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The influence of storm-induced microsites to tree regeneration patterns in boreal and hemiboreal forest

  • Special Feature: Review
  • Approaches for forest disturbances studies: natural variability and tree regeneration
  • Published:
Journal of Forest Research

Abstract

We reviewed studies dealing with regeneration under variable conditions in boreal and hemiboreal forests as affected by different microsite types by tree species functional groups. Generally, the importance of storm-induced microsites for regeneration dynamics in boreal forests depends on several factors: (1) distribution and type of microsites (generated by storm characteristics and stand conditions); (2) viable seed supply (stand history, species dispersal traits and status of surviving trees) and their species’ life history strategy; (3) climatic and site conditions (pre-storm conditions and storm-induced changes); and (4) delayed storm effects, such as retarded falling of trees, favoured vegetation growth, etc. Studies acknowledging the significance of microsites were mostly related to intermediate or severe events, causing sufficient changes in resource levels and growth conditions, and influencing extrinsic factors such as frost heaving, erosion and browsing. Also, the dispersal traits of available tree species, including sprouting and response of surviving trees, such as canopy expansion, should be considered in evaluating microsite importance in individual cases. In intermediate to severe windstorm events, pioneer species are generally profiting most from the additional offer in microsites, requiring bare mineral soil and elevated locations for their establishment and growth. Under gap dynamics, shade-tolerant species benefit from dead wood and elevated locations as these offer safe sites in stands with abundant understorey vegetation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank two anonymous reviewers for their constructive feedback. This study was supported by the Estonian Science Foundation Grant No. 8496, by the Estonian Ministry of Education and Science grant No. SF0170014s08, by a grant from the Estonian Environmental Investment Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Biology, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014, Tartu, Estonia

    Floortje Vodde, Kalev Jõgiste, Kajar Köster & Marek Metslaid

  2. Forest Ecology and Forest Management Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 47, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Floortje Vodde

  3. Laboratory of Ecology and Systematics, Faculty of Science, University of Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

    Yasuhiro Kubota

  4. Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Timo Kuuluvainen

  5. Department of Ecophysiology, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Viljandi mnt. 18B, 11216, Tallinn, Estonia

    Aljona Lukjanova

  6. Disturbance Ecology, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland

    Marek Metslaid

  7. Uryu Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Moshiri, Horokanai, Hokkaido, 074-0741, Japan

    Toshiya Yoshida

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  1. Floortje Vodde
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  2. Kalev Jõgiste
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Correspondence to Floortje Vodde.

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Vodde, F., Jõgiste, K., Kubota, Y. et al. The influence of storm-induced microsites to tree regeneration patterns in boreal and hemiboreal forest. J For Res 16, 155–167 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10310-011-0273-6

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