Hurricane Disturbance and Tropical Tree Species Diversity

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 290; no. 5492; pp. 788 - 791
• Main Authors: Vandermeer, John, de la Cerda, Iñigo Granzow, Boucher, Douglas, Perfecto, Ivette, Ruiz, Javier
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 27.10.2000; American Association for the Advancement of Science; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biodiversity; Biological and medical sciences; Biological diversity; Climate; Disasters; Ecosystem; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hurricanes; Magnetic fields; Mars; Meteorites; Nicaragua; Observations; Oscillator strengths; Predictor Variables; Rain forest ecology; Recruitment; Sampling; Species; Storm damage; Storms; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; Trees; Tropical forests; United States; Central America; Caribbean Basin; Nicaragua; America; United States; ASW, Nicaragua; Seed; Tropical forest; Biodiversity; Pioneer species; Hurricane; Vegetation succession; Species richness; Recruitment
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.290.5492.788

The debate over the maintenance of high diversity of tree species in tropical forests centers on the role of tree-fall gaps as a primary source of disturbance. Using a 10-year data series accumulated since Hurricane Joan struck the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua in 1988, we examined the pattern of species accumulation over time and with increased sampling of individuals. Our analysis shows that the pattern after a hurricane differs from the pattern after a simple tree-fall disturbance, and we conclude that pioneers are limited in large disturbances and thus do not suppress other species the way they do in smaller disturbances.