Wood Density, Anatomical Characteristics, and Chemical Components of Alnus sibirica Used for Industrial Applications

Abstract

Abstract In this study, wood density, anatomical characteristics, and major chemical components were investigated on branchwood, trunkwood, and rootwood of three Alnus sibirica trees grown in Maoershan Mountain, Northeast China. The anatomical structure and composition of xylem within a tree were spatially heterogeneous. At the alpha = 0.05 level, the differences among branchwood, rootwood, and trunkwood were significant in wood density, cell dimensions, extractives, and ash content. The trunkwood was desired as papermaking raw material and structural timber because of its high-quality fibers, cellulose content, and medium density value. Because of its similar density to trunkwood, large-sized branchwood could be used as a substitute for structural materials. The rootwood with low densities and large vessel dimensions was suitable for producing short fiber biocomposite.