Wood is formed in an essentially water-saturated environment in the living tree, and the cell wall remains in this state until the water flow from the roots is interrupted, such as by felling the tree. The wood then begins to lose most of its moisture by drying, resulting in changes in most of its physical properties. These changes, and their relationship to the environment to which the wood is subsequently ex posed, are the subject of this book. The text consists of six chapters. The first chapter discusses cer tain empirical relationships between wood and water, methods of measuring wood moisture content, factors which affect its equilib rium moisture content, and the effect of moisture content on wood strength. The second chapter treats the thermodynamics of moisture sorption by wood, inc1uding enthalpy, entropy, and free energy changes. The third chapter discusses some of the theories which have been proposed to explain the sorption isotherms for hygroscopic ma terials such as wood. Chapter 4 considers hygroexpansion or the shrinking and swelling of wood associated with moisture change. Chapter 5 is concerned with how moisture moves through the cell wall of wood in response to both moisture and temperature gradients. The sixth and final chapter discusses the theoretical and practical aspects of the electrical resistance and dielectric properties of wood, in c1uding the principles involved in their application in electrical moisture meters.

Water management plays an increasingly critical role in national and international policy agendas. Growing scarcity, overuse, and pollution, combined with burgeoning demand, have made socio-political and economic conflicts almost unavoidable. Proposals to address water shortages are usually based on two key assumptions: (1) water is a commodity that can be bought and sold and (2) “states,” or other centralized entities, should control access to water. Liquid Relations criticizes these assumptions from a socio-legal perspective. Eleven case studies examine laws, distribution, and irrigation in regions around the world, including the United States, Nepal, Indonesia, Chile, Ecuador, India, and South Africa. In each case, problems are shown to be both ecological and human-made. The essays also consider the ways that gender, ethnicity, and class differences influence water rights and control. In the concluding chapter, the editors draw on the essays’ findings to offer an alternative approach to water rights and water governance issues. By showing how issues like water scarcity and competition are embedded in specific resource use and management histories, this volume highlights the need for analyses and solutions that are context-specific rather than universal.