Anatomical Diversity and Growth Patterns in Tropical Woods

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Wood Science and Forest Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1567

Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Forest Research Center (CEF), School of Agriculture (ISA), University of Lisbon (UL), Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
Interests: wood anatomy; wood identification; wood anatomical traits; wood products; non-wood forest products; wood science and technology; tree growth and ecology; Mediterranean Quercus species
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Tropical forests represent 45% of the planet’s forests according to FAO, holding an extraordinary diversity of tree species. However, the anatomical characteristics of wood and growth dynamics of several species remain unknown. The study of wood anatomical variability within and across tropical species is essential not only for taxonomy and wood identification proposes, but also for the development of strategies related to species’ ecological, conservation, functional traits, and natural resource allocation.

This Special Issue invites original research and review papers focusing on the anatomical wood structure and growth patterns of tropical species. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: vessel architecture, tissue distribution, growth ring formation and development. Contributions that explore intra- and interspecific variability, structure–function relationships, and links to phylogeny or adaptive strategies are particularly welcome.

Classical anatomical approaches with modern techniques such as image analysis, dendrochronology, quantitative wood anatomy, or molecular tools are welcome. Studies highlighting lesser-known tropical species or addressing applied aspects such as wood quality or sustainable use will also be considered.

The main aim of this Special Issue is bringing together different perspectives to deepen our understanding of tropical wood diversity and promote its scientific and practical valorization.

Dr. Vicelina B. Sousa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • wood anatomy
  • tropical forest
  • tropical wood species
  • lesser-known tropical wood species
  • tropical woody species
  • sustainability
  • conservation and ecology
  • effects of environment change
  • wood technology
  • wood potential

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

18 pages, 3471 KB  
Article
Colour Stability and Indoor Ageing of Tropical Woods from a 50-Year Xylarium Collection
by Fernanda Bessa, Vicelina Sousa, Teresa Quilhó and Helena Pereira
Forests 2026, 17(7), 803; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17070803 - 8 Jul 2026
Viewed by 252
Abstract
The diverse colour range of tropical woods is a highly valued commercial feature for specialized interior applications. This study evaluates the long-term indoor colour changes in 98 tropical wood species from Goa (India), Mozambique, and East Timor, stored in a xylarium for 45–50 [...] Read more.
The diverse colour range of tropical woods is a highly valued commercial feature for specialized interior applications. This study evaluates the long-term indoor colour changes in 98 tropical wood species from Goa (India), Mozambique, and East Timor, stored in a xylarium for 45–50 years. Using the CIEL*a*b* system, surface colour changes ΔL*, Δa*, Δb* and ΔE were quantified by comparing unexposed reference surfaces, obtained through sanding, with the long-term exposed surfaces. Results showed that darkening occurred in 96% of the species, though visual assessments identified colour differences in only 58% of the samples. Pteleopsis myrtifolia (Lawson) Engl. and Diels and Bombax malabaricum DC. (both light yellowish-brown) exhibited almost no change, while Cedrela odorata (light pinkish-brown) and Pterocarpus antunesii (moderate orange-brown) showed slight lightening. The initial wood colour was not a significant predictor of the magnitude of chromatic change. Total colour difference (ΔE) was primarily driven by reductions in lightness (ΔL*), followed by hue change (Δh*). The chromatic components contributing to ΔE differed according to the initial lightness class: in lighter woods (L* > 50), redness change (Δa*) showed the strongest chromatic contribution to ΔE, whereas in darker woods (L* ≤ 50), yellowness change (Δb*) was the dominant chromatic contribution. With a mean total ΔE of only 5.76, the overall wood chromatic identity of most species was maintained over time. These findings indicate that indoor ageing of tropical woods is mainly characterized by progressive darkening rather than by drastic chromatic shifts, supporting their long-term aesthetic suitability for premium interior applications over several decades. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anatomical Diversity and Growth Patterns in Tropical Woods)
Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 8458 KB  
Article
Anatomical and Physical Variability of Cedrela sp. Wood in Northeastern Peru
by Frank Lincoln Huamalca-Calampa, Katherine Julissa Oyarce-Tafur, Ingrid Aracelli Cassana-Huamán, Roger Chambi-Legoas, Fidel A. Roig and Leif Armando Portal-Cahuana
Forests 2026, 17(7), 772; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17070772 - 30 Jun 2026
Viewed by 782
Abstract
Tropical forests in the Amazon are vital for climate mitigation, yet detailed data on high-value timber genera such as Cedrela remain scarce, hindering sustainable management. To address this gap, this study evaluated the anatomical structure and key physical properties of Cedrela sp. wood [...] Read more.
Tropical forests in the Amazon are vital for climate mitigation, yet detailed data on high-value timber genera such as Cedrela remain scarce, hindering sustainable management. To address this gap, this study evaluated the anatomical structure and key physical properties of Cedrela sp. wood from the Omia and San Carlos districts in Amazonas, northeastern Peru. Macroscopic and microscopic features, basic density, moisture content, and volumetric shrinkage were assessed using non-destructive sampling. The results indicated that Cedrela sp. wood exhibits medium basic density (averaging 0.50–0.52 g/cm3) and relatively high volumetric shrinkage (averaging 21.46%), suggesting limitations for applications requiring high dimensional stability. However, its favorable properties make it suitable for furniture manufacturing in stable humidity environments. Comparative analysis revealed that the wood properties differed between locations, with Omia showing lower density (0.50 g/cm3) compared to San Carlos, likely reflecting phenotypic plasticity in response to contrasting local environmental conditions. These baseline structural tendencies underscore the value of regional assessments to inform sustainable forest management and optimize the industrial utilization of tropical timber resources. The findings suggest that site-specific environmental conditions significantly influence wood property variations and must be factored into local forestry planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anatomical Diversity and Growth Patterns in Tropical Woods)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop