit to be fed by a high frequency alternating current power source (VCA). The purpose of this integration is to obtain in the bridge’s branches an electric signal variation, as a capacitive reactance variation function between the sensor plates. Capacitive reactance is an electrical property identified in the wood when it acts as a dielectric between the sensor metal plates, and may suffer variations depending on the sample humidity variation. With the Pinus wood electric reactance variation, it was possible to record the humidity variation of the samples having as a parameter the electric signals variations provided by the bridge as a capacitive reactance function. In order to obtain the records and perform a comparison method between the humidity of the samples tests and the electrical signal, the samples were initially saturated with water and during a drying process, and the values of the electrical quantities involved were collected during equal time periods, until reaching the dry mass weight. The differential of this work in relation to others of the same theme, is its ability to identify in only one action, without destructive processes usage, small humid spots within a larger area of the analyzed material. The obtained results can be visualized through tables, tables and graphs.

Recentemente, o mercado de sementes florestais têm se consolidado para atender demandas da restauração ecológica que são movidas por regulamentações. A produção de sementes se estabeleceu como um sistema de base comunitária e familiar com elevado potencial para promover um intrigante desafio, associar uso e conservação de ecossistemas com o desenvolvimento local. O presente estudo teve como objetivo geral avaliar a socioeconomia da produção de sementes florestais a partir das seguintes dimensões: (i) implicações das relações de cooperação no funcionamento da cadeia de valor; (ii) efeitos das técnicas de produção nos gargalos, inovações e custos financeiros; e (iii) impactos da participação no mercado de sementes nos meios de vida familiar. Para isso, a pesquisa envolveu como um estudo de caso a Rede de Sementes do Xingu na Amazônia brasileira. A coleta de dados foi conduzida por meio de observações participantes, entrevistas e oficinas com produtores de sementes de diferentes realidades socioculturais (indígenas, agricultores familiares e residentes urbanos) e técnicos que atuam na gestão da rede. O funcionamento da cadeia foi fortalecido pelas relações de cooperação entre os atores, principalmente em função do compartilhamento de valores. No entanto, os custos financeiros, a assistência técnica, a infraestrutura, os parâmetros técnicos e as legislações são os principais fatores que condicionam os processos da cadeia de sementes. Os atuais preços de comercialização das sementes seguem parâmetros empíricos que não dimensionam os reais custos de produção, demonstrando que os preços necessitam de reformulações. Por outro lado, as realidades socioculturais dos produtores exercem uma influencia direta nos sistemas de produção, o que promove a inovação de técnicas e tecnologias a partir de conhecimentos tradicionais e locais. Quanto à participação nos mercados, os grupos socioculturais estudados diferiram quanto às percepções sobre os impactos nos seus meios de vida familiar. As comunidades com algum grau prévio de organização foram mais susceptíveis ao fortalecimento do capital social, de tal forma que os grupos socioculturais menos integrados ao mercado apresentaram melhores resultados a partir da participação no mercado de sementes. / Recently, the markets of forest seeds have been established to meet demands for ecology restoration which are driven by regulations. The seeds production was design as a production system of the community and family groups with high potential to promote an intriguing challenge, associate ecosystem usage and conservation within local development. The overall purpose of the present study was to evaluate the socioeconomics of forest seeds production from the following dimensions: (i) implications of cooperation in the value chain operations; (ii) effects of production techniques in bottlenecks, innovations, and financial costs; and (iii) impacts of seed market participation in the household livelihoods. This research involved a case study of Xingu Seeds Network in the Brazilian Amazon. Data collection was conducted through participant observation, interviews and workshops with different sociocultural groups of seed producers (indigenous groups, urban residents and settler farmers) and staffs who manage the network. The value chain operation was strengthened by the relationship between the actors, mainly due to the common values between the actors. However, financial costs, technical assistance, infrastructure, technical parameters and laws are the main factors which constrain the seeds value chain. Current prices for seed marketing follow empirical parameters which do not measure the real production costs, which is requiring prices reformulation. On the other hand, the producers\' socio-cultural realities have influenced on production systems, which has lead into a promoting innovation of techniques and technologies by traditional and local knowledge. Regarding to market participation, the sociocultural groups showed different perceptions about impacts on their household livelihoods. Communities which are already organized are most likely to strengthen their social capital through participation, thus socio-cultural groups less integrated with the market achieved better livelihood outcomes through participation in the seed market.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:32:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 4244.pdf: 1071959 bytes, checksum: 6ba82849d82a8316bf2d47e4273770cb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-03-02 / Euterpe edulis is a very important palm tree from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest due to its ecological and economic role. However, due to the indiscriminate overexploitation its populations has been reducing greatly. This study aimed to characterize the conservation status of a E. edulis population in a fragment of Atlantic Forest at Southern Bahia. We monitored this population along 5 running years in a 0.8 hectare. Environmental variables were also collected to test which factors could affect plant development and projection matrices analysis were performed to estimate the population growth rate and sensibility. The results showed that population s density is lower if compared with others studies. We verified a decrease in the seedling s recruitment over years, which were attributed to fragmentation side-effects, such as microclimate changes and / or reproductive isolation or inbreeding depression. We also observed that the low rate of transition from stages 1 to 2, represents a bottleneck for the population growth. These results emphasize the urgency of more long-term studies on the population ecology and genetic of E. edulis and also management strategies to promote the sustainability of such natural populations. / Euterpe edulis é uma das espécies de maior importância ecológica e econômica na Mata Atlântica brasileira. Apesar de a espécie possuir características que favorecem o manejo sustentável, a exploração predatória gerou um cenário de populações naturais severamente reduzidas. Este estudo procurou caracterizar o atual estado de conservação de uma população no sul da Bahia. Para tanto foi definido um bloco amostral 0,8 hectare, onde foi monitorada uma população de E. edulis, dividida em seis estágios de desenvolvimento. Foram geradas matrizes de projeção para verificar a tendência atual de conservação da população e variáveis ambientais foram analisadas para inferir sobre como tais fatores podem afetar o desenvolvimento da espécie. Os resultados mostraram que a densidade da população encontrada nesse estudo é menor que a relatada em outros estudos já realizados com a espécie. Verificou-se também a diminuição abrupta no recrutamento de plântulas a cada ano, o que foi atribuído a algum efeito colateral da fragmentação florestal, tal como alterações microclimáticas, e/ou efeitos do isolamento reprodutivo, como a depressão endogâmica. A lenta transição do estágio jovens 1 para jovens 2 se mostrou como principal gargalo ao crescimento populacional, o que sugere a necessidade de estudos sobre a redução na fecundidade. Ambientes com maior homogeneidade de dossel propiciaram maior crescimentos em jovens 2. Propõe-se que a produção e manutenção de mudas em viveiros até a idade de um ano, seguida de plantio em áreas próximas às bordas de clareiras, possa diminuir a mortalidade dos estágios iniciais e garantir maior êxito na perpetuação das populações de Euterpe edulis no sul da Bahia.

The focus of this field investigation was an analysis of the work demands being placed on South African forestry workers, in particular Chainsaw Operators and Stackers. Working postures, physiological and perceptual responses were assessed on a sample of 58 workers (29 Chainsaw Operators and 29 Stackers) during a ‘normal’ working shift. Body mass was measured before and after work in order to determine dehydration levels. Polar heart rate monitors were fitted to six workers each day over a period of two weeks in order to record ‘working’ heart rates. Fluid and food intake was monitored and recorded during this initial data collection phase. The Rating of Perceived Exertion and Body Discomfort Scales were explained in Zulu, their native language, and workers were asked to rate their perceptions of effort at regular intervals during work, while areas and intensity of body discomfort was obtained on completion of work. After completing a work shift, a 30 minute ‘recovery’ period was given, thereafter a portable ergospirometer, the k4b², was attached to the worker who then participated in a progressive, submaximal step test for the purpose of establishing individual, and group, heart rate-oxygen uptake (HR/VO[subscript 2]) regressions for predicting oxygen uptake from ‘working’ heart rate responses. These procedures were repeated four weeks later following the introduction of a fluid and nutritional supplement during work which was delivered to the workers while they were executing their tasks. The results revealed awkward working postures with a predominance of trunk flexion during all the harvesting tasks; these postures, adopted for long periods during work, are very likely to lead to the development of musculoskeletal injuries. The mean working heart rates were 123.3 bt.min[superscript (-1)] and 117.6 bt.min[superscript (-1)] during chainsaw operations and stacking respectively. During the step test, the mean heart rate and oxygen uptake responses were 127.9 bt.min[superscript (-1)] and 22.9 mlO[subscript 2].kg[superscript (-1)].min[superscript (-1)] (Chainsaw Operators) and 116.9 bt.min[superscript (-1)] and 24.0 mlO[subscript 2].kg[superscript (-1)].min[superscript (-1)] (Stackers), revealing no significant difference between the ‘working’ heart rates and the heart rates recorded during the step test. Physiological responses were analyzed over the full work shift which was divided into four quarters. Heart rate and oxygen uptake were significantly higher during the last half of the Chainsaw Operators’ work shift compared to the first half. Heart rate increased from 120.7 bt.min[superscript (-1)] during the first quarter to 127.4 bt.min[superscript (-1)] during the last quarter of chainsaw operations. Likewise, oxygen uptake increased from 19.9 mlO[subscript 2].kg[superscript (-1)].min[superscript (-1)] to 22.9 mlO[subscript 2].kg[superscript (-1)].min[superscript (-1)] from the first to the last quarter of work. During stacking the heart rate (mean of 117.6 bt.min[superscript (-1)]) and oxygen uptake (mean of 24.6 ml.kg[superscript (-1)].min[superscript (-1)]) responses remained stable over the duration of the working shift. Workers lost, on average, 2.8% body mass during work while felling and cross-cutting and 3.6% during stacking. This reduced significantly to a loss of 0.4% body mass when re-tested following the introduction of water and food during the work period. Likewise, the energy deficit was significantly improved due to the introduction of a nutritional supplement. Pre-intervention the deficit was 8861.8 kJ (Chainsaw Operators) and 8804.2 kJ (Stackers) while in the post-intervention phase this deficit was reduced by approximately 50% for both groups of workers.