Long-Term Impact of Eucalyptus on the Chemical Characteristics of Distroferric Red (original) (raw)

Basic density and pulp yield relationship with some chemical parameters in eucalyptus trees

Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, 2006

The objective of this work was to evaluate the use of basic density and pulp yield correlations with some chemical parameters, in order to differentiate an homogeneous eucalyptus tree population, in terms of its potential for pulp production or some other technological applications. Basic density and kraft pulp yield were determined for 120 Eucalyptus globulus trees, and the values were plotted as frequency distributions. Homogenized samples from the first and fourth density quartiles and first and fourth yield quartiles were submitted to total phenols, total sugars and methoxyl group analysis. Syringyl/guaiacyl (S/G) and syringaldehyde/vanillin (S/V) ratios were determined on the kraft lignins from wood of the same quartiles. The results show the similarity between samples from high density and low yield quartiles, both with lower S/G (3.88-4.12) and S/V (3.99-4.09) ratios and higher total phenols (13.3-14.3 g gallic acid kg -1 ). Woods from the high yield quartile are statistically distinguished from all the others because of their higher S/G (5.15) and S/V (4.98) ratios and lower total phenols (8.7 g gallic acid kg -1 ). Methoxyl group and total sugars parameters are more adequate to distinguish wood samples with lower density.

Environmental quality in Eucalyptus spp. plantations determined from functional processes of its litter Qualidade ambiental em fragmentos de Eucalyptus spp. determinada a partir de processos funcionais da serapilheira

Revista Ra e Ga, 2023

The objective of the study was to understand the influence of Eucalyptus spp. cultivation on the quality of the environment in which it is inserted. For this, three sampling areas of eucalyptus plantations and a control area composed of heterogeneous vegetation. Measurements of leaf litter mass loss, water retention capacity (WRC) tests, and measurements of the content of macronutrients and organic fractions (lignin, cellulose and polyphenols) were carried out in the litter. The litter samples from the control area showed a decomposition coefficient (k) (0.78; 0.82; 0.87) significantly higher than the samples from Eucalyptus spp. (0.51; 0.52; 0.55). For WRC, samples from the control area showed values between 161% and 339%, with an average value of 260%. These were significantly higher than those in the eucalyptus areas, which varied between 72% and 156%, with an average value equal to 112%. As for the content of macronutrients, for the concentration of N, Mg and S in the litter, the samples collected in the control area showed average values significantly higher than the samples from the eucalyptus areas. Regarding the contents of lignin and polyphenols, the samples collected in the eucalyptus areas showed significantly higher values than those presented by the control area. The results obtained showed a strong statistical correlation between the contents of N, Mg, lignin and polyphenols in the sampled leaf material, decomposition rates and water retention capacity. The decomposition of Eucalyptus spp. presented slow decomposition, strongly linked to its chemical composition, which hinders the action of decomposing agents.

The potential for Eucalyptus as a wood fuel in the UK

Applied Energy, 2012

Considerable potential exists in the UK for utilising woody biomass, grown under short rotation forestry management systems, to produce electricity or heat. There are benefits to using biomass in generating heat and power the main environmental benefit being from substituting for fossil fuel combustion and consequent carbon emissions. Woody biomass production in short rotation forestry involves growing single stemmed trees rather than coppice over rotations of between 10 and 15 years. Eucalypts are particularly suited to such biomass production as they exhibit relatively high wood density, have suitable chemical characteristics, exhibit low moisture content and can be easily harvested all year around using conventional machinery if single-stemmed growth form is maintained.

A chemical perspective on the evolution of variation in Eucalyptus globulus

Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 2011

It is becoming increasingly easy to generate genotypic data but much harder to gather an equivalent amount of phenotypic information, particularly for chemical traits. In this study of Eucalyptus globulus ssp. globulus, we measured about 60 chemical leaf traits of trees growing in a common garden to address the following questions: (1) how much variation is there between geographic regions, populations within regions and within populations? (2) How do chemical traits vary over the species' geographic range? (3) If so, does E. globulus ssp. globulus exhibit distinct chemotypes -plants that are morphologically similar but which differ chemically? (4) Are the affinities between E. globulus ssp. globulus and closely related subspecies apparent in the chemical variation? Variation among trees within populations contributed most variation in leaf chemistry followed by variation between geographic regions. For many traits, variation among populations within proposed races and variation among proposed races within geographic regions explained little of the total variation. There was a cline in the concentration of secondary chemicals with the lowest concentrations in Tasmanian populations and the highest in those from eastern Victoria, with intermediate concentrations in populations from Bass Strait Islands. We identified three chemotypes, characterised by specific terpenes and formylated phloroglucinol compounds. The frequency of occurrence of these chemotypes showed a geographic pattern also, with "chemotype 1" predominating in Tasmania, while "chemotypes 2 and 3" occurred at highest frequency in eastern Victoria. We suggest that the chemotypes reflect introgression between E. globulus ssp. globulus and the three closely related subspecies -E. globulus ssp. bicostata, E. globulus ssp. maidenii and E. globulus ssp. pseudoglobulus. Although the formation of land-bridges with fluctuating sea levels has no doubt shaped the evolutionary history of all four subspecies, we propose that the migratory swift parrot (Lathamus discolor), an important pollinator and a species closely associated with E. globulus, has helped shape the evolution of the four tree subspecies.

Effect of treated wastewater on growth and secondary metabolites production of two Eucalyptus species

Agricultural Water Management, 2019

The use of Treated Waste Water (TWW) as an alternative to limit water use in agriculture practices in the context of global warming is of particular importance, especially in countries where water resources are limited. In this study, we assessed the effect of TWW irrigation on two Eucalyptus species (E. camaldulensis and E. occidentalis) in their early stages of growth (up to one year after seedling and transplantation) in pot experiment and compared to Well-Water (WW) irrigation. Changes in plant growth traits/ characteristics including plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and Leaf Mass per Area (LMA) were analysed as well as the modification of root and leaves secondary metabolic profiles and total phenolic contents. Soil physico-chemical parameters were also measured before and after the experiment. Our results showed that both species do not have the same response to TWW irrigation: while most growth recorded parameters were most affected in E. camaldulensis after one year of growth with TWW, E. occidentalis had its leaf number significantly increased with TWW after seven months. Leaves were lighter and smaller than the ones obtained with WW irrigation after four months but the reduction of weight and area was proportional in such a way that LMA was not affected and this effect was transitory. Such effect was not observed with E. camaldulensis. Concerning root and leaf secondary metabolite profiles, changes in both plant part extract compositions were observed according to irrigation type, though these were weak compared to plant species identity. Common metabolic patterns following TWW irrigation could be showed in both species like for example the increase of quercetin glucosinnapate in leaf extracts or the decrease of two peduncalagin isomers detected as major compounds in the same extracts. Though some differences were also observed, particularly, E. occidentalis had more compounds decreased in its roots than E. camaldulensis when irrigated with TWW while in leaves the tendency was inverted. Total phenolic content was decreased in both species and for both plant parts, but this diminution was more pronounced in E. occidentalis roots. We also noticed modifications in soil parameters after TWW exposure and some were dependant on the species of Eucalyptus like for example soil organic matter content which increased with TWW in the case of E. occidentalis, whereas it decreased for E. camaldulensis. All these results let us hypothesize that E. occidentalis possess better adaptation capabilities to TWW irrigation than E. camaldulensis and that these might be related to changes in root metabolism.

Growth and Carbon Storage Potential of Different Eucalyptus Clones Irrigated with Industrial Effluents

Forest ecology plays a vital role in mitigating climate change challenges through carbon sequestration. Anthropogenic activities per se industrialisation are the major contributor to pollution by producing greenhouse gases and releasing effluents in the environment. However, plantations producing higher biomass under effluent irrigated conditions like Eucalyptus plantations are considered effective but the growth and carbon sequestration performance of diverse clones under effluent irrigated conditions is scarce. Therefore, in the present study, nine Eucalyptus clones were evaluated for growth traits and carbon storage potential under distillery effluent irrigated conditions. A clonal trial was planted at the liquor factory Macchana, near Sangat Mandi, Punjab with nine clones replicated four times following RCBD design. The data were recorded on survival, growth traits, biomass, and carbon storage was worked out. Survival percentage varied from 85-95% with non-significant differences among the clones. Significant variation in growth traits and carbon biomass was observed among Eucalyptus clones except for tree survival. Clone C-316 was found superior among all the clones for diameter, volume, carbon biomass and carbon sequestration, whereas clone PE-7 recorded maximum height. Clone PE-6 exhibited bottom rank for all growth traits except height. Carbon storage varied from 30.37 to 56.01 kg/tree. The investigation revealed that clones C-316, C-411 and PE-7 were found excellent for planting at effluent irrigated condition sites and for higher carbon sequestration.

Effect of thermal treatment on the chemical characteristics of wood from Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden under different atmospheric conditions

CERNE, 2012

Thermal treatment (thermal rectification) is a process in which technological properties of wood are modified using thermal energy, the result of which is often value-added wood. Thermally treated wood takes on similar color shades to tropical woods and offers considerable resistance to destructive microorganisms and climate action, in addition to having high dimensional stability and low hygroscopicity. Wood samples of Eucalyptus grandis were subjected to various thermal treatments, as performed in presence (140ºC; 160ºC; 180ºC) or in absence of oxygen (160ºC; 180ºC; 200ºC) inside a thermal treatment chamber, and then studied as to their chemical characteristics. Increasing the maximum treatment temperatures led to a reduction in the holocellulose content of samples as a result of the degradation and volatilization of hemicelluloses, also leading to an increase in the relative lignin content. Except for glucose, all monosaccharide levels were found to decrease in samples after the thermal treatment at a maximum temperature of 200ºC. The thermal treatment above 160ºC led to increased levels of total extractives in the wood samples, probably ascribed to the emergence of low molecular weight substances as a result of thermal degradation. Overall, it was not possible to clearly determine the effect of presence or absence of oxygen in the air during thermal treatment on the chemical characteristics of the relevant wood samples.

High-performance liquid chromatography of water-soluble phenolics in leaf litter of three Eucalyptus hybrids (Congo)

Plant Science, 2002

Leaf litter from beneath three Eucalyptus hybrids of economic importance for Congo were examined for water-soluble phenolics (101 Á/126 mg Tannic acid equivalents g (1 dry matter). Phenolics identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) included gallic, protocatechuic, p-hydroxybenzoic, gentisic, p-coumaric, caffeic, chlorogenic, and ferulic acids, and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, hydroquinone, and vanillin. Unidentified compounds were also present in all extracts. Differences between hybrids were quantitative; qualitative differences were not observed in the water extracts. E. urograndis had lower concentrations of gallic acid, but higher hydroxycinnamic acids (p-coumaric, caffeic, and ferulic acids) than the E. PF1 hybrid. Implications of these differences are discussed according to literature.