FORE0036-1 : Timber anatomy and identification

University of Liege | Version française

Academic year 2014-2015

Value date : 12/05/2015

FORE0036-1

Timber anatomy and identification

Duration :

12h Th, 12h Pr

Number of credits :

Master in Forests and natural Areas Engineering, Professional Focus, 1st year		2

Lecturer :

Benoît Jourez

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Course contents :

In the program of the forest bio-engineer, the course of anatomy and wood identification approaches fundamental notions which allow to understand the formation of the wood and the tree. It includes two parts: the first one approaches in a theoretical way the constitution and the formation of ligneous tissues, growth of the tree, variation of the met structures and the impact of the environmental conditions and the forestry applied to the production of a renewable raw material with very wide potential of valuation; the second part provided under the shape of practical class, aims at observing and at describing in the microscopic scale the ligneous plans of common forest species to identify them.
The study of the structure of the wood set up during the growth of the tree allows at the same time to analyze the functioning of the living tree and to understand the behavior of the wood during its implementation. As such, this course provides information keys which allow a critical approach and an in-depth understanding of multiple notions addressed in the other courses of the program.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Observation techniques
3. Formation of the wood
4. Chemical composition of the wood
5. Cellular wall
6. Description and role of the ligneous elements
7. Description of the ligneous plans of the conifer and the broad-leaved trees
8. Modifications in the ligneous plan
9. Particular ligneous formations
10. Organoleptic properties of the wood
11. Identification of wood
12. French/English dictionary

Learning outcomes of the course :

At the end of the course, the student will be able to understand and explain the formation of the wood and the tree. It will be able to describe macro- and microscopically a ligneous structure, a sample of wood, and determined its position and orientation in the tree. He can predict the impact of forestry practices and of changes in environmental conditions on the structure of the materials formed during the life of the tree. He can understand and explain the influence of the material structure on the potential value and on the processing of the wood. He will be able to recognize abnormal structures, to determine their origin and to explain how to avoid them.

The student will be able to use the available tools (identifications keys, software) to describe microscopicaly the ligneous plans of any species and to identify common species on basis of the anatomical criteria.

Prerequisites and co-requisites/ Recommended optional programme components :

Prerequisites, basic knowledge of botany and plant biology.

Corequisites, basic knowledge of silviculture.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Lectures supplemented by Power Point presentations and discussions for the theoretical part.

Practical works concerning wood identification. Auto learning through XYLOGIS software based on scanned microscopic sections. Discovery of the Inside Wood software.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Lectures face-to-face.
Practical works face-to-face with e-learning for complementary works