A Case Study on Wind Damage Evaluation ofCommon Tree Species in Coastal Urban Forests

Assessing the wind resistance of urban coastal trees is crucial for enhancing ecological security in typhoon-vulnerable regions under climate change. This study conducted post-typhoon field investigations in the wake of Typhoon Wipha in Yangjiang and Maoming, China, to evaluate damage to 1,645 trees across 15 common species. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), we developed a weighted wind damage value (WDV) integrating uprooted (weight: 0.637), trunk broken (0.258), and light-moderate damage (including broken branches and defoliation) (0.105). Results showed that 26.50% of surveyed trees suffered typhoon damage. Casuarina equisetifolia L. (WDV = 2.20), Camphora officinarum Nees (2.49), and Plumeria rubra L. (2.30) exhibited the strongest wind resistance, whereas Ceiba speciosa (A.St.-Hil.) Ravenna (11.66), Cassia fistula L. (11.09), and Bauhinia variegata L. (8.12) were most vulnerable. Functional trait analysis revealed that specific leaf area (SLA) (r2 = 0 .59, p<0.01) and leaf force to punch (Fp) (r2 = 0 .82, p<0.01) were the key predictors of WDV. These leaf-level traits mediate whole-tree wind damage through multi-level regulation of canopy wind load, branch mechanical strength, and root-soil interactions. The integrated WDV and trait framework provides a science-based tool for tree species selection and wind damage mitigation in typhoon-prone urban forests, offering a baseline reference for climate-adaptive management in coastal cities with similar environmental contexts.