Annual variation in the equilibrium moisture content of Terminalia oblonga in Tingo María
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63618/omd/ssjm/v4/n3/78Keywords:
hygroscopic behavior, relative humidity, tropical wood, sorption, seasonal variationAbstract
Equilibrium moisture content (EMC) affects the dimensional stability and technological performance of wood. This study determined its annual variation in Terminalia oblonga wood under the environmental conditions of Tingo María, considering three longitudinal levels and three transverse sections. Five trees from Tocache, San Martín, were selected, and 45 specimens measuring 2 cm × 2 cm × 10 cm were prepared and assessed monthly under laboratory conditions. EMC was calculated from the mass at equilibrium with the environment and the oven-dry mass; data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, Tukey’s test, and Pearson correlation. The annual mean was 13.87%, with monthly values ranging from 12.722% to 14.783%. March, February, and April had the highest averages, whereas September, November, and October had the lowest. Stem height and transverse section showed no independent significant effects, although the apex × inner combination reached the highest EMC. EMC was positively and significantly related to relative humidity (r = 0.711; p = 0.010). Monthly variation was mainly associated with relative humidity, whereas position within the stem had a moderate influence.
Downloads
References
Arévalo Viena, B. H. (2009). Determinación de las principales propiedades físicas por niveles de fuste, y posibilidades de uso de la especie Terminalia oblonga (yacushapana amarilla) de la zona del Mangual/Bellavista - Yarinacocha [Tesis de pregrado, Universidad Nacional de Ucayali]. Repositorio Institucional UNU. https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14621/2204
Baluarte-Vásquez, J. R., & Álvarez-González, J. G. (2015). Ecología y crecimiento en diámetro de Terminalia oblonga (Ruiz & Pavon) Steudel, pautas para su manejo en bosques inundables de la Amazonía peruana. Folia Amazónica, 24(2), 92–102. https://doi.org/10.24841/fa.v24i2.77
Esen, R., & Türüdü, C. (2020). Variable climate’s effect on wood material’s equilibrium moisture content in Turkey. BioResources, 15(4), 7420–7432. https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/variable-climates-effect-on-wood-materials-equilibrium-moisture-content-in-turkey/
Forest Products Laboratory. (2021). Wood handbook—Wood as an engineering material (General Technical Report FPL-GTR-282). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. https://doi.org/10.2737/FPL-GTR-282
Fredriksson, M., Rüggeberg, M., Nord-Larsen, T., Beck, G., & Thybring, E. E. (2023). Water sorption in wood cell walls–data exploration of the influential physicochemical characteristics. Cellulose, 30, 1857–1871. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-022-04973-0
Hassan, K. T. S., & Tippner, J. (2025). Vertical and radial variation in wood acoustical and physical properties of Ailanthus altissima. Maderas. Ciencia y tecnología. https://doi.org/10.22320/s0718221x/2025.31
Hernández, R. E. (2007). Moisture sorption properties of hardwoods as affected by their extraneous substances, wood density, and interlocked grain. Wood and Fiber Science, 39(1), 132–145. https://wfs.swst.org/index.php/wfs/article/view/1008
Instituto Nacional de Calidad. (2020). NTP 251.010:2020. Madera. Métodos para determinar el contenido de humedad (4.ª ed.). INACAL.
Jankowska, A., Drożdżek, M., Sarnowski, P., & Horodeński, J. (2017). Effect of extractives on the equilibrium moisture content and shrinkage of selected tropical wood species. BioResources, 12(1), 597–607. https://doi.org/10.15376/biores.12.1.597-607
Manga Bengono, D. M., Jean Gaston, T., Zobo Mfomo, J., Fongnzossié Fedoung, E., Fopah Lele, A., Banyuy Godwin Fonyuy, B., & Biwolé Achille Bernard, B. (2022). Sorption behaviour of three African tropical woods (Sapelli, Sipo, Kosipo) with similar anatomical structures from Cameroon. International Wood Products Journal, 13(3), 194–202. https://doi.org/10.1080/20426445.2022.2073075
Mitchell, P. H. (2018). Calculating the equilibrium moisture content for wood based on humidity measurements. BioResources, 13(1), 171–175. https://bioresources.cnr.ncsu.edu/resources/calculating-the-equilibrium-moisture-content-for-wood-based-on-humidity-measurements/
Niemz, P., Njankouo, J. M., Torres, M., & Bachtiar, E. V. (2022). Investigations on the sorption behaviour of selected wood species from Cameroon. Maderas. Ciencia y tecnología, 24. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-221X2022000100439
Omonte, M., & Valenzuela, L. (2019). Variación del contenido de humedad verde y de la densidad básica de la madera en árboles de Eucalyptus nitens con dimensiones aserrables. Maderas. Ciencia y tecnología, 21(3), 413–428. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-221X2019000300413
Pérez-Peña, N., Valenzuela, L., Díaz-Vaz, J. E., & Ananías, R. A. (2011). Predicción del contenido de humedad de equilibrio de la madera en función del peso específico de la pared celular y variables ambientales. Maderas. Ciencia y tecnología, 13(3), 253–266. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-221X2011000300002
Portal-Cahuana, L. A., Figueiredo, J. V., Camargo, J. H. C., Vieira, G., Oliveira, D., Alves, L. M., & Latorraca, J. V. F. (2023). Radial variation of wood density and fiber morphology of two commercial species in a tropical humid forest in Southeastern Peru. CERNE, 29, e20230027. https://doi.org/10.1590/01047760202329013143
Rodríguez, A., Vásquez Aguilera, Y., & Polanco Tapia, C. (2007). Influencia del contenido de humedad de equilibrio en sorción y desorción sobre la dureza de cuatro especies maderables plantadas en Colombia. Colombia Forestal, 10(20), 226–237. https://doi.org/10.14483/UDISTRITAL.JOUR.COLOMB.FOR.2007.1.A12
Rosales-Solórzano, E. R. (2015). Variabilidad del contenido de humedad-equilibrio de la madera de diez especies comerciales para tres regiones del Perú. Revista Forestal Mesoamericana Kurú, 13(30), 13–21. https://revistas.tec.ac.cr/index.php/kuru/article/view/2456
Rosales-Solórzano, E. R. (2020). Ecuaciones de niveles de humedad relacionada a la densidad básica de la madera de especies forestales tropicales en Madre de Dios, Perú. Revista Forestal Mesoamericana Kurú, 17(40), 33–42. https://doi.org/10.18845/rfmk.v17i40.4933
Rosales-Solórzano, E. R. (2024). Variation of the electrical resistivity of Peruvian tropical woods. Floresta e Ambiente, 31(2), e20230027. https://doi.org/10.1590/2179-8087-FLORAM-2023-0027
Simo-Tagne, M., & Rémond, R. (2022). Sorption isotherms and moisture transfer properties of seven Central Africa hardwood species. Wood Material Science & Engineering, 18(2), 507–516. https://doi.org/10.1080/17480272.2022.2051736
Simo-Tagne, M., Rémond, R., Rogaume, Y., Zoulalian, A., & Perré, P. (2016). Characterization of sorption behavior and mass transfer properties of four Central Africa tropical woods: Ayous, Sapele, Frake, Lotofa. Maderas. Ciencia y tecnología, 18(3), 403–412. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-221X2016005000020
Simpson, W. T. (1998). Equilibrium moisture content of wood in outdoor locations in the United States and worldwide (Research Note FPL-RN-0268). USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory. https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/documnts/fplrn/fplrn268.pdf
Thybring, E. E., Fredriksson, M., Zelinka, S. L., & Glass, S. V. (2022). Water in wood: A review of current understanding and knowledge gaps. Forests, 13(12), 2051. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122051
Tomczak, K., Tomczak, A., Naskrent, B., & Jelonek, T. (2021). The radial gradient of moisture content of silver birch wood in different seasons. Silva Fennica, 55(3), Article 10545. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.10545
Tuisima-Coral, L. L., Weber, J. C., Takahashi, M., Cornelius, J. P., & Yamamoto, K. (2017). Variation in wood physical properties within stems of Guazuma crinita, a timber tree species in the Peruvian Amazon. Madera y Bosques, 23(1), 63–78. https://doi.org/10.21829/myb.2017.2311534
Welling, J., Bartolo-Cuba, J. A., Sánchez-Blanco, J. C., Ahrens-Castillo, J. L., & Ugarte-Oliva, J. A. (2023). Wood/water relations of 15 South American lesser-used wood species. Maderas. Ciencia y tecnología, 25, Article 24. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-221X2023000100424
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Pecho-de la Cruz, Robert Gilbert, Santos-Flores, Cleide, Vergara-Palomino, Jorge Luis, Quispe-Janampa, David Prudencio, Caldas-de la Cruz, Brayan André (Autor/a)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
: