Factors influencing ice and snow damage to Pinus taiwanensis in Jiulongshan Nature Reserve,China

Aims Our objective was to investigate ice and snow damage to Pinus taiwanensis,which is widely grown in plantations in Jiulongshan Nature Reserve,Zhejiang Province,China. Findings will assist sustainable management of plantations exposed to such natural events. Methods We investigated 6 000 m2 plots representative of the geographic distribution of Pinus taiwanensis and features of the affected area. Differences of resistance to ice and snow damage were analyzed in relation to tree height,diameter at breast height(DBH) ,crown width and other tree characteristics. We also analyzed damage by altitude. Important findings Pinus taiwanensis was severely damaged by ice and snow. Many individuals with different damage types,except stem bending,were found in the plots,but crown breakage was most common. Resistance to ice and snow damage depended on tree size. Trees with greater DBH and height were susceptible to limb and crown breakage,while ones with smaller DBH and height were susceptible to stem breakage and uprooting. Moreover,most trees killed were saplings with smaller DBH and shorter height. There were large differences of damage types among trees with different crown widths. Those with larger crown width had more serious damage,such as stem breakage and uprooting. Taper,crown relative height and degree of crown heterogeneity greatly influenced resistance to ice and snow damage. Pinus taiwanensis was seriously damaged in higher altitudes,with stem breakage and uprooted trees distributed mainly at 950–1 000 m.