Treesearch

Black liquor, the alkaline effluent of kraft pulping, is one of the largest underutilized sources of technical lignin globally. This chemically valuable aromatic biopolymer is predominantly incinerated for energy recovery, foregoing the considerable chemical value embedded in lignin’s aromatic backbone and reactive functional groups. Conventional lignin isolation via acid precipitation is constrained by high energy demands, equipment corrosion, and acidic waste generation. These limitations collectively undermine the large-scale valorization of lignin. This review examines conventional and...

BackgroundThe increasing demand for sustainable, high-performance packaging has driven interest in multilayer films combining a cellulose nanomaterial (CNM) core layer with plastic outer layers. In these designs, the polar CNM core layer provides effective oxygen barrier properties, while non-polar plastics serve as protective layers against water vapor. This complementary structure enables improved recyclability and supports the development of circular packaging solutions.Scope and approachThis review overview recent advances in preparation strategies, material interactions, and performanc...

The natural background contribution from grasslands and forest lands is important to consider in research and management to address the contribution of agricultural, industrial, and urban lands to water quality degradation. To our knowledge, no study has compiled and analyzed reference water quality from small reference grasslands and forests even though land use export coefficients for background water quality are assigned at that scale in decision support tools and models, total maximum daily load projects, and comparative analysis. Thus, our major objective was to summarize nitrogen...

High‐resolution NMR analysis of heterogeneous, insoluble lignocellulosic materials is a significant challenge because poor magnetic field homogeneity and restricted molecular mobility often hinder the acquisition of reproducible solution‐state NMR spectra. In studies of lignocellulosic biomass and plant cell walls, gel‐state NMR methods have enabled important advances. However, practical limitations in sample preparation, shimming stability, and spectral broadening have constrained method robustness and routine use. Here, we present a finely pulverized low‐moisture (FPL) gel‐state NMR...

The integrated moisture index (IMI) was developed to indicate long‐term soil moisture potential from data collected in southeastern Ohio. Like the topographic wetness index, the IMI is derived from terrain characteristics that influence the downslope movement of water, with the addition of soil water‐holding capacity. The combination of terrain and soil characteristics provides improved mapping of potential soil moisture. Since the development of the IMI, advances in soil data and geographic information systems warrant revisiting the original methods and modifying the calculation. I...

Periodic outbreaks of forest insect pests shape northern forest dynamics, yet interactions between multiple insect–host systems—and their role in ecosystem metastability and resilience—remain poorly understood. To elucidate these spatiotemporal interactions, we investigated the coupled dynamics of two dominant insect–host systems—spruce budworm (SBW) associated with late‐successional fir and spruce, and forest tent caterpillar (FTC) associated with early‐successional aspen. We assess whether asynchronous outbreak patterns shift over time and whether those shifts are consistent with forest...

The growing adoption of forest certification reflects a global shift toward more sustainable forest management and trade. Yet, the trade impacts of certification remain uneven, shaped by how these voluntary standards interact with national legal and regulatory environments. This study explores the conditions under which forest certification influences wood product exports, with a particular attention to the concept of institutional complementarity, where private standards and public laws reinforce each other. Using an extended gravity model of bilateral trade, the analysis integrates...

This brief communication presents selected findings from recent social and economic monitoring of national forest policies in the Pacific Northwest. Qualitative interviews with timber industry professionals, USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) employees, and rural community members provided local perspectives on increasing the pace and scale of timber harvests on national forests. Challenges noted by interviewees included spatial consolidation of the wood processing facilities, limitations of the timber supply from federal lands, misalignment between timber sales and industry needs,...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program provides this resource update yearly as an overview of forest resources in California. These estimates are derived from field data collected across a systematic network of fixed-radius forest monitoring plots located on both public and private land. New updates are provided annually as a subset of plots within the State are remeasured. Each year, field crews visit and measure a subset of all FIA plots across the entire State (the size of the subset varies by State and year). Combining all...

This study aims to improve the physical properties of biochar (BC) produced through pyrolysis at 300 °C by employing acid activation. Four acids—nitric acid (HNO3), hydrochloric acid (HCl), phosphoric acid (H3PO4), and sulfuric acid (H2SO4)—were used to activate the BC. The acid-activated BC was then characterized to assess the effects of the treatments. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis indicated a 34 percent increase in surface area for BC activated with H3PO4. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis revealed shifts in peak positions and changes in the functional...