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Hurricane María tripled stem breaks and doubled tree mortality relative to other major storms

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  • María Uriarte

    (Columbia University)

  • Jill Thompson

    (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Bush Estate)

  • Jess K. Zimmerman

    (University of Puerto Rico)

Abstract

Tropical cyclones are expected to intensify under a warming climate, with uncertain effects on tropical forests. One key challenge to predicting how more intense storms will influence these ecosystems is to attribute impacts specifically to storm meteorology rather than differences in forest characteristics. Here we compare tree damage data collected in the same forest in Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Hugo (1989, category 3), Georges (1998, category 3), and María (2017, category 4). María killed twice as many trees as Hugo, and for all but two species, broke 2- to 12-fold more stems than the other two storms. Species with high density wood were resistant to uprooting, hurricane-induced mortality, and were protected from breakage during Hugo but not María. Tree inventories and a wind exposure model allow us to attribute these differences in impacts to storm meteorology. A better understanding of risk factors associated with tree species susceptibility to severe storms is key to predicting the future of forest ecosystems under climate warming.

Suggested Citation

  • María Uriarte & Jill Thompson & Jess K. Zimmerman, 2019. "Hurricane María tripled stem breaks and doubled tree mortality relative to other major storms," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-09319-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09319-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiao Fengjin & Liu Qiufeng, 2023. "An evaluation of vegetation loss due to the super typhoon Sarika in Hainan Island of China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 115(2), pages 1677-1695, January.
    2. Sofia Olivero-Lora & Elvia Meléndez-Ackerman & Luis Santiago & Raúl Santiago-Bartolomei & Diana García-Montiel, 2019. "Attitudes toward Residential Trees and Awareness of Tree Services and Disservices in a Tropical City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-21, December.
    3. Pablo A. Méndez-Lázaro & Yanina M. Bernhardt & William A. Calo & Andrea M. Pacheco Díaz & Sandra I. García-Camacho & Mirza Rivera-Lugo & Edna Acosta-Pérez & Naydi Pérez & Ana P. Ortiz-Martínez, 2021. "Environmental Stressors Suffered by Women with Gynecological Cancers in the Aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and María in Puerto Rico," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-16, October.

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