Effects of Hurricane Isabel on a maturing hardwood forest in the Virginia Coastal Plain1

Prengaman, Kathryn A.; Kribel, Jacob R. G.; Ware, Stewart

doi:10.3159/08-ra-014.1

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…This information is particularly important as ongoing climate change is likely to sustain the recent increased incidence of major windstorms for the foreseeable decades (Goldenberg et al, 2001;Emanuel, 2005;Xi, 2005;Stanturf et al, 2007). The effects of wind damage have long been recognized and observed by foresters and ecologists (e.g., Baker, 1915;Bromely, 1939;Curtis, 1943;Spurr, 1956;Webb, 1958) and extensive research has been conducted on the ecological impacts of catastrophic windstorms (Canham & Loucks, 1984;Webb, 1988Webb, , 1989Boucher et al, 1990;Brokaw & Grear, 1991;Peterson & Pickett, 1991;Merrens & Peart, 1992;Bellingham et al, 1992Bellingham et al, , 1994Bellingham et al, , 1995Boose et al, 1994;Vandermeer et al, 1995;Imbert et al, 1996;Turner et al, 1997;Herbert et al, 1999;Sinton et al, 2000;Burslem et al, 2000;Boose et al, 2001;Platt et al, 2002;Woods, 2000;Peterson, 2004;Uriarte et al, 2004;Zhao et al, 2006;Uriarte & Papaik, 2007;Prengaman et al, 2008;Zeng et al, 2009). This work has greatly increased our understanding of the importance of wind disturbance for community composition and ecosystem function, and has led to the wide acceptance among researchers of a nonequilibrium perspective (Reice, 1994(Reice, , 2001.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Complexity of Catastrophic Wind Impacts on Temperate Forests

Xi¹,

Peet²

2011

Recent Hurricane Research - Climate, Dynamics, and Societal Impacts

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Complexity of Catastrophic Wind Impacts on Temperate Forests

Xi¹,

Peet²

2011

Recent Hurricane Research - Climate, Dynamics, and Societal Impacts

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“…The effects of hurricanes on forests are related to the ability of individual tree species to resist or respond to hurricane damage and canopy opening (Batista & Platt 2003). Immediate effects of hurricanes include defoliation, bark shredding, stem breakage, and uprooting (Lugo 2008) are generally concentrated on larger trees (Lugo 2008, Prengaman et al 2008, Busing et al 2009). This contrasts with another dominant ecological disturbance, fire, which has its strongest effects on smaller (Gilliam et al 2006) and faster growing trees (Ostertag et al 2005, Curran et al 2008, Canham et al 2009).…”

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confidence: 99%

Effects of Hurricanes on Rare Plant Demography in Fire-Controlled Ecosystems

et al. 2011

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Hurricanes have dramatic effects on forest vegetation, but their effects on shrublands have rarely been studied. We analyzed the effects of three 2004 hurricanesamong the strongest on record in Florida-on vital rates of 12 rare plant species of pyrogenic interior Florida scrub and sandhill. Tree damage varied by vegetation type (being highest in areas with Pinus clausa) and was associated with debris deposition. Most rare species were minimally impacted by hurricanes. The two most frequently damaged species were the shrubs Prunus geniculata (11% of individuals) and Asimina obovata (7%); both were resilient to damage. Prunus geniculata had little mortality during the hurricane year but damaged plants had a temporary (1-yr) reduction in relative growth rate. Prunus geniculata flowering was unaffected by hurricane damage. Hurricane damage had no effects on vital rates of A. obovata, Eriogonum longifolium var. gnaphalifolium, or Chrysopsis highlandsensis. Other species suffered little or no observable hurricane damage. Of 12 species analyzed, nine had similar annual survival in hurricane and nonhurricane years. Relatively low survival in the hurricane year (compared with other years) was linked to prehurricane drought or prescribed fire in two of three species. Thus, the 2004 hurricanes did not have important effects on populations of interior Florida scrub and sandhill plants, especially herbaceous species. This is in marked contrast to dramatic demographic responses to fire in central Florida and strong effects of hurricanes in coastal Florida, highlighting that these different disturbances may have divergent effects on vegetation and populations over short distances.

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“…The maritime forest is located behind a large dune (Supplementary Figure S1). Savage Neck Dunes was hit by Hurricane Isabel (2003) after the initial survey, notably the most destructive hurricane to impact Virginia in recent history [42]. Prior to Hurricane Isabel (2003), the Eastern Shore of Virginia had been hit by multiple infrequent storms.…”

Section: Study Sitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-Term Community Dynamics Reveal Different Trajectories for Two Mid-Atlantic Maritime Forests

Woods

Tuley

Zinnert

2021

Forests

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Maritime forests are threatened by sea-level rise, storm surge and encroachment of salt-tolerant species. On barrier islands, these forested communities must withstand the full force of tropical storms, hurricanes and nor’easters while the impact is reduced for mainland forests protected by barrier islands. Geographic position may account for differences in maritime forest resilience to disturbance. In this study, we quantify two geographically distinct maritime forests protected by dunes on Virginia’s Eastern Shore (i.e., mainland and barrier island) at two time points (15 and 21 years apart, respectively) to determine whether the trajectory is successional or presenting evidence of disassembly with sea-level rise and storm exposure. We hypothesize that due to position on the landscape, forest disassembly will be higher on the barrier island than mainland as evidenced by reduction in tree basal area and decreased species richness. Rate of relative sea-level rise in the region was 5.9 ± 0.7 mm yr−1 based on monthly mean sea-level data from 1975 to 2017. Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve maritime forest was surveyed using the point quarter method in 2003 and 2018. Parramore Island maritime forest was surveyed in 1997 using 32 m diameter circular plots. As the island has been eroding over the past two decades, 2016 Landsat imagery was used to identify remaining forested plots prior to resurveying. In 2018, only plots that remained forested were resurveyed. Lidar was used to quantify elevation of each point/plot surveyed in 2018. Plot elevation at Savage Neck was 1.93 ± 0.02 m above sea level, whereas at Parramore Island, elevation was lower at 1.04 ± 0.08 m. Mainland dominant species, Acer rubrum, Pinus taeda, and Liquidambar styraciflua, remained dominant over the study period, with a 14% reduction in the total number of individuals recorded. Basal area increased by 11%. Conversely, on Parramore Island, 33% of the former forested plots converted to grassland and 33% were lost to erosion and occur as ghost forest on the shore or were lost to the ocean. Of the remaining forested plots surveyed in 2018, dominance switched from Persea palustris and Juniperus virginiana to the shrub Morella cerifera. Only 46% of trees/shrubs remained and basal area was reduced by 84%. Shrub basal area accounted for 66% of the total recorded in 2018. There are alternative paths to maritime forest trajectory which differ for barrier island and mainland. Geographic position relative to disturbance and elevation likely explain the changes in forest community composition over the timeframes studied. Protected mainland forest at Savage Neck occurs at higher mean elevation and indicates natural succession to larger and fewer individuals, with little change in mixed hardwood-pine dominance. The fronting barrier island maritime forest on Parramore Island has undergone rapid change in 21 years, with complete loss of forested communities to ocean or conversion to mesic grassland. Of the forests remaining, dominant evergreen trees are now being replaced with the expanding evergreen shrub, Morella cerifera. Loss of biomass and basal area has been documented in other low elevation coastal forests. Our results indicate that an intermediate shrub state may precede complete loss of woody communities in some coastal communities, providing an alternative mechanism of resilience.

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Effects of Hurricane Isabel on a maturing hardwood forest in the Virginia Coastal Plain1

Cited by 9 publications

References 11 publications

The Complexity of Catastrophic Wind Impacts on Temperate Forests

The Complexity of Catastrophic Wind Impacts on Temperate Forests

Effects of Hurricanes on Rare Plant Demography in Fire-Controlled Ecosystems

Long-Term Community Dynamics Reveal Different Trajectories for Two Mid-Atlantic Maritime Forests

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