WOOD RESEARCH Volume 69, Number 1, 2024
ÉVA KIRÁLY, ZOLTÁN BÖRCSÖK, ZOLTÁN KOCSIS, GÁBOR NÉMETH, ANDRÁS POLGÁR, and ATTILA BOROVICS

CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION THROUGH CARBON STORAGE AND PRODUCT SUBSTITUTION IN THE HUNGARIAN WOOD INDUSTRY

In our study we estimated under two different scenarios the historic and future carbon balance of the Hungarian harvested wood product (HWP) pool using the HWP-RIAL model. We also estimated the effect of product and energy substitution and the magnitude of avoided emissions based on international substitution factors. According to our results in the period 1985–2021 the average of the HWP net emissions plus substitution effects was -3,800 kt CO2. In this period the 49% of the forest industry-related climate benefits was attributable to carbon storage in forests, while 4% was attributable to carbon storage in wood products and 47% to product and energy substitution. According to our projection the HWP net emissions plus substitution effects could reach -14,994 kt CO2 up to 2050 under an intensified domestic wood processing industry. This means that product substitution benefits could be tripled, while the net removals of the HWP pool could be 5 times higher than the historic values

WOOD RESEARCH Volume 64, Number 6, 2019
J.V. Oliver-Villanueva, M.S. Ibiza-Palacios, V. Lerma-Arce, J.E. Luzuriaga, and L.G. Lemus-Zúñiga

Analysis of CO2 as bioindicator of termite degradation in wood structures

The research performed exhaustive experiments to help better understand how subterranean termite colonies function in their biodegradation activity in wooden structural elements. Specifically, the research had as main objectives to analyse the usefulness of CO2 as a bioindicator of the presence of termites and their wood biodegradation activity. The obtained results have demonstrated that CO2 emissions of termite colonies vary depending on their wood degradation activity. So, the amount of CO2 emitted is closely linked to the population size and activity levels. The obtained relationship between the CO2 concentration and time for different population sizes can predict termite biodegradation severity and help establish predictive models for pest monitoring in wood structures.