Abstract
The January 1998 ice storm broke off tree crowns across a wide geographic area in northeastern North America, and forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hubner) defoliated some of the same stands in 2004–2007. We assessed the post-event growth responses of upper canopy sugar maples (Acersaccharum Marsh.) in previously thinned and recently rehabilitated even-aged northern hardwood stands in New York State, USA. Cores from ice-storm-damaged trees showed an initial radial growth reduction, a recovery after one year, and an increase to or above pre-storm levels after three years. A later forest tent caterpillar defoliation in the same stand caused a second reduction of growth, and another recovery after one year. We observed greater post-storm radial growth on trees released by a post-ice storm rehabilitation treatment than in the untreated control, with growth exceeding pre-storm rates. Cores from another site thinned 38 years earlier and impacted only by the forest tent caterpillar showed a more moderate growth reduction, and a prompt but smaller post-defoliation growth response than among trees affected by both the ice storm and defoliation. Findings reflect the potential for growth of upper canopy sugar maple trees to recover after a single or two closely occurring crown disturbances, and provide guidance to managers who must decide about removing or continuing to manage stands after similar kinds of ice storm damage or defoliation.
Highlights
Accepted: 11 May 2021Ice storms have occurred intermittently across northeastern North America for decades and will recur at unpredictable intervals in years ahead [1,2,3,4]
Much depends on the kinds and quality of trees affected by the ice loading, the extent of damage to them, and the prospects for crown and growth recovery
This became a widespread concern after a large-scale ice storm in January 1998 damaged crowns of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and other northern hardwoods across northern New York, New England, and eastern Canada
Summary
Accepted: 11 May 2021Ice storms have occurred intermittently across northeastern North America for decades and will recur at unpredictable intervals in years ahead [1,2,3,4]. Landowners must decide about continuing to manage a damaged stand, or remove it to recover the value in standing and fallen trees. Much depends on the kinds and quality of trees affected by the ice loading, the extent of damage to them, and the prospects for crown and growth recovery. This became a widespread concern after a large-scale ice storm in January 1998 damaged crowns of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and other northern hardwoods across northern New York, New England, and eastern Canada. Topography, slope, aspect, previous management history, overall tree health, tree age, growth form, size, diameter, and crown structure and position all influenced the level of damage [1,4,5,6]
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