Factors affecting the snow and wind induced damage of a montane secondary forest in northeastern China

Abstract

In order to understand the processes of snow and wind induced damage in a natural montane, secondary forest in northeastern China, we examined the impacts of site conditions on the snow and wind damage; analyzed if the dominant tree species differed in their susceptibilities to the damage; and established the relationships between the characteristics of tree and stand and the damage. The results indicated that in regard to the topography factors, slope steepness and soil depth played a relatively important role for the damage. Damage ratios of all types combined were positively related with the composition of dominant tree species. The stand density was also important in determining resistance to the damage, i.e., the densely populated stand exhibited less overall damage ratios; however, the dominant tree species were commonly damaged easily by the snow and wind. Four damage modes found (uprooting, stem breakage, canopy damage and bending) were closely related to the stem taper (p < 0.05), and they could be ranked in following order: bending (92.0) > uprooting (85.3) > stem breakage (80.1) > canopy damage (65.0). In regard to differences in tree species' susceptibilities to the damage, Betula costata exhibited the most uprooting, bending and overall damage ratios; while Quercus mongolica showed the highest breakage (both stem breakage and canopy damage) ratio, and Fraxinus mandshurica exhibited the least damage ratio (overall). The major six tree species could also be divided into two groups according to the overall damage ratios, i.e., more susceptible ones (B. costata, Ulmus laciniata and Q. mongolica), and less susceptible ones (F. mandshurica, Acer mono and Juglans mandshurica) to the snow and wind damage.

Comparison of gap formation and distribution pattern induced by wind/snowstorm and flood in a temperate secondary forest ecosystem, Northeast China

“…Our previous research results indicated that the higher the altitude was, the larger the snowfall became (Li et al 2005). The trees being loaded by heavy snow were more vulnerable to breakage during the winds (Zhu et al 2006). In addition, trees growing on steep slopes usually have asymmetric crown and shallow roots, which increased the probability of canopy damage and uprooting (Li et al 2005).…”

“…The results coincide with the conclusion that the wind/snowstorm, as a kind of low-intensity windstorm disturbance, induced less damages than high-intensity disturbances (Frolking et al 2009), such as the flood in our study. Wind/ snowstorms damaged trees by bending, uprooting, canopy damage, and stem breakage (Li et al 2005;Zhu et al 2006). Only the vulnerable trees, such as the low-taper trees (Zhu et al 2006), those with rot diseases (Matlack et al 1993), or those with large crowns but shallow root systems (Shorohova et al 2009), were damaged by the wind/snowstorm.…”

“…Wind/ snowstorms damaged trees by bending, uprooting, canopy damage, and stem breakage (Li et al 2005;Zhu et al 2006). Only the vulnerable trees, such as the low-taper trees (Zhu et al 2006), those with rot diseases (Matlack et al 1993), or those with large crowns but shallow root systems (Shorohova et al 2009), were damaged by the wind/snowstorm. Thus, the wind/snowstorm usually caused individual tree-level death rather than the contiguous or group removal, creating gaps rather than vacant lands.…”

“…Under these temperature conditions, the snowfall was sticky and heavy. Wind gust speeds exceeding 10 m s -1 were observed every day after the heavy snow between 29 March and 4 April 2003 (Zhu et al 2006). In August 2013, a flood occurred after a heavy rainstorm (330 mm within eight hours), and caused widespread flood and landslides.…”

“…To minimize these threats, most of the secondary forests have been transformed to noncommercial forest ecosystems with the implementation of the Natural Forest Protection Project Zhu et al 2006). Natural disturbances, particularly those with large scales, have become the principal driving forces of gap formation.…”