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Globally consistent impact of tropical cyclones on the structure of tropical and subtropical forests
- Source :
- Journal of Ecology, Journal of Ecology, Wiley, 2019, 107 (1), pp.279-292. ⟨10.1111/1365-2745.13039⟩, Journal of Ecology, 2019, 107 (1), pp.279-292. ⟨10.1111/1365-2745.13039⟩
- Publication Year :
- 2018
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2018.
-
Abstract
- Tropical cyclones (TCs) are large‐scale disturbances that regularly impact tropical forests. Although long‐term impacts of TCs on forest structure have been proposed,a global test of the relationship between forest structure and TC frequency and intensity is lacking. We test on a pantropical scale whether TCs shape the structure of tropical and subtropical forests in the long term. We compiled forest structural features (stem density, basal area, mean canopy height and maximum tree size) for plants ≥10 cm in diameter at breast height from published forest inventory data (438 plots ≥0.1 ha, pooled into 250 1 × 1‐degree grid cells) located in dry and humid forests. We computed maps of cyclone frequency and energy released by cyclones per unit area (power dissipation index,PDI) using a high‐resolution historical database of TCs trajectories and intensities.We then tested the relationship between PDI and forest structural features using multivariate linear models, controlling for climate (mean annual temperature and water availability) and human disturbance (human foot print). Forests subject to frequent cyclones (at least one TCs per decade) and high PDI exhibited higher stem density and basal area, and lower canopy heights. However,the relationships between PDI and basal area or canopy height were partially masked by lower water availability and higher human foot print in tropical dry forests. Synthesis. Our results provide the first evidence that tropical cyclones have a long term impact on the structure of tropical and subtropical forests in a globally consistent way. The strong relationship between power dissipation index and stem density suggests that frequent and intense tropical cyclones reduce canopy cover through defoliation and tree mortality, encouraging higher regeneration and turnover of biomass. The projected increase in intensity and pole ward extension of tropical cyclones due to anthropogenic climate change may therefore have important and lasting impacts on the structure and dynamics of forests in the future. Refereed/Peer-reviewed
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
Canopy
Canopy height
Tropical dry forest
Plant Science
[SDV.BID.SPT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Systematics, Phylogenetics and taxonomy
Atmospheric sciences
01 natural sciences
Basal area
K01 - Foresterie - Considérations générales
Régénération
Forêt tropicale humide
Tropical humid forest
tropical humid forest
Ecology
[SDV.BV.BOT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Vegetal Biology/Botanics
Cyclone
basal area
Typhoon
power dissipation index
Tropical cyclone
Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests
canopy height
P40 - Météorologie et climatologie
Subtropics
Catastrophe naturelle
Mortalité
010603 evolutionary biology
[SDV.EE.ECO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology, environment/Ecosystems
stem density
surface terrière
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Changement climatique
Stem density
Forest inventory
15. Life on land
Ouragan
Hurricanes
13. Climate action
tropical dry forest
Environmental science
Couvert forestier
hurricanes
[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology
typhoons
010606 plant biology & botany
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13652745 and 00220477
- Volume :
- 107
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Ecology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....dfcc4340d7694b49d439e25625a3cad2