I am looking for typical storm related microhabitats on trees after windthrow/windbreak such as large root plates, splintered tree trunks, broken limbs or forks etc. Currently I work in a windthrow in broadleaves (beech/oak) and the ones above are the most abundant TreMs there. Is there anything from your observations that is also typical/more frequent in disturbed stands in terms of new microhabitats?
what interesting! I am doing a same study in the mixed beech stands, totally cavities is the most frequent. Whereas the crown and stem breakage more affected by wind-throw and sometimes cracks .
I have worked with wildlife biologists. In some instances, depressions left retain water, provide some salamander and frog habitat. Areas with deep holes, retained roots, possible snake habitats, mice, etc. Trees falling into streams can provide a variety of aquatic habitats from large woody debris.
As far as I know these habitats favour establishment of some forest herbs and mosses in Canada (Ontario).
Few paper in open access journal:
Bobrovsky M.V., Loyko S.V. Patterns of pedoturbation by tree uprooting in forest soils. - Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology. – 2016. – Vol. 1 (1). DOI: 10.21685/2500-0578-2016-1-3.
Evstigneev O.I., Gornova M.V. MICROSITES AND MAINTENANCE OF FLORISTIC DIVERSITY OF TALL-HERB SPRUCE FOREST (EXAMPLE OF THE RYZHUKHA SWAMP NATURAL MONUMENT, BRYANSK REGION) – Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology. – 2017. – Vol. 2 (2). – DOI 10.21685/2500-0578-2017-2-2.
Ripa S.I. THE ROLE OF TREEFALL COMPLEXES IN REGENERATION OF TREE SPECIES AND IN MAINTAINING OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF NATURAL BEECH AND DARK CONIFEROUS-BEECH FORESTS OF THE UKRAINIAN CARPATHIANS// Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology. – 2017. – Vol. 2 (2). – DOI 10.21685/2500-0578-2017-2-3
What you mention is very typical - Can show you a lot of photos from different parts of the taiga forests - you also have the more complete blow-downs of larger areas creating a lot of Wood on the ground. What effects you have over time depend on site and humidity and time. Regrowth of New trees /possible change of tree species and multilayered forests are a more longterm result. Vegetation on the forest floor might chnage due to moe light exposure ---.
In central British Columbia we have a classification seen here in BC Government Working Paper 50 https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/pubs/docs/wp/wp50.pdf for functional habitat structure occurring on coarse woody debris and live or dead wildlife trees. Depending on the mode of windthrow (CWD) there are a number of cavities especially associated with hinge-throw at the base of the roots (CWD-1) and with the ensuing root-wad (CWD-3). Burrowing substrate is also created beneath the CWD (CWD2 and CWD-4). These structural attribute provide unique habitat for both plants and animals. Also, as these CWD decay they provide more substrate for a variety of habitats such as amphibians and reptiles and also act has nurse substrate for the establishment of seedlings especially on cold wet sites.
Abundance and attributes of wildlife trees and coarse woody debris
at three silvicultural systems study areas in the Interior
Cedar-Hemlock Zone, British Columbia
Susan K. Stevenson *, Michael J. Jull, Bruce J. Rogers http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.570.6912&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Some information about the microhabitats after windthrow in the northern taiga of Western Siberia is available here:
Presentation Morphological diagnostics of treefall-related pedoturbations...
There is also a selection of geo-referenced photos:
http://photosoil.ru/events/tag/1/
http://photosoil.tsu.ru/en/content/pinus-sibirica-windthrow/
http://photosoil.tsu.ru/en/node/128/
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