Acta Scientiarum Polonorum
Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

Abstract The study presents results of investigations in which attempts were made to determine and compare the conventional density and compression strength along wood fibres of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) developed on former farmland and on typical forest soils. The analyses comprised two forest site types: fresh coniferous forest (FCF) and fresh mixed coniferous forest (FMCF). The conventional density and compression strength along fibres were studied. It was found that the timber conventional density of pines grown in conditions of former farmland was higher than that of the pines derived from typical forest soils. The performed studies revealed distinct correlations between the compression strength along fibres and wood conventions density both in pines derived from the former farmland and from the typical forest soils of both analysed forest site types. The correlation between the examined properties was found stronger in the case of the typical forest soils (FCF r = 0.93; FMCF r = 0.88) and weaker, in the case of the former farmland (FCF r = 0.48; FMCF r = 0.42). It should be emphasised that the heartwood of pine trees which grew on the former farmland in conditions of the FMCF was characterised by different properties. At high density, this wood exhibited low compression strength along fibres. The wood derived from trees developed in conditions of the former farmland did not show differences in its macrostructure in comparison with the wood derived from forest sites.