FTIR spectroscopy was used to distibetween
Forstbotanik und
beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) trees grown at five
different sites; one in middle Germany close to
Göttingen (forest district Reinhausen), three
located in the southwest (two in Rhineland-
Palatinate: forest districts Saarburg and
Hochwald, and one in Luxembourg), and one in
North-Rhine Westfalia. Detailed investigation of
the spectra in the fingerprint region (1800–600
cm-1) revealed 16 distinct peaks and shoulders,
most of which were assignable to wavenumbers
previously shown to represent wood compounds.
Differences in peak heights and peak ratios
indicated differences in wood composition of
beech trees from different sites. To determine if
the wood of individual trees could be
distinguished, principal component analysis
(PCA) and cluster analysis were performed using
FTIR spectra as input data. With both PCA and
cluster analysis, trees from four of the five
different sites were separated. It was not possible
to distinguish between trees from Saarburg and
Hochwald, where similar edaphic and climatic
conditions exist, while wood spectra from trees
from all other areas clearly segregated. Wood
collected at different positions in the stem
(bottom, crown, center and outer year rings) of
trees grown at the same site was not
distinguishable. Therefore, FTIR spectral
analysis in combination with multivariate
statistical methods can be used to distinguish
wood of trees from different growth habitats.
Extension of this method to other species may be
of great interest for wood certification, as it may
be possible to distinguish wood, of a given
species, originating from different regions.
Keywords certification, Fagus sylvatica, FTIR
spectroscopy, multivariate statistical method,
wood compositionFTIR spectroscopy in
combination with principal component analysis
or cluster analysis as a tool to distinguish beech
(Fagus sylvatica L.) trees grown at different sites
1Büsgen-Institut, Abtlg.
Baumphysiologie, Georg-August-Universität
Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Rumana Rana, 1
1Büsgen-Institut, Abtlg. Forstbotanik und
Baumphysiologie, Georg-August-Universität
Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
2Büsgen-Institut, Abtlg. Forstbotanik und
Baumphysiologie, Georg-August-Universität
Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Günter Müller, 2
2Büsgen-Institut, Abtlg. Forstbotanik und
Baumphysiologie, Georg-August-Universität
Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
3Büsgen-Institut, Abtlg. Forstbotanik und
Baumphysiologie, Georg-August-Universität
Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Annette Naumann, 3
3Büsgen-Institut, Abtlg. Forstbotanik und
Baumphysiologie, Georg-August-Universität
Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
4Büsgen-Institut, Abtlg. Forstbotanik und
Baumphysiologie, Georg-August-Universität
Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Andrea Polle, 4
4Büsgen-Institut, Abtlg. Forstbotanik und
Baumphysiologie, Georg-August-Universität
Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
Corresponding author. Büsgen-Institut, Abtlg.
Forstbotanik und Baumphysiologie, Georg-
August-Universität Göttingen, Büsgenweg 2,
37077 Göttingen, Germany Phone: +49-551-
393482 Fax: +49-551-3922705
Citation Information. Holzforschung. Volume 62,
Issue 5, Pages 530–538, ISSN (Online) 1437-
434X, ISSN (Print) 0018-3830, DOI:
10.1515/HF.2008.104, Available online:
22/07/2008, September 2008
Publication History: Received: 4/1/2008;
accepted: 30/5/2008; published online:
22/07/2008
Abstract
FTIR spectroscopy was used to distinguish
between beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) trees grown
at five different sites; one in middle Germany
close to Göttingen (forest district Reinhausen),
three located in the southwest (two in Rhineland-
Palatinate: forest districts Saarburg and
Hochwald, and one in Luxembourg), and one in
North-Rhine Westfalia. Detailed investigation of
the spectra in the fingerprint region (1800–600
cm-1) revealed 16 distinct peaks and shoulders,
most of which were assignable to wavenumbers
previously shown to represent wood compounds.
Differences in peak heights and peak ratios
indicated differences in wood composition of
beech trees from different sites. To determine if
the wood of individual trees could be
distinguished, principal component analysis
(PCA) and cluster analysis were performed using
FTIR spectra as input data. With both PCA and
cluster analysis, trees from four of the five
different sites were separated. It was not possible
to distinguish between trees from Saarburg and
Hochwald, where similar edaphic and climatic
conditions exist, while wood spectra from trees
from all other areas clearly segregated. Wood
collected at different positions in the stem
(bottom, crown, center and outer year rings) of
trees grown at the same site was not
distinguishable. Therefore, FTIR spectral
analysis in combination with multivariate
statistical methods can be used to distinguish
wood of trees from different growth habitats.
Extension of this method to other species may be
of great interest for wood certification, as it may
be possible to distinguish wood, of a given
species, originating from different regions.

Keywords certification, Fagus sylvatica, FTIR

spectroscopy, multivariate statistical method,
wood composition
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