Keywords: 
• forest biology /
• scourge of freeze /
• mechanical damage index /
• specific leaf area /
• tree trunk density /
• relative conductance

Abstract: In early 2008 forest ecosystems in subtropical China were subjected to catastrophic heavy snow and freezing rain. The damage index and mechanical damage tolerance of common evergreen species （Cryptomeria fortunei，Schima superba，Pseudolarix kaempferi，Machilus thunbergii，and Cyclobalanopsis myrsinaefolia） in eight plantations of the Tiantong Region，Zhejiang Province，were determined and then compared with and correlated to tree traits （leaf area，specific leaf area，leaf dry matter content，twig dry matter content，twig density，and trunk density）. Results showed that：1） the damage index was highest in Cr. fortunei（0.54），intermediate in S. superba （0.45），and lowest in P. kaempferi with damage severity for S. superba and M. thunbergii seedlings higher in monoculture forests than in mixed forests. Also，2） for mechanical damage tolerance，leaf area and specific leaf area were：S. superba＞M. thunbergii＞Cy. myrsinaefolia，but twig dry matter content and twig density were：Cy. myrsinaefolia＞M. thunbergii＞S. superba. Finally，3） the damage index was positively and significantly correlated with leaf area （r = 0.95，P＜0.001） and specific leaf area （r = 0.86，P＜0.01） but negatively and significantly correlated with twig dry matter content （r = 0.73，P＜0.05） and twig density（r = 0.97，P＜0.001）. Thus，for evergreen trees in this area，there should be a ecological linkage between tree characteristics and the mechanical damage index.［Ch，2 fig. 3 tab. 12 ref.］