These proceedings fonn the outcome of an International Conference on "Impacts of Global change on Tree Physiology and Forest Ecosystems," held from 26-29 November 1996, at Wageningen, The Netherlands. The conference brought together biologists, ecologists, and forest scientist working in the field of impacts of elevated CO and air pollution on tree physiology and forest ecosystems, and marked the 2 completion of a European COST action on "Impacts of Elevated C02 levels and Air Pollutants on Tree Physiology" (ICAT / COST-614), as well as the conclusion of the frrst phase of an EU-funded...

Surface treatment is an efficient means for protection of various products against corrosion and also for increasing strength or resistance to wear or fatigue. Also certain electrical, chemical or optical properties may be achieved only by creating special surface layers. Many examples can be given: leaf springs with shot-peened surfaces; carburised and hardened tooth gears; coated cutting tips for machining; chemical appliances made of glass strengthened by ion exchange; enamelled vessels and containers; components for engines or turbines with heat insulating ceramic surface layers; chemical...

The Global Biodiversity Strategy' signed in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, and the resolutions at the Ministerial Conferences on the Protection of Forests in Europe in Strasbourg, 1990, and Helsinki, 1993, commit the signatory states to monitor nationally the state of biodiversity and to sustain the characteristic natural variation in the country. Sustainability and long-term planning are the two terms best describing the philosophy of traditional forest management practices. However, the traditional planning techniques are not primarily developed to maintain sustainability of biodiversity.
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Woody plants belong to various taxonomic groups, which are heterogeneous in morphology, physiology, and geographic distribution. OtheJWise, they have neither strong evolutionruy relationships nor share a conunon habitat. They are a primaIy source of fiber and timber, and also include many edible fruit species. Their unique phenotypic behavior includes a perennial habit associated with extensive secondary growth. Additional characteristics of woody plants include: developmental juvenility and maturity with respect to growth habit, flowering time, and morphogenetic response in tissue cultures;...

Woody plants constitute an artificial and heterogeneous group of plants that share some common phenotypic characteristics but otherwise have no strong evolutionary relationships, nor do they share a common habitat. They are a primary source of fiber and timber, and also include many edible fruit species. Their unique phenotypic behavior includes a perennial habit associated with extensive secondary growth. Additional characteristics of woody plants include: developmental juvenility and maturity with respect to growth habit, flowering time, and morphogenetic response in tissue cultures;...

It is our conviction that professional skill in forestry will develop more readily and more efficiently if forestry students are presented with a clear understanding of the im- pact of the physical factors that both enhance and inhibit forestry activities. Part I is analytic, written as a basic text for undergradu- ates in courses such as logging, transport, forest engineer- ing and even forest management. It deals with the fundamen- tals of technology in forestry as determined by the physical environment. The analytic approach serves two purposes, to bring about a clear understanding of the...

In most breeding programs of plant and animal species, genetic data (such as data from field progeny tests) are used to rank parents and help choose candidates for selection. In general, all selection processes first rank the candidates using some function of the observed data and then choose as the selected portion those candidates with the largest (or smallest) values of that function. To make maximum progress from selection, it is necessary to use a function of the data that results in the candidates being ranked as closely as possible to the true (but always unknown) ranking. Very often...

Woody plants provide many challenges to the tissue culturist. Although there are many excellent tissue culture books and manuals available, these are generally strongly biased towards herbacious crops. Consequently, they often do not pay sufficient attention to the problems that specifically apply to in vitro culture of tree species. Culture of the latter often poses problems which are either absent or of lesser significance when culturing herbacious species.
When trees in the field are used as explant source, the problems can be especially severe. For example, the...

This handbook was designed as a reference tool for forest geneticists, tree breeders and other tree improvement personnel, as well as a textbook for university courses and short-courses at the graduate level in quantitative genetics.
The chapters focus on the decision points faced by quantitative geneticists and breeders in designing programs and analyzing data. Beginning with a justification for the use of quantitative genetics in decision making in tree improvement programs, the book continues with a brief presentation of fundamental principles, followed by discussions and evaluations...

Much of the world's forested land is dominated by mixed-species stands. Understanding the complex structure and dynamics of these mixtures is a necessary step in the process of formulating appropriate silvicultural systems for their management. David M. Smith, Professor Emeritus of Silviculture at Yale University, has devoted much of his career to the study of the structure, development, and silvicultural treatment of these kinds of stands. This volume is presented by Professor Smith's collegues to honor the contributions he has made to the field. It contains both reviews of past work and...