Current Research

Botanical wood anatomy

• Evolution of wood anatomical diversity in Croton
• Wood anatomical flood response to seasonal inundation
• Characterization of wood phenotype in naturally occurring tree mutants (Populus, Prunus, Acer)
• Cambial activity of cerrado species in relation to climate and ecology
• Micromechanical investigation of pit membranes in conifers

• Machine-vision wood identification (with John Hermanson, FPL)
• Standardize macroscopic imaging of wood
• Enhanced quantitation of traditional wood anatomical techniques (Acer, Swietenia)
• Anatomically informed DNA optimization of DNA extraction from wood
• Further develop organellar microcapture for trace evidence
• Develop bulk DNA extraction protocols applicable to a range of wood products

• The effect of scale on wood electrical properties and moisture relations from the ultrastructural to the growth ring level
• Practical methods to determine dimensional change coefficients for the flooring industry

• Product claim verification in forest products supply chains and improved monitoring and determination of best practices
• Isolation and quantification of tree-ring nitrogen
• Climate reconstruction of the Younger Dryas period
• Identification and dating of the wooden cultural patrimony of the Taino people

Research Interests

• Elucidate the evolutionary interplay between ecology and phylogeny in wood anatomy as determinants of structure-function of trees, shrubs, and lianas.
• Conduct foundational research and develop tools and methods to improve the ability of the wood industry to comply with - and law enforcement to apply - laws governing illegal logging.
• Improve the use and utility of wood as a material by researching the biological origins of fundamental wood properties at the mesoscale and how they influence wood behavior in a range of contexts.

Past Research

• Systematic wood anatomy
• Traditional wood identification
• Anatomical aspects of early wood colonization by wood decay fungi
Wood-finish and wood-adhesive interactions

Education

• University of Wisconsin at Madison, B.S. Department of Botany 1997
• University of Wisconsin at Madison, M.S. Department of Botany 2001
• University of Wisconsin at Madison, Ph.D. Department of Botany 2008

Professional Experience

Professional Organizations

• Wraith - Wood Research Against Illegal Timber Harvest, an Iawa Task Force, Chair (2015 - Current)
• International Association of Wood Anatomists, Exceutive Council Member (2012 - Current)
• International Association of Wood Anatomists, Editorial Board Member (2012 - present)
• International Association of Wood Anatomists, Member (2012 - present)
• International Association of Wood Anatomists, Associate Editor (2003 - present)

Featured Publications & Products

• Hermanson, John C.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2011. A brief review of machine vision in the context of automated wood identification systems.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2011. Chapter 05: Basic characters used in the identification of wood with a hand lens.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2012. Structure and Function of Wood.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Riina, Ricarda; Berry, Paul E. 2009. "Ray-intrusive" laticifers in species of Croton section Cyclostigma (Euphorbiaceae).
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2006. Wood evidence : proper collection, documentation, and storage of wood evidence from a crime scene.

Publications

• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Simeone, John ; Smith, Amy ; Parker-Forney, Meaghan ; Soares, Richard ; Fishman, Akiva . 2019. Fraud and misrepresentation in retail forest products exceeds U.S forensic wood science capacity.
• He, Tuo ; Jiao, Lichao ; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Yin, Yafang . 2019. Machine learning approaches outperform distance- and tree-based methods for DNA barcoding of Pterocarpus wood.
• Hermanson, John C.; Dostal, David ; Destree, Joseph C.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2019. The XyloScope A field-deployable macroscopic digital imaging device for wood.
• Zhang, Maomao ; Zhao, Guangjie ; Guo, Juan ; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Liu, Charles C.; Yin, Yafang . 2019. Timber species identification from chemical fingerprints using direct analysis in real time (DART) coupled to Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR-MS): comparison of wood samples subjected to different treatments.
• Ravindran, Prabu ; Costa, Adriana ; Soares, Richard ; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2018. Classification of CITES-listed and other neotropical Meliaceae wood images using convolutional neural networks.
• Jiao, Lichao ; Yu, Min ; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; He, Tuo ; Li, Jianing ; Liu, Bo ; Jiang, Xiaomei ; Yin, Yafang . 2018. DNA barcode authentication and library development for the wood of six commercial Pterocarpus species: the critical role of xylarium specimens.
• Snel, Filipe A.; Braga, Jez W. B.; da Silva, Diego ; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Costa, Adriana ; Soares, Richard ; Coradin, Vera T. R.; Pastore, Tereza C. M. 2018. Potential field-deployable NIRS identification of seven Dalbergia species listed by CITES.
• Ostapkowicz, Joanna ; Roberts, Alison ; Thistlewood, Jevon ; Brock, Fiona ; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Snoeck, Chrostophe ; Schulting, Rick ; Bray, Warwick . 2018. The origins of Tradescant s India Occidentali wooden clubs: 14C dating, material identification and strontium isotope studies.
• Ostapkowicz, Joanna ; Brock, Fiona ; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Snoeck, Christophe ; Pouncett, John ; Baksh-Comeau, Yasmin ; Schulting, Rick ; Claeys, Philippe ; Mattielli, Nadine ; Richards, Mike ; Boomert, Arie . 2017. Black pitch, carved histories: radiocarbon dating, wood species identification and strontium isotope analysis of prehistoric wood carvings from Trinidad s Pitch Lake.
• Yu, Min; Jiao, Lichao; Guo, Juan; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; He, Tuo; Jiang, Xiaomei; Yin, Yafang. 2017. DNA barcoding of vouchered xylarium wood specimens of nine endangered Dalbergia species.
• Arévalo, Rafael; van Ee, Benjamin W.; Riina, Ricarda; Berry, Paul E.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2017. Force of habit: shrubs, trees and contingent evolution of wood anatomical diversity using Croton (Euphorbiaceae) as a model system.
• Ostapkowicz, Joanna; Brock, Fiona; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Schulting, Rick; Saviola, Donatella. 2017. Integrating the old world into the new: an idol from the West Indies.
• Brock, Fiona ; Ostapkowicz, Joanna ; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Bull, Ian D. 2017. Radiocarbon dating wooden carvings and skeletal remains from Pitch Lake, Trinidad.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex . 2016. Best practice guide for forensic timber identification.
• Marcati, Carmen R.; Machado, Silvia R.; Podadera, Diego Sotto; Lara, Natalia O. Totti de; Bosio, Fabio; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2016. Cambial activity in dry and rainy season on branches from woody species growing in Brazilian Cerrado.
• Zelinka, Samuel L.; Passarini, Leandro; Colon Quintana, José L.; Glass, Samuel V.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2016. Cell wall domain and moisture content influence southern pine electrical conductivity.
• Ruffinatto, Flavio; Crivellaro, Alan; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2016. Lista dei caratteri macroscopici per l identificazione dei legni.
• Bergo, Maria C.J.; Pastore, Tereza C.M.; Coradin, Vera T.R.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Braga, Jez W.B. 2016. NIRS Identification of Swietenia Macrophylla is Robust Across Specimens from 27 Countries.
• Jakes, Joseph E.; Arzola, Xavier; Bergman, Richard; Ciesielski, Peter; Hunt, Christopher G.; Rahbar, Nima; Tshabalala, Mandla; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Zelinka, Samuel L. 2016. Not just lumber--Using wood in the sustainable future of materials, chemicals, and fuels.
• Lowe, Andrew J.; Dormontt, Eleanor E.; Bowie, Matthew J.; Degen, Bernd ; Gardner, Shelley ; Thomas, Darren ; Clarke, Caitlin ; Rimbawanto, Anto ; Wiedenhoeft, Alex ; Yin, Yafang ; Sasaki, Nophea . 2016. Opportunities for improved transparency in the timber trade through scientific verification.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Arévalo, Rafael; Ledbetter, Craig; Jakes, Joseph E. 2016. Structure property characterization of the crinkle-leaf peach wood phenotype: a future model system for wood properties research.
• Zelinka, Samuel L.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Glass, Samuel V.; Ruffinatto, Flavio. 2015. Anatomically informed mesoscale electrical impedance spectroscopy in southern pine and the electric field distribution for pin-type electric moisture metres.
• Zelinka, Samuel L.; Bourne, Keith J.; Hermanson, John C.; Glass, Samuel V.; Costa, Adriana; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2015. Force-displacement measurements of earlywood bordered pits using a mesomechanical tester.
• Dormontt, Eleanor E.; Boner, Markus; Braun, Birgit; Breulmann, Gerhard; Degen, Bernd; Espinoza, Edgard; Gardner, Shelley; Guillery, Phil; Hermanson, John C.; Koch, Gerald; Lee, Soon Leong; Kanashiro, Milton; Rimbawanto, Anto; Thomas, Darren; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Yin, Yafang; Zahnen, Johannes; Lowe, Andrew J. 2015. Forensic timber identification: It's time to integrate disciplines to combat illegal logging.
• Ruffinatto, Flavio; Crivellaro, Alan; Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2015. REVIEW OF MACROSCOPIC FEATURES FOR HARDWOOD AND SOFTWOOD IDENTIFICATION AND A PROPOSAL FOR A NEW CHARACTER LIST.
• Zelinka, Samuel L.; Quintana, José L. Colon; Glass, Samuel V.; Jakes, Joseph E.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2015. Subcellular Electrical Measurements as a Function of Wood Moisture Content.
• Panyushkina, Irina P.; Leavitt, Steven W.; Domack, Eugene W.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2015. Tree-Ring Investigation of Holocene Flood-Deposited Wood From the Oneida Lake Watershed, New York State.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2014. Chapter 9: Curating xylaria.
• Marcati, Carmen Regina; Longo, Leandro Roberto; Wiedenhoeft, Alex; Barros, Claudia Franca. 2014. Comparative wood anatomy of root and stem of Citharexylum myrianthum (Verbenaceae).
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Kretschmann, David E. 2014. Species Identification and Design Value Estimation of Wooden Members in Covered Bridges.
• Fan, Youran; Rupert, Kendal; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Woeste, Keith; Lexer, Christian; Meilan, Richard. 2013. Figured grain in aspen is heritable and not affected by graft-transmissible signals.
• Ostapkowicz, Joanna; Bronk-Ramsey, Christopher; Brock, Fiona; Higham, Tom; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Ribechini, Erika; Lucejko, Jeannette J.; Wilson, Samuel. 2012. Chronologies in wood and resin: AMS 14C dating of pre-Hispanic Caribbean Wood Sculpture.
• Zelinka, Samuel L.; Lambrecht, Michael J.; Glass, Samuel V.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Yelle, Daniel J. 2012. Examination of water phase transitions in Loblolly pine and cell wall components by differential scanning calorimetry.
• Brock, Fiona; Ostapkowicz, Joanna; Ramsey, Christopher Bronk; Wiedenhoeft, Alex; Cartwright, Caroline. 2012. Paired dating of pith and outer edge (terminus) samples from prehispanic Caribbean wooden sculptures.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2011. Chapter 01: Wood identification and pattern recognition.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2011. Chapter 02: Basic wood biology Anatomy for identification.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2011. Chapter 03: Correct use of a hand lens.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2011. Chapter 04: Bloodless wood specimen preparation for hand lens observation.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2011. Chapter 06: Identification key.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2011. Chapter 07: Species description pages.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2011. Chapter 08: Comments on, and additional information for, wood identification.
• Ostapkowicz, Joanna; Wiedenhoeft, Alex; Ramsey, Christopher Bronk; Ribechini, Erika; Wilson, Samuel; Brock, Fiona; Higham, Tom. 2011. Treasures ... of black wood, brilliantly polished : five examples of Taino sculpture from the tenth-sixteenth century Caribbean..
• Haack, Robert A.; Petrice, Toby R.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2010. Incidence of bark- and wood-boring insects in firewood: a survey at Michigan's Mackinac Bridge.
• Moon, Robert J.; Wells, Joseph; Kretschmann, David E.; Evans, James; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Frihart, Charles R. 2010. Influence of chemical treatments on moisture-induced dimensional change and elastic modulus of earlywood and latewood.
• Riina, Ricarda; van Ee, Benjamin; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Cardozo, Alfonso; Berry, Paul E. 2010. Sectional rearrangement of arborescent clades of Croton (Euphorbiaceae) in South America : evolution of arillate seeds and a new species, Croton domatifer.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2010. Structure and function of wood.
• Burke, Edward; Slavik, Norm; Bonura, Tony; Connelly, Dennis; Faris, Tom; Nebelsick, Arnie; Stuart, Brent; Williams, Sam; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2010. Understanding extractive bleed : wood extractives: distribution, properties, and classes.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2009. Biocentricity and economy of scale : hypothesis (and product) testing when wood is a part of an experimental system evaluating durability.
• Burke, Edward; Bonura, Tony; Carll, Charles G.; Connelly, Dennis; Hunt, Christopher; Mall, Doug; Nebelsick, Arnie; Slavik, Norm; Stuart, Brent; Wiedenhoeft, Alex; Williams, R. Sam. 2009. Improving the performance of painted wood siding : rain screen, end-grain seal, and back priming.
• Frihart, Charles R.; Yelle, Daniel J.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2008. What does moisture-related durability of wood bonds mean.
• Sheppard, Paul R.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex. 2007. An advancement in removing extraneous color from wood for low-magnification reflected-light image analysis of conifer tree rings.
• Carll, Charles G.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2007. Mechanical property loss and the occurrence of wood decay during experimental outdoor aging of wood based panels.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2007. The central role of wood biology in understanding the durability of wood-coating interactions.
• Hunter, R. Douglas; Panyushkina, Irina P.; Leavitt, Steven W.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Zawiskie, John. 2006. A multiproxy environmental investigation of Holocene wood from a submerged conifer forest in Lake Huron, USA.
• Leavitt, Steven W.; Panyushkina, Irina P.; Lange, Todd; Wiedenhoeft, Alex; Cheng, Li; Hunter, R. Douglas; Hughes, John; Pranschke, Frank; Schneider, Allan F.; Moran, Joseph; Stieglitz, Ron. 2006. Climate in the Great Lakes Region between 14,000 and 4000 years ago from isotopic composition of conifer wood.
• Berry, Paul E.; Cordeiro, Ines; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Vitorino-Cruz, Maria Amelia; Lima, Leticia Ribes de. 2005. Brasiliocroton : a new crotonoid genus of Euphorbiaceae s.s. from eastern Brazil.
• Ward, Joy K.; Harris, John M.; Cerling, Thure E.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex; Lott, Michael J.; Dearing, Maria-Denise; Coltrain, Joan B.; Ehleringer, James R. 2005. Carbon starvation in glacial trees recovered from the La Brea tar pits, southern California.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Miller, Regis B. 2005. Structure and function of wood.
• Berry, Paul E.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C. 2004. Micrandra inundata (Euphorbiaceae), a new species with unusual wood anatomy from black-water river banks in southern Venezuela.
• Panyushkina, Irina P.; Leavitt, Steven W.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex; Noggle, Sarah; Curry, Brandon; Grimm, Eric. 2004. Tree-ring records of near-Younger Dryas time in central North America : preliminary results from the Lincoln Quarry site, central Illinois, USA.
• Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Miller, Regis B.; Theim, Terra J. 2003. Analysis of three microscopic characters for separating the wood of Pinus contorta and P. ponderosa.
• Miller, Regis B.; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C.; Williams, R. Sam; Stockman, Willy; Green, Frederick. 2003. Characteristics of ten tropical hardwoods from certified forests in Bolivia. Part II, Natural durability to decay fungi.
• Hunt, Chris; Wiedenhoeft, Alex; Horn, Eric; Houtman, Carl. 2001. Evaluation of physical changes in wood during colonization by Ceriporiopsis submervispora.

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
FPL-2010-001	Centennial Edition, Wood Handbook—Wood as an Engineering Material The Wood Handbook—Wood as an Engineering Material serves as a primary reference document for a wide variety of users-from the general publ ...	2010
FPL-2018-26	Machine Vision Wood Identification of Endangered Tropical Woods Field identification of wood (screening) is the first step in a forensic workflow to combat illegal logging. Similarly, industries interested in ...	2018
FPL-2014-185	The Xylotron: A Field-Deployable Machine-Vision Wood Identification System The Xylotron is a machine-vision-based wood identification system that uses a custom-designed wood imaging device (the Xyloscope), image analysi ...	2014