Martín Alcalá-Pajares, Miguel Montoro Girona, Annie DesRochers
{"title":"Windthrow mortality influenced by natural root grafting in boreal jack pine forests","authors":"Martín Alcalá-Pajares, Miguel Montoro Girona, Annie DesRochers","doi":"10.1007/s00468-025-02624-y","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Key message</h3><p>Natural root grafting reduces tree uprooting likelihood and promotes stem breakage during windthrow events.</p><h3>Abstract</h3><p>Windthrow is a natural disturbance affecting forest dynamics, characterized by tree uprooting or stem breakage when wind forces surpass tree anchorage strength or stem resistance. Windthrow mortality has been related to several ecological biotic and abiotic factors. However, the influence of natural root grafting on windthrow mortality remains unknown. This research evaluated the influence of root grafting on windthrow mortality by excavating root systems of jack pine (<i>Pinus banksiana</i>) in four windthrow-affected riparian buffers and analyzing root grafts using a dendrochronological approach. Our results revealed that natural root grafting decreased the uprooting likelihood but increased the propensity for stem breakage. In addition, root grafting occurred more frequently in trees closer to one another. These results suggest that root grafting influences the windthrow mortality type, with tree proximity being a good predictor for root grafting. This study provides valuable insights into windthrow dynamics, particularly relevant for managing windthrow mortality following partial harvesting and riparian buffers, conserving soil, and mitigating the impacts of windthrow events in the face of climate change.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":805,"journal":{"name":"Trees","volume":"39 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00468-025-02624-y.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Trees","FirstCategoryId":"2","ListUrlMain":"https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00468-025-02624-y","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"FORESTRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Key message
Natural root grafting reduces tree uprooting likelihood and promotes stem breakage during windthrow events.
Abstract
Windthrow is a natural disturbance affecting forest dynamics, characterized by tree uprooting or stem breakage when wind forces surpass tree anchorage strength or stem resistance. Windthrow mortality has been related to several ecological biotic and abiotic factors. However, the influence of natural root grafting on windthrow mortality remains unknown. This research evaluated the influence of root grafting on windthrow mortality by excavating root systems of jack pine (Pinus banksiana) in four windthrow-affected riparian buffers and analyzing root grafts using a dendrochronological approach. Our results revealed that natural root grafting decreased the uprooting likelihood but increased the propensity for stem breakage. In addition, root grafting occurred more frequently in trees closer to one another. These results suggest that root grafting influences the windthrow mortality type, with tree proximity being a good predictor for root grafting. This study provides valuable insights into windthrow dynamics, particularly relevant for managing windthrow mortality following partial harvesting and riparian buffers, conserving soil, and mitigating the impacts of windthrow events in the face of climate change.
期刊介绍：
Trees - Structure and Function publishes original articles on the physiology, biochemistry, functional anatomy, structure and ecology of trees and other woody plants. Also presented are articles concerned with pathology and technological problems, when they contribute to the basic understanding of structure and function of trees. In addition to original articles and short communications, the journal publishes reviews on selected topics concerning the structure and function of trees.
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