Inter-provenance Variation of Abies sachalinensis in Wind Damage

Abstract

A provenance test stand of Abies sachalinensis, a major plantation woody species in Hokkaido, was severely damaged by a typhoon in 2016. Because this was a valuable opportunity to evaluate the inter-provenance variation in the susceptibility of trees to wind damage, we conducted a field study to assess the tree damage caused by the typhoon. The 37-year-old provenance test stand was located in the southern part of Hokkaido. Of the 1,594 trees in the test stand, 892 (52.6％) were damaged by the typhoon. Uprooting of trees was the most prominent damage, accounting for 47.7％ of the damaged trees. According to the model analysis, provenance was a significant factor associated with the occurrence of damage, indicating the clear inter-provenance variation in wind damage. Trees in South and West provenances, proximal to the test stand, and Eastern Edge provenance, distant to the stand, were resistant to wind damage. The difference in the ratio of intact trees to total trees among provenances was more than 50％ (72.6％ in the South provenance and 20.4％ in North provenance). It was suggested that inter-provenance variation in wind damage might be derived from local adaptation and/or genetic variation in the wind tolerance.