Effects of an experimental ice storm on forest canopy structure
Effects of an experimental ice storm on forest canopy structure
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DOI：
10.1139/cjfr-2019-0276
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发表时间：
2020-02-01
影响因子：
2.2
通讯作者：
Schaberg, Paul G.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Fahey, Robert T.;Atkins, Jeff W.;Schaberg, Paul G.
中间扰动是许多森林扰动机制的重要组成部分，对冠层结构和相关功能的影响高度依赖于扰动的性质和强度。冰暴是温带森林的一种重要扰动机制，通常会导致中度、弥漫性的树冠损害。然而，以前不可能将冰暴强度（如冰积聚）的具体影响与扰动前的特征和地形因素区分开来。在这项研究中，我们利用一种新颖的实验性冰暴处理方法来评估不同的积冰水平对森林冠层结构的影响。我们的结果验证了冰暴扰动对近期冠层结构重组的显着影响。相对于扰动前基线和未扰动控制，冠层开放性、透光性和复杂性显着增加。我们记录了扰动强度的可变影响，因为显着的冠层变化主要发生在积冰水平 >= 12.7 毫米的情况下。反复的冰暴干扰（连续两年）对森林冠层结构的影响是边际的，而不是复合的。我们的研究结果有助于了解冰暴如何影响近期森林冠层结构重组和生态系统过程，并增加关于中间干扰对冠层结构影响的不断增长的知识基础。
Intermediate disturbances are an important component of many forest disturbance regimes, with effects on canopy structure and related functions that are highly dependent on the nature and intensity of the perturbation. Ice storms are an important disturbance mechanism in temperate forests that often result in moderate-severity, diffuse canopy damage. However, it has not previously been possible to distinguish the specific effect of ice storm intensity (as ice accretion) from predisturbance stand characteristics and physiographic factors. In this study, we utilized a novel experimental ice storm treatment to evaluate the effects of variable ice accretion levels on forest canopy structure. Our results verified significant impacts of ice storm disturbance on near-term canopy structural reorganization. Canopy openness, light transmission, and complexity increased significantly relative to predisturbance baselines and undisturbed controls. We documented variable impacts with disturbance intensity, as significant canopy changes largely occurred with ice accretion levels of >= 12.7 mm. Repeated ice storm disturbance (two consecutive years) had marginal, rather than compounding, effects on forest canopy structure. Our findings are relevant to understanding how ice storms can affect near-term forest canopy structural reorganization and ecosystem processes and add to a growing base of knowledge on the effects of intermediate disturbances on canopy structure.