The Uprooting of Trees: A Forest Process

For many years the uprooting of trees has been recognized as a natural phenomenon. As such, it has usually been regarded as one of freakish occurrence noted for its direct and catastrophic results upon the trees immediately affected. Uprooting, it seems, has seldom been considered with enough perspective to reveal its basic relationship to the forest. A form of very detailed descriptive research was instigated in 1948 to document the developmental trends of the forest stands which had occurred on a 1‐acre area. Uprooting was established conclusively as an important factor in the development of the area during the last 500 years. When uprooting is observed and interpreted on a limited area with the perspective afforded by 500 years, its role becomes that of a natural forest process, rather than a single event in the life history of a forest stand. As a process, it must be considered along with reproduction, growth, podsolization, and other generally recognized processes. Similarly, the series of actions and subsequent reactions associated with uprooting can be described quantitatively, qualitatively, and chronologically. More extensive research has indicated that uprooting is a general forest process in eastern North America. Its influences have many ramifications, and like most other natural processes, are highly variable. The soil is one of the components of the forest greatly affected by the process of uprooting.