Catastrophic wind disturbance in an old-growth hemlock-hardwood forest, Wisconsin.

On 4 July 1977, the Flambeau River Hemlock-Hardwood Scientific Area (Sawyer County) was leveled by a downburst of hurricane-force winds. Total stand basal area after the blowdown was reduced to 6% of prestorm levels. Total seedling density increased greatly following the blowndown, especially that of Betula alleghaniensis. Acer saccharum continued to dominate the relatively unaffected sapling layer. A dense shrub layer of Sambucus pubens developed.-from Authors