Vertical forest dynamics: the influence of windthrows and extreme weather events on Southern Amazon canopy height

Abstract In South America, the intensity and frequency of forest disturbances are increasing. Windstorms, an important disturbance mechanism, have the potential to exacerbate the damage caused by drought, fire, and deforestation in tropical forests. In this study, we investigated the impact of windthrow events on the vertical structure of degraded forests in southern Amazonia and hypothesized the additional impact of concurrent wind and precipitation extremes from the local to the regional scale. The frequency of windthrows influenced the vegetation height of the Amazon forests (R 2 = 0.20), and the concurrency with precipitation is more prevalent where extreme wind is the predominant effect. Compound extreme wind and precipitation events are most likely to occur within five days of each other (84%) and up to 1.75° apart in space, and regions at higher elevations experience more frequent extreme winds (R 2 = 0.67), with potential to affect vegetation height. This understanding, supported by field data and remote sensing, enhances our knowledge of the meteorological conditions behind tropical storms with windthrows and their effects on the structural and diversity. Given the exacerbation of climate extremes due to climate change, integrating field and remote sensing data is vital for comprehending regional climate patterns and their implications for the resilience of Amazonian forests.