Vulnerability to strong winds for major tree species in a northern Japanese mixed forest: analyses of historical data

This study examined historical census data to evaluate the vulnerability of major tall-tree species in northern Japan to strong winds. Intensive data, which measured more than 20,000 damaged trees (defined as trees that were killed or lost their major crown) in >500 ha of a natural mixed forest, were collected immediately after a severe typhoon in 1954. More than half of the damaged trees had been uprooted, and the negative size-dependency was found for the proportion of uprooting throughout species. Simple correlation analyses with respect to the averaged species-specific characteristics suggested that tree species with a high crown-depth/height tended to uproot (against to stem breakage) in a size-class with diameter at breast height 30–50 cm. Although the census data had yielded no information about non-damaged trees, the estimation of pre-disturbed stand (based on 63 1-ha plot data together with aerial photographs and GIS) revealed that the observed damage reached ca. 25% in terms of basal area. The proportion of damaged trees seemed to be doubled among species (15–42% in basal area). A higher proportion of uprooting, which indicates a large supply of tip-up mounds, and mixture of less vulnerable species, might contribute to recovery process after a wind disturbance in this type of mixed forests.