Wood Specific Gravity Variability in <i>Ceiba Pentandra</i>

Authors

  • Robert A. Fimbel
  • Espen O. Sjaastad

Keywords:

<i>Ceiba pentandra</i>, kapok, wood specific gravity

Abstract

We examined the wood specific gravity variability in Ceiba pentandra trees from four Costa Rican life-zones and a moist tropical forest in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Trees from the African site averaged higher wood specific gravity than those occurring at two high-rainfall sites in Costa Rica. However, the high degree of variability within sites reduced our capacity to detect environmental and/or genetic differences among the sites. Higher intensity field samples, and/or provenance testing under specific environmental conditions, are recommended to help clarify the sources of this variation.

References

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Published

2007-06-22

Issue

Number 1 / January 1994

Section

Research Contributions

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