8.03.06 - Impact of wind on forests

UNIT NOTICEBOARD

2023-07-18

Call for Papers: Special issue of Forest Ecology and Management

"IUFRO 10th Wind and Trees Conference"

We are seeking papers connected with the issues discussed at the recent IUFRO 8.03.06 Wind and Trees conference in Castelfranco Veneto, Italy. The focus of the conference was an understanding of the processes of wind damage to trees and forests and how we use this knowledge to develop resistant and resilient forests in our changed climate. We are therefore looking for papers that address the following issues:

  • Understanding damage patterns and processes to trees due to windstorms: Papers describing observations from actual windstorms under a range of conditions and for different tree environments from urban forests to large-scale forestry are welcome.
  • The mechanics of wind damage including uprooting, branch breakage and stem breakage: Of particular interest is wind loading on trees, measurements of tree resistance to damage, tree dynamical behaviour, and incorporating our knowledge into tools and models for predicting damage to trees under a range of conditions.
  • Airflow over forests and in forested complex terrain: Knowledge of airflow in complex forested terrain is critical to improve our understanding of wind damage in hilly or mountainous areas. Papers describing new measurements and modelling of airflow in complex forested or wooded terrain are very welcome.
  • Tree acclimation and adaptation to the wind and how we use an understanding of these processes to anticipate changes to tree growth and resistance to the wind: Although we have known for a long-time that trees can acclimate to their wind environment the actual processes involved and the speed of response to changes in wind environment are topics that are extremely pertinent and directly relevant to designing more resilient forest and woodlands.
  • Designing wind-resistant and resilient forests: We have a lot of knowledge of the mechanics of wind damage and the behaviour of trees under chronic and extreme wind loading. A next step is to translate that knowledge into practical advice for improving resistance and resilience of forests and woodlands. The need for this knowledge is acknowledged by practitioners operating under many social and economic conditions, as climate and wind regimes are changing across the globe. In addition, acknowledging and understanding the connection between wind damage and other hazards such as snow damage, insect outbreaks, drought, rockfall and avalanches is critical for developing a holistic understanding of forest resilience.

We hope that this special issue will contain a range of papers covering all the issues of concern in developing forests that are more resilient to wind damage and associated hazards. In addition, we believe that the special issue will provide a step-change in our understanding of the whole subject of wind damage to trees and forests and provide a solid and valuable resource for future research work in this scientific area.

Guest editors:
Dr. Natasha Ribeiro, Dr. Barry Gardiner, Prof. Emanuele Lingua, Associ. Prof. Kana Kamimura, Ms. Amanda Bunce, Prof. Dirk Schindler, Dr. Maximiliano Costa, Dr. Yi-Ying Chen, Dr. Tom Locatelli

Manuscript Submission Deadline:  extended to 29 February 2024!

Further details:   https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/forest-ecology-and-management/about/call-for-papers#iufro-10th-wind-and-trees-conference  

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Coordinator:

Dirk Schindler, Germany

Deputies:

Amanda Bunce, United States

Kana Kamimura, Japan

Tom Locatelli, United Kingdom

About Unit

This group of international researchers (recently renumbered from 8.01.11 to 8.03.06) focuses on the mechanics of wind interactions with trees, the biology of acclimative growth, and the ecological impacts of wind on forest ecosystems. Our members work together on collaborative projects, many of which focus on the development of process models for tree and stand-level windthrow risk prediction. We hold a three-day conference every 4 to 5 years. The purpose of this Unit is to promote knowledge exchange and collaborative interactions.


State of Knowledge

Group members have developed non-spatial mechanistic windthrow risk models for uniform-structured stands, and tree-level models of tree-behaviour under load. Hot topics include: characterizing wind flow over complex terrain and through forest canopies; incorporating spatial and structural complexity in windthrow risk models; developing biomechanical models of acclimative growth; and characterizing ecosystem responses to recurring wind disturbances.

The list of topics under investigation includes:

  • Atmospheric boundary layer flow over rough surfaces
  • Airflow over forest stands, edges and clearings
  • Airflow over natural shelter belts
  • Mechanics of trees under wind loading
  • Acclimative growth response of trees
  • Silviculture and harvest design to reduce wind damage
  • Post-storm damage responses
  • Wind climatology
  • Topography effects in wind loading on trees
  • Physical modelling of airflow around trees
  • Failure criteria of trees
  • Ecological dynamics and strong winds
  • Tree level management to reduce wind damage

Activities and events Unit 8.03.06

Upcoming event

From/ToTitleLocation
2024-04-09
2024-04-11
IUFRO ForestGALES/fgr Workshop 2024Edinburgh, United Kingdom

More activities and events (1 total)
Calendar of Meetings