Factors influencing ice and snow damage to Pinus taiwanensis in Jiulongshan Nature Reserve, China

doi:10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.02.014

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims Our objective was to investigate ice and snow damage to Pinus taiwanensis, which is widely grown in plantations in Jiulongshan Nature Reserve, Zhejiang Province, China. Findings will assist sustainable management of plantations exposed to such natural events.

Methods We investigated 6 000 m² plots representative of the geographic distribution of Pinus taiwanensis and features of the affected area. Differences of resistance to ice and snow damage were analyzed in relation to tree height, diameter at breast height (DBH), crown width and other tree characteristics. We also analyzed damage by altitude.

Important findings Pinus taiwanensis was severely damaged by ice and snow. Many individuals with different damage types, except stem bending, were found in the plots, but crown breakage was most common. Resistance to ice and snow damage depended on tree size. Trees with greater DBH and height were susceptible to limb and crown breakage, while ones with smaller DBH and height were susceptible to stem breakage and uprooting. Moreover, most trees killed were saplings with smaller DBH and shorter height. There were large differences of damage types among trees with different crown widths. Those with larger crown width had more serious damage, such as stem breakage and uprooting. Taper, crown relative height and degree of crown heterogeneity greatly influenced resistance to ice and snow damage. Pinus taiwanensis was seriously damaged in higher altitudes, with stem breakage and uprooted trees distributed mainly at 950-1 000 m.

Key words: damage types, ice and snow damage, influence, Pinus taiwanensis

ZHANG Zhi-Xiang, LIU Peng, QIU Zhi-Jun, LIU Chun-Sheng, CHEN Wei-Xin, LI Cheng-Hui, LIAO Jin-Ping, LI Hong-Jun. Factors influencing ice and snow damage to Pinus taiwanensis in Jiulongshan Nature Reserve, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2010, 34(2): 223-232.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.3773/j.issn.1005-264x.2010.02.014

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2010/V34/I2/223

Figures/Tables 10

Fig. 1 Distribution of Pinus taiwanensis under different damage types in plots.

Fig. 2 Total number of Pinus taiwanensis under different damage types. 1, winterkill; 2, limb breakage; 3, crown breakage; 4, stem breakage; 5, uprooting; 6, no damage.

Fig. 3 Quantitative distribution of Pinus taiwanensis of each damage types under different diameter at breast height (DBH) class. DBH class: 1, 2.5-5 cm; 2, 5-10 cm; 3, 10-15 cm; …

Fig. 4 Significance analysis of diameter at breast height (DBH) of Pinus taiwanensis under different damage types. Different letters a, b, c and d indicate that the differences among different damage types are significant at 0.05 levels. 1-6 are the same as Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 Quantitative distribution of Pinus taiwanensis of each damage types under different tree height class. Tree height class: 1, 3-5 m; 2, 5-7 m; 3, 7-9 m; …

Fig. 6 Significance analysis of tree height of Pinus taiwanensis under different damage types. 1-6 are the same as Fig. 2. The letters are the same as Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 Quantitative distribution of Pinus taiwanensis of each damage types under different crown width class. Crown width class: 1, 1.0-1.5 m; 2, 1.5-2.0 m; 3, 2.0-2.5 m; …

Fig. 8 Significance analysis of tree crown width of Pinus taiwanensis under different damage types. 1-6 are the same as Fig. 2. The letters are the same as Fig. 4.

Table 1 Analysis on taperness, crown relative height and crown inhomogeneous degree of Pinus taiwanensis under different damage types

受灾类型 Damage type	林木特征 Tree characteristic
受灾类型 Damage type	尖削度(胸径/树高) Taperness (DBH/H)	树冠相对高度(枝下高/树高) Crown relative height (CBH/H)	树冠不均匀程度 Crown inhomogeneous degree
冻死 Winterkill	0.013^ab ± 0.003	0.668^b ± 0.084	0.987^b ± 1.006
断大枝 Limb breakage	0.015^a ± 0.007	0.636^b ± 0.050	1.929^b ± 1.885
断冠 Crown breakage	0.014^ab ± 0.004	0.719^a ± 0.066	2.313^ab ± 2.030
断干 Stem breakage	0.012^b ± 0.003	0.662^b ± 0.067	3.390^a ± 2.565
掘根 Uprooting	0.011^b ± 0.003	0.634^b± 0.082	3.575^a ± 2.226
未受害 No damage	0.013^ab ± 0.003	0.714^a ± 0.044	1.476^b ± 1.294

Fig. 9 Relationship between altitude and tree number of Pinus taiwanensis of different damage types.

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