The influence of wind on spiral grain formation in conifer trees

• The correlation between spiral grain formationand crown asymmetry was investigated in 18 Scots pine(Pinus sylvestris L.) and 17 Norway spruce [Picea abies(L.) Karst.] trees selected from clones of each speciesgrowing in the south of Sweden. The angle between thelongitudinal direction of the tracheids in the outermostyear ring compared to the longitudinal direction of thestem was measured by scribing lines which followed thedirection of the tracheids. The crown asymmetry wasmeasured by taking photographs of the trees followed bya simple picture analysis of the tree. Wind data for thegrowing seasons of 1997 and 1998 were obtained fromthe Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute.The results showed a significant correlation between theangle of the tracheids compared to the stem longitudinaldirection going from a left-handed angle if the trees hada crown projected to the north towards a right-handedangle the more the crown projects to the south.

Subject headings

LANTBRUKSVETENSKAPER  -- Lantbruksvetenskap, skogsbruk och fiske -- Skogsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES  -- Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries -- Forest Science (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Spiral grain

Crown asymmetry

Grain angle

Twisting

Wind

Forestry and Wood Technology

Skog och träteknik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)