Search Menu
DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information
Search Scholarly Publications

Title: Critical wind speeds suggest wind could be an important disturbance agent in Amazonian forests

Abstract

Abstract Recent research in the central Amazon suggests that wind is a major agent of disturbance, however, a mechanistic understanding of how wind may lead to tree mortality in Amazonian forests remains unclear. Here we estimated wind speeds necessary to topple central Amazon trees by linking both static and dynamic versions of two wind speed estimation methods (four methods total) to field data on tree failure derived from a static winching study. Static versions of these methods assumed invariant wind characteristics as more trees failed, while dynamic versions updated tree spacing, leaf area index and wind profiles progressively after each tree failure. First, we used a profile method which estimates wind force on individual trees by segments. We calculated drag on each segment and converted drag into basal turning moment, and compared the summed turning moments to the critical turning moment measured in the winching study. Estimated critical wind speeds from the static profile method varied greatly, from 10.75 m s−1 to >120.0 m s−1 with a mean of 45.70 m s−1. Critical wind speeds estimated with static approaches decreased with tree size but were not significantly different between two focal genera. Primary drivers of variation in critical wind speedmore » were tree height and crown size. Second, we used the turning moment coefficient method of Hale, S.E., Gardiner, B., Peace, A., Nicoll, B., Taylor, P. and Pizzirani, S. 2015 Comparison and validation of three versions of a forest wind risk model. Environ. Model. Softw.68, 27–41. doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2015.01.016.; the static version of this method yielded less-variable estimates, ranging from 18.98 to 52.01 m s−1, with a mean of 30.88 m s−1. Notably, the two static methods for estimating critical wind speeds differed in the trees they identified as having the highest and lowest critical wind speeds. Dynamic variants of the above two methods produced greatly reduced ranges in CWS estimates for our study trees, because after the early tree failures, remaining trees were subject to greater wind penetration into the stand and thus greater loading for a given above-canopy wind speed. CWS estimated with dynamic approaches differed significantly between the focal taxa. Nevertheless, both estimates suggest that wind speeds commonly observed during Amazon storms are sufficient to produce widespread tree damage and mortality.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [3];  [2];  [2];  [5]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
  2. Brazil’s National Institute for Amazonian Research, Manaus-AM, Brazil
  3. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Climate Science Department, Berkeley, CA, USA
  4. Brazil’s National Institute for Amazonian Research, Manaus-AM, Brazil, Biogeochemical Processes Department, Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany, Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
  5. Colorado State University, Colorado Forest Restoration Institute, Fort Collins, CO, USA
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1523301
Resource Type:
Published Article
Journal Name:
Forestry
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Forestry Journal Volume: 92 Journal Issue: 4; Journal ID: ISSN 0015-752X
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Country of Publication:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

Citation Formats

Peterson, Chris J., Ribeiro, Gabriel Henrique Pires de Mello, Negrón-Juárez, Robinson, Marra, Daniel Magnabosco, Chambers, Jeffrey Q., Higuchi, Niro, Lima, Adriano, and Cannon, Jeffery B. Critical wind speeds suggest wind could be an important disturbance agent in Amazonian forests. United Kingdom: N. p., 2019. Web. doi:10.1093/forestry/cpz025.
Copy to clipboard
Peterson, Chris J., Ribeiro, Gabriel Henrique Pires de Mello, Negrón-Juárez, Robinson, Marra, Daniel Magnabosco, Chambers, Jeffrey Q., Higuchi, Niro, Lima, Adriano, & Cannon, Jeffery B. Critical wind speeds suggest wind could be an important disturbance agent in Amazonian forests. United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpz025
Copy to clipboard
Peterson, Chris J., Ribeiro, Gabriel Henrique Pires de Mello, Negrón-Juárez, Robinson, Marra, Daniel Magnabosco, Chambers, Jeffrey Q., Higuchi, Niro, Lima, Adriano, and Cannon, Jeffery B. Wed . "Critical wind speeds suggest wind could be an important disturbance agent in Amazonian forests". United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpz025.
Copy to clipboard
@article{osti_1523301,
title = {Critical wind speeds suggest wind could be an important disturbance agent in Amazonian forests},
author = {Peterson, Chris J. and Ribeiro, Gabriel Henrique Pires de Mello and Negrón-Juárez, Robinson and Marra, Daniel Magnabosco and Chambers, Jeffrey Q. and Higuchi, Niro and Lima, Adriano and Cannon, Jeffery B.},
abstractNote = {Abstract Recent research in the central Amazon suggests that wind is a major agent of disturbance, however, a mechanistic understanding of how wind may lead to tree mortality in Amazonian forests remains unclear. Here we estimated wind speeds necessary to topple central Amazon trees by linking both static and dynamic versions of two wind speed estimation methods (four methods total) to field data on tree failure derived from a static winching study. Static versions of these methods assumed invariant wind characteristics as more trees failed, while dynamic versions updated tree spacing, leaf area index and wind profiles progressively after each tree failure. First, we used a profile method which estimates wind force on individual trees by segments. We calculated drag on each segment and converted drag into basal turning moment, and compared the summed turning moments to the critical turning moment measured in the winching study. Estimated critical wind speeds from the static profile method varied greatly, from 10.75 m s−1 to >120.0 m s−1 with a mean of 45.70 m s−1. Critical wind speeds estimated with static approaches decreased with tree size but were not significantly different between two focal genera. Primary drivers of variation in critical wind speed were tree height and crown size. Second, we used the turning moment coefficient method of Hale, S.E., Gardiner, B., Peace, A., Nicoll, B., Taylor, P. and Pizzirani, S. 2015 Comparison and validation of three versions of a forest wind risk model. Environ. Model. Softw.68, 27–41. doi:10.1016/j.envsoft.2015.01.016.; the static version of this method yielded less-variable estimates, ranging from 18.98 to 52.01 m s−1, with a mean of 30.88 m s−1. Notably, the two static methods for estimating critical wind speeds differed in the trees they identified as having the highest and lowest critical wind speeds. Dynamic variants of the above two methods produced greatly reduced ranges in CWS estimates for our study trees, because after the early tree failures, remaining trees were subject to greater wind penetration into the stand and thus greater loading for a given above-canopy wind speed. CWS estimated with dynamic approaches differed significantly between the focal taxa. Nevertheless, both estimates suggest that wind speeds commonly observed during Amazon storms are sufficient to produce widespread tree damage and mortality.},
doi = {10.1093/forestry/cpz025},
journal = {Forestry},
number = 4,
volume = 92,
place = {United Kingdom},
year = {2019},
month = {5}
}
Copy to clipboard
Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record
https://doi.org/10.1093/forestry/cpz025
Copyright Statement
Other availability
Search WorldCat Search WorldCat to find libraries that may hold this journal
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 2 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science
Save / Share:
Export Metadata
Save to My Library
You must Sign In or Create an Account in order to save documents to your library.

Works referenced in this record:

A mechanistic model for calculating windthrow and stem breakage of Scots pines at stand age.
journal, January 1993

  • Peltola, Heli; Kellomäki, Seppo
  • Silva Fennica, Vol. 27, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.14214/sf.a15665

Análise da estrutura e do estoque de fitomassa de uma floresta secundária da região de Manaus AM, dez anos após corte raso seguido de fogo
journal, January 2007

  • Lima, Adriano José Nogueira; Teixeira, Liliane Marins; Carneiro, Vilany Matilla Colares
  • Acta Amazonica, Vol. 37, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1590/S0044-59672007000100005

Gap-Phase Regeneration in a Tropical Forest
journal, June 1985

Introducing tree interactions in wind damage simulation
journal, October 2007

Gap Partitioning among Tropical Rainforest Trees
journal, June 1980

Wind as a natural disturbance agent in forests: a synthesis
journal, September 2012

Estimating windthrow risk in balsam fir stands with the Forest Gales model
journal, April 2000

  • Ruel, J. -C.; Meunier, S.; Quine, C. P.
  • The Forestry Chronicle, Vol. 76, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.5558/tfc76329-2

Forest structure and carbon dynamics in Amazonian tropical rain forests
journal, June 2004

Mechanical vulnerability and resistance to snapping and uprooting for Central Amazon tree species
journal, November 2016

Comparison of two models for predicting the critical wind speeds required to damage coniferous trees
journal, May 2000

Windthrow Variability in Central Amazonia
journal, February 2017

  • Negrón-Juárez, Robinson; Jenkins, Hillary; Raupp, Carlos
  • Atmosphere, Vol. 8, Issue 12
  • DOI: 10.3390/atmos8020028

Analysis of the probability of failure for open-grown trees during wind storms
journal, July 2014

A mechanistic model for assessing the risk of wind and snow damage to single trees and stands of Scots pine, Norway spruce, and birch
journal, June 1999

  • Peltola, H.; Kellomäki, S.; Väisänen, H.
  • Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 29, Issue 6
  • DOI: 10.1139/x99-029

Radiação solar e distribuição vertical de área foliar em floresta - Reserva Biológica do Cuieiras ZF2, Manaus
journal, December 2005

Convective cloud downdrafts as the cause of large blowdowns in the Amazon rainforest
journal, March 1998

  • Garstang, M.; White, S.; Shugart, H. H.
  • Meteorology and Atmospheric Physics, Vol. 67, Issue 1-4
  • DOI: 10.1007/BF01277510

Widespread Amazon forest tree mortality from a single cross-basin squall line event: WIND-DRIVEN TREE MORTALITY IN AMAZONIA
journal, August 2010

  • Negrón-Juárez, Robinson I.; Chambers, Jeffrey Q.; Guimaraes, Giuliano
  • Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 37, Issue 16
  • DOI: 10.1029/2010GL043733

Modelling wind risk to Eucalyptus globulus (Labill.) stands
journal, April 2016

Vulnerability of Amazon forests to storm-driven tree mortality
journal, May 2018

  • Negrón-Juárez, Robinson I.; Holm, Jennifer A.; Marra, Daniel Magnabosco
  • Environmental Research Letters, Vol. 13, Issue 5
  • DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aabe9f

Simulating wind disturbance impacts on forest landscapes: Tree-level heterogeneity matters
journal, January 2014

Development of an individual tree-based mechanical model to predict wind damage within forest stands
journal, December 2004

  • Ancelin, Philippe; Courbaud, Benoît; Fourcaud, Thierry
  • Forest Ecology and Management, Vol. 203, Issue 1-3
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2004.07.067

Windthrows control biomass patterns and functional composition of Amazon forests
journal, October 2018

  • Magnabosco Marra, Daniel; Trumbore, Susan E.; Higuchi, Niro
  • Global Change Biology, Vol. 24, Issue 12
  • DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14457

Anchorage of coniferous trees in relation to species, soil type, and rooting depth
journal, July 2006

  • Nicoll, Bruce C.; Gardiner, Barry A.; Rayner, Bill
  • Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 36, Issue 7
  • DOI: 10.1139/x06-072

Variation of carbon and nitrogen cycling processes along a topographic gradient in a central Amazonian forest
journal, May 2004

Species and Stand Response to Catastrophic Wind in Central New England, U.S.A.
journal, March 1988

  • Foster, David R.
  • The Journal of Ecology, Vol. 76, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.2307/2260458

Forest Disturbance by Large Blowdowns in the Brazilian Amazon
journal, April 1994

  • Nelson, Bruce W.; Kapos, Valerie; Adams, John B.
  • Ecology, Vol. 75, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.2307/1941742

Landscape-scale consequences of differential tree mortality from catastrophic wind disturbance in the Amazon
journal, September 2016

  • Rifai, Sami W.; Urquiza Muñoz, José D.; Negrón-Juárez, Robinson I.
  • Ecological Applications, Vol. 26, Issue 7
  • DOI: 10.1002/eap.1368

Large-Scale Wind Disturbances Promote Tree Diversity in a Central Amazon Forest
journal, August 2014

Modelling the vulnerability of balsam fir forests to wind damage
journal, January 2005

Crown, stem and wood properties of wind-damaged and undamaged Sitka spruce
journal, September 2000

Taper Functions and their Application in Forest Inventory
journal, August 1969

  • Kozak, A.; Munro, D. D.; Smith, J. H. G.
  • The Forestry Chronicle, Vol. 45, Issue 4
  • DOI: 10.5558/tfc45278-4

Amazon Rainforest Exchange of Carbon and Subcanopy Air Flow: Manaus LBA Site—A Complex Terrain Condition
journal, January 2012

  • Tóta, Julio; Roy Fitzjarrald, David; da Silva Dias, Maria A. F.
  • The Scientific World Journal, Vol. 2012
  • DOI: 10.1100/2012/165067

Observing and Modeling the Vertical Wind Profile at Multiple Sites in and above the Amazon Rain Forest Canopy
journal, January 2017

  • Santana, Raoni Aquino Silva de; Dias-Júnior, Cléo Quaresma; Vale, Roseilson Souza do
  • Advances in Meteorology, Vol. 2017
  • DOI: 10.1155/2017/5436157

The effect of species, size, failure mode, and fire-scarring on tree stability
journal, November 2015

Wind damage propagation in forests
journal, December 2015

Modelling the windthrow risk for simulated forest stands of Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.)
journal, July 2005

  • Cucchi, Véronique; Meredieu, Céline; Stokes, Alexia
  • Forest Ecology and Management, Vol. 213, Issue 1-3
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2005.03.019

Mechanical stability of trees under static loads
journal, October 2006

Are irregular stands more windfirm?
journal, April 2002

A review of mechanistic modelling of wind damage risk to forests
journal, June 2008

Diameter increment and growth patterns for individual tree growing in Central Amazon, Brazil
journal, August 2002

  • da Silva, Roseana Pereira; dos Santos, Joaquim; Tribuzy, Edgard Siza
  • Forest Ecology and Management, Vol. 166, Issue 1-3
  • DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1127(01)00678-8

Variance-based sensitivity analysis of a wind risk model - Model behaviour and lessons for forest modelling
journal, January 2017

Mechanistic and statistical approaches to predicting wind damage to individual maritime pine ( Pinus pinaster ) trees in forests
journal, January 2016

  • Kamimura, Kana; Gardiner, Barry; Dupont, Sylvain
  • Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 46, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1139/cjfr-2015-0237

Comparison and validation of three versions of a forest wind risk model
journal, June 2015

Observations and predictions of wind damage to Larix kaempferi trees following thinning at an early growth stage
journal, February 2017

  • Kamimura, Kana; Gardiner, Barry A.; Koga, Shinya
  • Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 90, Issue 4
  • DOI: 10.1093/forestry/cpx006

Produtividade de quatro espécies arbóreas de Terra Firme da Amazônia Central
journal, March 2009

HAND, a new terrain descriptor using SRTM-DEM: Mapping terra-firme rainforest environments in Amazonia
journal, September 2008

  • Rennó, Camilo Daleles; Nobre, Antonio Donato; Cuartas, Luz Adriana
  • Remote Sensing of Environment, Vol. 112, Issue 9
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2008.03.018

Wind loading of trees: influence of tree size and competition
journal, November 2010

  • Hale, Sophie E.; Gardiner, Barry A.; Wellpott, Axel
  • European Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 131, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1007/s10342-010-0448-2

Review: Wind impacts on plant growth, mechanics and damage
journal, April 2016

Crown reconfiguration and trunk stress in deciduous trees
journal, June 2008

  • Kane, Brian; Pavlis, Michael; Harris, J. Roger
  • Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 38, Issue 6
  • DOI: 10.1139/X07-225

Improving statistical windthrow modeling of 2 Fagus sylvatica stand structures through mechanical analysis
journal, February 2013

Fire, fragmentation, and windstorms: A recipe for tropical forest degradation
journal, October 2018

  • Silvério, Divino V.; Brando, Paulo M.; Bustamante, Mercedes M. C.
  • Journal of Ecology, Vol. 107, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.13076

The steady-state mosaic of disturbance and succession across an old-growth Central Amazon forest landscape
journal, January 2013

  • Chambers, J. Q.; Negron-Juarez, R. I.; Marra, D. M.
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 110, Issue 10
  • DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1202894110

Use of machine learning techniques to model wind damage to forests
journal, February 2019

Management of transformation in central Europe
journal, October 2001

Regional distribution of large blowdown patches across Amazonia in 2005 caused by a single convective squall line: Distribution of Amazonia Blowdown Damage
journal, August 2017

  • Araujo, Raquel Fernandes; Nelson, Bruce Walker; Celes, Carlos Henrique Souza
  • Geophysical Research Letters, Vol. 44, Issue 15
  • DOI: 10.1002/2017GL073564

Wind tunnel measurements of crown streamlining and drag relationships for several hardwood species
journal, May 2005

  • Vollsinger, Stephan; Mitchell, Stephen J.; Byrne, Kenneth E.
  • Canadian Journal of Forest Research, Vol. 35, Issue 5
  • DOI: 10.1139/x05-051

Canopy Gaps and the Two Major Groups of Forest Trees
journal, June 1989

    Sort by:
    [ × clear filter / sort ]

    Similar Records in DOE PAGES and OSTI.GOV collections: