Tree Species Traits but Not Diversity Mitigate Stem Breakage in a Subtropical Forest following a Rare and Extreme Ice Storm

Abstract

Future climates are likely to include extreme events, which in turn have great impacts on ecological systems. In this study, we investigated possible effects that could mitigate stem breakage caused by a rare and extreme ice storm in a Chinese subtropical forest across a gradient of forest diversity. We used Bayesian modeling to correct stem breakage for tree size and variance components analysis to quantify the influence of taxon, leaf and wood functional traits, and stand level properties on the probability of stem breakage. We show that the taxon explained four times more variance in individual stem breakage than did stand level properties; trees with higher specific leaf area (SLA) were less susceptible to breakage. However, a large part of the variation at the taxon scale remained unexplained, implying that unmeasured or undefined traits could be used to predict damage caused by ice storms. When aggregated at the plot level, functional diversity and wood density increased after the ice storm. We suggest that for the adaption of forest management to climate change, much can still be learned from looking at functional traits at the taxon level.

Altered dynamics of broad‐leaved tree species in a Chinese subtropical montane mixed forest: the role of an anomalous extreme 2008 ice storm episode

“…2011b), and maintained high leaf photosynthetic capacity concurrently with low freezing resistance, suffered more physical and physiological damage from the ice storm than the deciduous (Nadrowski et al. 2014; Rehm et al. 2014).…”

“…2011b; Nadrowski et al. 2014). Furthermore, ice storm-damaged canopies induced low recruitment of some species via reduced flowering opportunities, seed production (Du et al.…”

Damage assessment to subtropical forests following the 2008 Chinese ice storm

“…Tree size was an important factor in determining its susceptibility to ice damage (Rhoads et al 2002, Wang et al 2009, Su et al 2010, Man et al 2011, Nadrowski et al 2014. Many studies reported that larger trees received more damage from ice storms (Platt et al 2000, Nielsen et al 2003, Su et al 2010, Man et al 2011.…”

“…Partly because of this, ice storms and their associated risks are rarely considered in ecosystem management (Zhou et al 2011b). Ice damage to trees is likely to depend on tree size, crown form, wood mechanical properties, stand structure, and many other factors in addition to ice storm intensity (Nadrowski et al 2014). Since ice storms do not occur frequently in subtropical regions, research does not usually address ice damage to subtropical forests, where biodiversity is higher and the ecosystem structure is more complex than temperate forests (Bragg et al 2003, Nadrowski et al 2014.…”

“…Ice damage to trees is likely to depend on tree size, crown form, wood mechanical properties, stand structure, and many other factors in addition to ice storm intensity (Nadrowski et al 2014). Since ice storms do not occur frequently in subtropical regions, research does not usually address ice damage to subtropical forests, where biodiversity is higher and the ecosystem structure is more complex than temperate forests (Bragg et al 2003, Nadrowski et al 2014. Little is known about the responses of subtropical forest trees to extreme disturbance of ice storms, which may increase in the coming decades in response to changes in climate, as current models suggested (Rustadlindsey & Campbelljohn 2012, Klima & Morgan 2015.…”