干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Knowledge of the natural durability of wood from tree species in arid and semi-arid zones is essential before making any decision on future logging and to reduce the use of timber preservatives. This study aimed to contribute to the quality of timber production from a species which is widespread in Algeria but on which there are few studies, the Mt. Atlas mastic tree, Pistacia atlantica Desf. This is a vigorous, hardy endemic species that can live for several hundred years in the harsh climatic and soil conditions of its native habitat. The natural durability of its timber was assessed using standardised sapwood and heartwood samples from trees growing in two different bioclimatic regions in north-western Algeria. The tests were conducted in accordance with the European NE 113 (1996) and NE 350-1 (1994) standards for assessing timber resistance to fungal diseases. The results for mass loss brought two findings of considerable interest: the durability of the heartwood and sapwood from the two different provenances was virtually identical, and no significant differences were observed between the two provenances for the same type of wood. Pistacia atlantica Desf. timber may therefore be classified as very durable.