Abstract

The response of four tree species, Acer saccharum Marsh., Acer rubrum L., Populus tremuloides Michx., and Betula populifolia Marsh. to ice storm damage was studied in the Northern Hardwood Forest of southwestern Quebec, Canada. The focus of the study was the analysis of tree damage resulting from ice accumulation ranging from 2 to 88 millimeters radial thickness at the species, stand, and regional levels, and to assess the role of the combined effect of ice and wind stress. The study showed that ice accumulation was the primary determinant of tree damage (measured as the mean percent of canopy removed) and that individual species respond differently to ice-loading stress. Stand position (edge versus interior) did not influence susceptibility to damage. The study also showed that smaller stems are more inclined to suffer bending injury, and larger stems are more prone to snapping and crown loss damage. Finally, the research demonstrated that wind was not a significant factor influencing forest periphery damage, but tree damage in forest interiors is influenced by the combined effect of ice accretion and wind-loading. The results of the study offer a unique perspective on tree response to a single ice storm in which stem damage is linked to specific ice accretion measurements over a widespread area.