The anticipated increase in extreme disturbance events due to climate change is likely to expose Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) dominated forests in northern Europe to new conditions. Empirical data on the resilience of such natural (unmanaged) forests to disturbance and the long-term patterns of regeneration in its aftermath are currently scarce. We performed a quantitative assessment of natural forest stands in north–western Latvia to identify and characterise the patterns of stand structure 44 years after a stand-replacing disturbance and investigated the effects of legacies on regeneration. The spatial distribution of tree species and their dimensions were assessed in 71 circular sample plots (500 m² each) in natural forest areas, where Norway spruce dominated prior to the windthrow and salvage logging was not carried out. Spatial indices (species mingling index, size differentiation index, and aggregation index) were used to characterise stand structure and diversity. The different initial states (age and coverage of surviving trees) of stands affected eventual tree species dominance, size differentiation, degree of mingling and aggregation. Our results demonstrate a close relationship between disturbance legacies and spatial indices. The pre-storm understory and canopy survivors decreased species mingling, whereas survivors increased size differentiation. The size differentiation increased also with a higher degree of species mingling. Leaving differential post-storm legacies untouched promotes a higher structural and species diversity and therefore supports the management approach of preserving canopy survivors.

由于气候变化而导致的极端干扰事件的预期增加可能会使挪威云杉（Picea abies（L.）Karst。）主导的北欧森林暴露于新的状况。目前尚缺乏有关这种天然（未经管理）森林对干扰的复原力以及灾后后果的长期恢复方式的经验数据。我们对拉脱维亚西北部的天然林林分进行了定量评估，以识别和表征林分替代干扰后44年的林分结构特征，并调查了遗产对更新的影响。在71个圆形样地（500 m ²每个）都在天然林区中，在风灾之前挪威云杉占主导地位，并且没有进行打捞伐木。空间指数（物种混合指数，大小分化指数和聚集指数）用于表征林分结构和多样性。林分的不同初始状态（存活树的年龄和覆盖率）影响最终的树种优势，大小差异，混合和聚集程度。我们的结果证明了干扰遗产与空间指数之间的密切关系。暴风雨前的林下和冠层幸存者减少了物种混杂，而幸存者增加了大小差异。物种分化程度越高，大小差异也越大。