Effects of ice storm damage on hardwood survival and growth in Ohio

Abstract

In 2003, an ice storm occurred across four Mid-Atlantic states. This study investigated the effects of the ice-storm damage on growth and mortality of five tree species (Acer rubrum, Acer saccharum, Quercus alba, Quercus prinus, and Quercus rubra) from three forest stands in the Wayne National Forest in Ohio. We remeasured the same trees five times between 2003 and 2009. Logistic regression analysis of mortality revealed significant (P < 0.05) effects of tree species, crown damage, and size class. We detected a significant effect of crown class on epicormic branching (P < 0.01), and saplings and poles as a group had significantly less dieback than sawtimber (P < 0.01). Dieback also varied according to crown class, with codominant and dominant trees having significantly (P < 0.05) more dieback than both intermediate and overtopped trees. We detected a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in diameter growth when >33% of a tree's crown was damaged. The results of this study will help forest managers to make decisions about salvage, sanitation, and forest rehabilitation efforts following ice storm damage.