2024-2025 / FORE0036-1

Timber anatomy and identification

Duration

10h Th, 10h Pr

Number of credits

 Master in forests and natural areas engineering, professional focus2 crédits 

Lecturer

Benoît Jourez

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit 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 learning unit

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.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

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, hybrid learning)

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

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Syllabus for lectures and XYLOGIS software for practical works.

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions ) AND oral exam

- Remote

written exam

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred in-person


Additional information:

Written exam on the theoretical part(50%)
Oral examination on the practical part (50%)

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Lectures: 12h
Practical works compulsory: 12h

Contacts

Dr Benoit JOUREZ
Benoit.jourez@spw.wallonie.be
Laboratory of Wood Technology
Avenue Maréchal Juin, 23
B-5030 Gembloux
Belgium
Tel: +32 81 62 64 20 Fax: +32 81 61 57 27

Association of one or more MOOCs

Items online

Items online (required course materials)
Lecture notes are available on eCampus