Researchers from 40 countries—including local INTA representatives—joined efforts to develop a forest inventory that allows analyzing how wood properties vary, with a special focus on its density, based on different world ecoregions. With data from 1.1 million plots, which included 10,703 tree species, the work managed to confirm that wood density—a parameter referring to how much mass a given volume contains, which is key for industry and ecology—is modified according to region and vegetation type. INTA, in particular, contributed data about the Andean-Patagonian forest, which was later published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. "Wood density influences resistance and durability and this determines its use: hard woods like quebracho are destined for railroad ties or structures, while softer woods, like poplars, are used for paper or lightweight furniture," explained Pablo Peri, INTA Santa Cruz researcher and co-author of the study. But that's not all. Beyond its industrial use, ...