Severe Weather and Forest Impacts
Authored By: R. H. Beach, E. O. Sills, T. Liu, S. K. Pattanayak
This section describes characteristics of severe weather storms and selected major events that have taken place in recent years as well as resulting impacts on forests. These impacts include a variety of damages to trees because of excessive loadings by high winds, ice storms, and snow accumulation. In addition to immediate uprooting and stem breakage, heightened tree mortality can continue over time as a result of substantial crown loss. Even trees that recover may have suffered permanent internal damage that reduces wood quality. In addition, damaged stands are more prone to secondary damages from fire, disease, insects, and competing plants.
Subsections found in Severe Weather and Forest Impacts
- High Winds : Hurricane-strength winds can cause severe defoliation and directly damage and kill trees through uprooting, breakage and loss of minor and major branches, and stem breakage.
- Ice and Snow Storms : Recurring ice and snow storms are a significant hazard to forests in temperate climates.
- Increased Risk of Secondary Damages : The immediate loss of timber is not the only damage imposed by weather events.
- Economic Impacts : Because major severe weather events can cause the direct loss of great quantities of timber, large numbers of landowners can suffer revenue losses and the entire forest products sector can be affected.
Encyclopedia ID: p2993
