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Mapping the biotic degradation hazard of wood in Europe - Biophysical background, engineering applications, and climate change-induced prospects

Van Niekerk, Philip B. ; Marais, Brendan N. ; Brischke, Christian ; Borges, Luisa M.S. ; Kutnik, Magdalena ; Niklewski, Jonas LU ; Ansard, David ; Humar, Miha ; Cragg, Simon M. and Militz, Holger (2022) In Holzforschung 76(2). p.188-210
Abstract

Construction using timber has seen a resurgence in light of global climate mitigation policies. Wood is a renewable resource, and engineered wood products are proving to be competitive against concrete and steel while having several advantages. However, while the renewable nature of wood in construction is a beneficial property for climate mitigation policies, the process of biodegradation introduces a challenge for service life planning. A review of hazard mapping is presented while developing contemporary hazard maps, occurrence maps and projected hazard maps for 2050 using representative concentration pathways (RCP) 2.6 and 8.5. The risk of timber decay is expected to increase in most of Europe as the temperatures rise, with a... (More)

Construction using timber has seen a resurgence in light of global climate mitigation policies. Wood is a renewable resource, and engineered wood products are proving to be competitive against concrete and steel while having several advantages. However, while the renewable nature of wood in construction is a beneficial property for climate mitigation policies, the process of biodegradation introduces a challenge for service life planning. A review of hazard mapping is presented while developing contemporary hazard maps, occurrence maps and projected hazard maps for 2050 using representative concentration pathways (RCP) 2.6 and 8.5. The risk of timber decay is expected to increase in most of Europe as the temperatures rise, with a decrease expected in dryer regions. Termites are likely to experience a range expansion as more areas become suitable, while human activity and an increase in extreme weather events like floods are expected to facilitate dispersion. Marine borer species already present a risk in most European coastal regions; however, the effect of changes in water temperatures are likely to shift the boundaries for individual borer species. Overall, warmer climates are expected to increase the metabolic activity of all of these organisms leading to a general reduction in service life.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
decay risk, exposure model, fungi, marine borers, service life prediction, termites
in
Holzforschung
volume
76
issue
2
pages
23 pages
publisher
De Gruyter
external identifiers
  • scopus:85121664812
ISSN
0018-3830
DOI
10.1515/hf-2021-0169
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6103c17a-5eb9-40c7-8a17-4b44a42d44e5
date added to LUP
2022-03-23 12:21:55
date last changed
2022-04-24 00:03:29
@article{6103c17a-5eb9-40c7-8a17-4b44a42d44e5,
  abstract     = {{<p>Construction using timber has seen a resurgence in light of global climate mitigation policies. Wood is a renewable resource, and engineered wood products are proving to be competitive against concrete and steel while having several advantages. However, while the renewable nature of wood in construction is a beneficial property for climate mitigation policies, the process of biodegradation introduces a challenge for service life planning. A review of hazard mapping is presented while developing contemporary hazard maps, occurrence maps and projected hazard maps for 2050 using representative concentration pathways (RCP) 2.6 and 8.5. The risk of timber decay is expected to increase in most of Europe as the temperatures rise, with a decrease expected in dryer regions. Termites are likely to experience a range expansion as more areas become suitable, while human activity and an increase in extreme weather events like floods are expected to facilitate dispersion. Marine borer species already present a risk in most European coastal regions; however, the effect of changes in water temperatures are likely to shift the boundaries for individual borer species. Overall, warmer climates are expected to increase the metabolic activity of all of these organisms leading to a general reduction in service life. </p>}},
  author       = {{Van Niekerk, Philip B. and Marais, Brendan N. and Brischke, Christian and Borges, Luisa M.S. and Kutnik, Magdalena and Niklewski, Jonas and Ansard, David and Humar, Miha and Cragg, Simon M. and Militz, Holger}},
  issn         = {{0018-3830}},
  keywords     = {{decay risk; exposure model; fungi; marine borers; service life prediction; termites}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{188--210}},
  publisher    = {{De Gruyter}},
  series       = {{Holzforschung}},
  title        = {{Mapping the biotic degradation hazard of wood in Europe - Biophysical background, engineering applications, and climate change-induced prospects}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/hf-2021-0169}},
  doi          = {{10.1515/hf-2021-0169}},
  volume       = {{76}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}