O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a utilização das madeiras de Corymbia citriodora, Corymbia torelliana e seus híbridos para a produção de celulose kraft branqueada. Para isso, as madeiras destas espécies e híbridos foram caracterizadas tecnologicamente e submetidas ao processo kraft de polpação e branqueamento, sendo comparadas à madeira de E. grandis x E. urophylla, utilizada como referência tecnológica. Ao todo, foram avaliadas sete diferentes materiais genéticos do gênero Corymbia: dois materiais de C. citriodora, com 8 e 18 anos de idade, um material de C. torelliana, com 15 anos, e quatro híbridos destas espécies, com 7 anos de idade. A madeira de E. grandis x E. urophylla apresentava 6 anos de idade. Inicialmente, as madeiras das diferentes espécies e híbridos foram caracterizadas sendo, em seguida, submetidas a um processo modificado de polpação kraft. As polpas foram deslignificadas com oxigênio e branqueadas através da sequência DA Ep D1 P visando alvura final de 89,5 ± 0,5% ISO, e tiveram suas características físico-mecânicas determinadas. O impacto das diferentes madeiras no dimensionamento de uma fábrica de celulose também foi avaliado. Os resultados mostram que as madeiras do gênero Corymbia apresentam alta densidade básica e baixo teor de lignina, além de fibras com maior comprimento, menor largura, menor diâmetro do lume, maior espessura de parede e maior fração parede em relação à madeira de E. grandis x E. urophylla. Os processos de polpação de C. citriodora (madeira de 8 anos) e E. grandis x E. urophylla demandam menor carga alcalina e fator H, resultando nos maiores rendimentos, sendo que os menores consumos específicos de madeira foram observados para as madeiras de C. citriodora. A deslignificação com oxigênio é mais eficiente para as polpas do gênero Corymbia em comparação à polpa de E. grandis x E. urophylla. No branqueamento, as polpas C. citriodora (madeira de 8 anos) e E. grandis x E. urophylla são as que demandam menor aplicação de reagentes químicos para atingir determinada alvura. Em comparação às polpas das demais espécies e híbridos avaliadas, as polpas branqueadas da espécie C. citriodora apresentam alto volume específico, baixa resistência à passagem do ar, alta capilaridade, baixo índice de retenção de água e alta resistência ao rasgo, características que recomendam a utilização da polpa desta espécie para a produção de papéis de alta absorção (tissue). Já as polpas de C. torelliana x C. citriodora apresentam baixo volume específico, alta resistência à passagem do ar e baixa capilaridade, enquanto as polpas de E. grandis x E. urophylla e de um dos materiais de C. citriodora x C. torelliana se destacam por apresentar as maiores resistências à tração, rasgo e estouro. No dimensionamento de uma fábrica de celulose, as madeiras dos híbridos de C. citriodora e C. torelliana que apresentam a espécie C. torelliana como genitor feminino (C. citriodora x C. torelliana) demandam maior atenção, principalmente nas áreas da caldeira de recuperação e caustificação, uma vez que apresentam alta demanda de álcali e alta geração de sólidos em comparação aos demais materiais genéticos. / The present work aimed to evaluate the use of the woods of Corymbia citriodora, Corymbia torelliana and their hybrids on bleached kraft pulp production. Woods from these species and hybrids were technologically characterized and submitted to kraft pulping process and bleaching. These woods were compared to E. grandis x E. urophylla, which was used as technological reference. Seven different genetic materials from Corymbia were analyzed: two materials of C. citriodora, with 8 and 18 years-old, one material of C. torelliana, with 15 years-old, and four hybrids of these species, with 7 years-old. The wood of de E. grandis x E. urophylla had 6 years-old. Initially, the different woods were technologically characterized and then submitted to a modified kraft pulping process. The pulps were delignified with oxygen and bleached through a DA Ep D1 P bleaching sequence until 89,5 ± 0,5% ISO of brightness. The bleached pulps had their physical-mechanical characteristics evaluated. The impact of these different woods in a pulp mill dimensioning was also evaluated. The results show that the woods of Corymbia genus present high basic density, low lignin content and fibers with higher length, lower width, lower lumen width, higher wall thickness and higher wall fraction if compared to E. grandis x E. urophylla. The pulping of C. citriodora and E. grandis x E. urophylla demands lower alkali charge and H factor, resulting in higher yields, while the lowest wood specific consumption was observed to C. citriodora\'s woods. The oxygen delignification is more efficient for Corymbia\'s pulps than for E. grandis x E. urophylla. On bleaching, the pulps of C. citriodora (wood with 8 years-old) and E. grandis x E. urophylla are those that demand the lowest chemical reagents charges to achieve the determined brightness. The bleached pulps of C. citriodora present high specific volume, low air passage resistance, high capillarity, low water retention value and high tear index. Based on these characteristics it is possible to recommend this species to tissue papers production. The pulps of C. torelliana x C. citriodora present low specific volume, high air passage resistance and low capillarity, while the pulp of E. grandis x E. urophylla and one of the hybrids of C. citriodora x C. torelliana stands out for presenting the higher tensile, tear and burst indexes. In a pulp mill dimensioning, the woods of C. torelliana x C. citriodora demands higher attention, mainly on recovery boiler and causticizing, for presenting high alkali demand and high solids generation in comparison to the other genetic materials.

Canopy gaps in many forests are thought of as resetting the successional sequence due to increased light availability. In this study, canopy gaps were identified with a LiDAR digital canopy model in a Key Largo hardwood forest. Sapling structure and composition were recorded in the gaps. Weighted averaging calibration was applied to relative abundances of trees to determine the successional age optimum for each tree species, and weighted averaging regression was used to calculate inferred stand ages for each gap’s saplings. The inferred stand ages were greater in young forest gaps than in surrounding, unimpacted forest, suggesting that succession was actually advanced. Canopy heights in Key Largo were shorter than many other tropical and temperate forests, canopy gaps were smaller and therefore light availability did not vary with gap area. This suggests that the largest gaps may not be big enough to produce the light conditions required to reestablish pioneer tree species. Soil and water conditions in young forest gaps may also favor mature rather than pioneer species. Resetting of the forest successional sequence may not occur without intense disturbances such as fires or major hurricanes that remove the entire canopy and consume or erode soils.

No description available.

Since the last recession the hardwood flooring industry is currently enjoying strong growth. With this growth come new challenges for manufacturers of hardwood flooring. QEP Wood Flooring division, located in Johnson City, Tennessee, USA is a midsize flooring company which historically struggled with high customer claims. In 2016, QEP’s Johnson City management team implemented an initiative to address the top three leading causes of defects and waste in their hardwood flooring panels. A systematic plan was devised and implemented by utilizing basic quality tools and methods such as Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC), root cause analysis, 5-why, check sheet and deployment of effective employee awareness training. As a result, QEP Wood Flooring division reduced 81.56% in chip-out, increased 1.7% in production yield, saved over $90k annually in customer claims while improving the quality of their products and increasing customer satisfaction. This study contributes to the body of knowledge by providing an effective process and low-cost tools to improve the quality of wood flooring products elsewhere in the wood flooring industry.

This study examines the effects of clearcut regeneration with whole-tree harvesting on plant diversity. Three approaches were used to study changes in species composition and structure: (1) forest level, (2) stand level, and (3) diversity indices. Within each approach the forest was stratified into three horizontal vegetative regions based upon height: herb (< 1 m), shrub (between 1 and 5 m), and tree (> 5 m). Between the pre-harvest and 17-year-old forest, the relative percent cover of 3 out of 45 herbaceous and 2 out of 34 woody species were found to be significantly different (df = 3; a = 0.10) in the herb stratum; the importance value (average of relative basal area and stem density) of 2 out of 25 woody species in the shrub stratum; and 1 out of 21 woody species in the tree stratum. Within stands, the three lower quality, 17-year-old stands (SI50 = 12.2, 15.2, and 18.3 m) most resembled their pre-harvest composition; however, increases in ericaceous species were observed in the herb and shrub strata potentially inhibit the future regeneration of tree species. The SI50 = 21.3 m stand incurred the greatest changes in composition potentially due to the lack of fire as a disturbance mechanism. The major mechanism that has caused the shifts in species composition and structure is the change in the microenvironment due to the removal of the overstory, which has shifted the competitive advantages from one species to another. In all cases, diversity indices were not found to be significantly different between the 17-year-old and pre-harvest forests. Diversity indices were therefore determined to have limited use if a manager wants to know specific compositions and/or abundance of species. / Master of Science

No description available.

Transportation and competitiveness practices of hardwood lumber exporters and other firms were studied and compared to determine the most important factors associated with exporting hardwood products. It was found that exporters differed significantly in their transportation methods, marketing activities, and production profiles from those other hardwood lumber firms. They also were significantly larger than expected in their total production and employment. As the forest products business continues to become more global, an analysis of the importance of these factors can be used how firms can begin exporting, or increase sales in international markets. It was found that certain elements of a sawmill's marketing strategy are a major determinant to the likelihood of its being an exporter. Results from logistic regression methods showed that transportation factors such as using intermodal transportation and inland port facilities and competitiveness factors such as species selection, marketing practices, and using government export assistance programs increased the probability of a firm's high involvement in international markets. Finally, data from exporting hardwood sawmills to Mexico, Europe, and Asia were analyzed to determine what makes successful exporting to these markets. Factors including export distribution methods, relationship with export distribution partner, competitiveness, transportation, and export assistance were analyzed. Such information might be useful for government agencies that wish to promote business commitment to sawmills throughout the United States for the following international markets. Hardwood sawmills should be encouraged by state officials to plan more aggressively to enter the Mexico market. Efforts are needed from U.S. trade associations to better identify the Mexican market segments, sources of market demand, and credit opportunities for US sawmills. / Ph. D.

This research investigated the relationship between several firm-controlled, marketing and management factors and firm performance. Hypotheses describing the relationship between the strategic, geographic, tactical, technological and organizational factors and firm performance of hardwood lumber manufacturers were tested. These factors were operationalized, measured in a mail survey and used in statistical analysis to identify relationships among the variables. An adjusted response rate of 19.8% was obtained from the mail survey. Non-response bias was not found to be a significant problem in the data. A twelve measure performance indicator was developed and utilized to evaluate the performance of hardwood lumber manufacturers who were predominantly privately-held companies. The averages for the profit and costs performance measures were the lowest of all twelve performance measures and this suggested that firms should focus improvement on these measures. The current marketing tactics, including species mix, product mix, customer mix, and promotion mix was determined. The utilization of advanced production technology has increased in the industry since it was last measured in 1999. The majority of respondents (60%) had dry kiln operations and 49% had a surfacing mill. Thirty five percent of respondents indicated that their company was certified by either forest, chain-of-custody, or both. Of the five firm-controlled factors investigated in this research, four of them were found to be related to firm performance. Geographic location was not found to be related to the performance of hardwood sawmills. Firms who were backward integrated and firms who were both backward integrated and forward integrated performed significantly better than firms who were not vertically integrated or forward integrated. Higher performance scores were associated with larger firms, firms who had multiple sawmills and firms who were members of the NHLA. There was no relationship found between diversification of the product mix, species mix, customer mix variables and performance. The diversification of a firm's promotion expenditures was positively correlated to performance. Firms that used optimized headrigs, optimized edgers and optimized trimmers performed significantly better than did firms not using all three of these technologies. Firms that used computer based log tallying, lumber tallying or inventory control performed significantly better than firms utilizing none of these technologies. An increase in the use of business strategy from previous studies along with a shift towards the use of a differentiation strategy was discovered. Firms interpreted to be following a hybrid differentiation/cost leadership strategy performed better than firms following a cost leadership, focus, or differentiation strategy. The implication of these results is that larger, vertically integrated firms are likely to perform better than smaller, non-integrated hardwood lumber manufacturers. It is recommended that firms diversify their use of promotion media and venues in order to attract new customers. Adoption of production and information technology will help some hardwood lumber manufacturers improve their performance. It is recommended that hardwood lumber manufacturers control costs and differentiate their products in order to gain competitive advantage. / Ph. D.

<p>  </p> <p><em>Santalum</em> spp., known globally as sandalwood, are highly sought after for their aromatic oil-rich heartwood and have been exploited throughout their range. Six of the 19 <em>Santalum</em> species are endemic to the main Hawaiian Islands, where they are known locally as ʻiliahi. Excessive harvesting led to the extirpation of Hawaiian sandalwood from 90% of its historic range by 1840. There is limited peer-reviewed literature concerning the propagation of Hawaiian sandalwood, and methods developed for other non-Hawaiian species cannot be directly adopted due to differences in sandalwood species physiology, available host species, and growing environment. This, combined with increased interest in growing Hawaiian sandalwood, prompts the need for the development of propagation protocols based on empirical research. The primary knowledge gaps in propagation include best practices for producing high-quality seedlings in the nursery (e.g., fertilizers and hosts) and silvicultural practices for maximizing outplanting survival and growth. The Hawaii Island endemic <em>Santalum paniculatum</em> has the largest remnant population and distribution and high commercial value, making it an ideal species to focus our study on. We conducted two experiments to evaluate the response of <em>S. paniculatum</em> seedlings to propagation methods employed with Australian and Indian sandalwood, although with species of hosts native to Hawaii. The first experiment was a nursery growth trial that evaluated the quality of <em>S. paniculatum </em>seedlings in response to nutrient availability (controlled-release fertilization, control), chelated iron fertilizer (applied, control), and species of pot host (<em>Acacia koa</em>, <em>Dodonaea viscosa</em>, control). The quality of seedlings was determined by measurements of height, root collar diameter, dry mass, root shoot ratio, chlorophyll index, and nutrient status (N & Fe concentration). Nutrient availability had the greatest impact on seedling quality and increased height, root collar diameter, dry mass, chlorophyll index, and nutrient status. Chelated iron fertilizer effectively improved seedling quality (height, collar, dry mass, chlorophyll content, and Fe concentration) in a nutrient-limiting environment, although a nutrient-rich environment diminished its effect with sufficient iron levels. The host species treatment had the least influence on seedling quality and only influenced haustoria formation by causing more haustoria in <em>A. koa</em>-paired compared to <em>D. viscosa</em>-paired and control seedlings. Although the pot host had the lowest effect on seedling quality during nursery propagation, it provided benefits in the field planting phase of the project.</p> <p>The second experiment of the project assessed the survival and performance of field-planted <em>S. paniculatum</em> in response to (1) nursery fertilization, (2) an <em>A. koa</em> pot host, and (3) an <em>A. koa </em>field host. Nursery fertilization had the greatest effect on performance and enhanced survival, height, height growth, collar, collar growth. The survival rate of unfertilized seedlings was 43.3% (± 5.9) compared to 86.9% (± 4.2) for fertilized seedlings. The pot host improved height, height growth, collar, collar growth of seedlings, but it did not influence survival. The intermediate field host significantly improved survival from 52.7% (± 7.8) to 78.0% (± 5.6) and only affected the height measurements and not the collar. There was a significant interaction between the field host and nursery fertilizer treatment associated with the fertilized seedlings planted with field hosts having lower water potential than the fertilized seedling planted without a field host. Our results demonstrated that supplemental nursery nutrition, pot hosts, and intermediate <em>A. koa </em>field hosts benefited <em>S. paniculatum</em> regeneration establishment in different ways. Furthermore, the effect of the hosting treatments may become more pronounced in the field over time as more haustoria connections are formed. This research project provides essential baseline information that helps to enhance the current methodology and inform future decision-making concerning the propagation of <em>S. paniculatum </em>and other Hawaiian <em>Santalum</em> species. </p>

<p>This research combines the economic contribution analysis of hardwood industries in Indiana and the economic impact analysis of furbearer hunting and trapping in Indiana. This research employs input-output analysis using Impact Analysis for Planning (IMPLAN) software. </p>