Forest Structure Before and After Hurricane Hugo at Three Elevations in the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico

Brokaw, Nicholas; Grear, Jason S.

doi:10.2307/2388256

Cited by 196 publications

(198 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The two forests used here differ in tree species composition and structure, with Tabonuco-type forest in the lower elevation, and Colorado-type forest in the upper elevation (Brown et al 1983). Average canopy height is 21 m for the lower elevation forest, and 10 m for the upper forest (Brokaw and Grear 1991). In both forests soils are primarily deep, clay-rich, highly weathered Ultisols lacking an organic horizon, with Inceptisols on steep slopes (Beinroth 1982;Huffaker 2002), but the upper elevation forest is characterized by lower soil redox potential than the lower elevation forest (Silver et al 1999), higher soil phosphorous (P) (McGroddy and Silver 2000), and lower soil N concentrations (Cusack et al 2009b).…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of nitrogen additions on above- and belowground carbon dynamics in two tropical forests

et al. 2010

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Anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition is increasing rapidly in tropical regions, adding N to ecosystems that often have high background N availability. Tropical forests play an important role in the global carbon (C) cycle, yet the effects of N deposition on C cycling in these ecosystems are poorly understood. We used a field N-fertilization experiment in lower and upper elevation tropical rain forests in Puerto Rico to explore the responses of above-and belowground C pools to N addition. As expected, tree stem growth and litterfall productivity did not respond to N fertilization in either of these Nrich forests, indicating a lack of N limitation to net primary productivity (NPP). In contrast, soil C concentrations increased significantly with N fertilization in both forests, leading to larger C stocks in fertilized plots. However, different soil C pools responded to N fertilization differently. Labile (low density) soil C fractions and live fine roots declined with fertilization, while mineral-associated soil C increased in both forests. Decreased soil CO 2 fluxes in fertilized plots were correlated with smaller labile soil C pools in the lower elevation forest (R 2 = 0.65, p \ 0.05), and with lower live fine root biomass in the upper elevation forest (R 2 = 0.90, p \ 0.05). Our results indicate that soil C storage is sensitive to N deposition in tropical forests, even where plant productivity is not N-limited. The mineral-associated soil C pool has the potential to respond relatively quickly to N additions, and can drive increases in bulk soil C stocks in tropical forests.

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Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of nitrogen additions on above- and belowground carbon dynamics in two tropical forests

et al. 2010

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“…Bellingham [8] states that topographical aspect is important, given the increased levels of stem breakage and crown defoliation on slopes facing the path of a hurricane, as compared to those facing away from a hurricane. Conversely, Brokaw and Grear [15] found that damage was equally applied to both north-and southfacing slopes during a hurricane over Puerto Rico [15] . Slight topographic variations may have been influential in determining tree damage in Congaree Swamp National Monument, South Carolina after the passage of Hurricane Hugo (1989 [90] .…”

Section: Stand and Site Conditions In Relation To Damagementioning

confidence: 98%

Physical and Biological Responses of Forests to Tropical Cyclones Affecting the United States Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico Coasts

Jeffrey¹

2009

American J. of Environmental Sciences

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Problem Statement: Natural resources within the southern United States have repeatedly been subjected to the impact of tropical cyclones. While the frequency of tropical cyclones hitting either coast varies from year to year, it is crucial for natural resource managers and land owners to be prepared for the damage resulting from such storms. The goal of this review paper is to synthesize previous research and assess how hurricanes impact coastal forests. Approach: In order to understand the impact on forests in this region, an extensive literature review was preformed. The literature review focused primarily on the southern United States' forests but included information from other areas that was pertinent in understanding the impact of strong wind events on forests. Results: Although the literature is not entirely consistent in arriving at factors that can be used to describe or predict potential damage to forests, a number of trends were obvious. Forest damage was found to be a function of tree species, proximity to the eye of the hurricane, stand and site characteristics, species-specific responses to storm surges, and topographic exposure. Each of these factors was found to be critical in developing and understanding potential hurricane damage to forest and wildlife values. Conclusions/Recommendations: Such a review paper was found to be a valuable tool for informing natural resource managers and forest land owners of the potential impacts of hurricanes on the forest of the southern United States. This information will help land managers develop a response plan related to hurricane damage.

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“…In each block, four 30 Â 30 m plots were established (12 plots total). Plot size was chosen after considering the patchiness of altered forest canopies in the LEF following Hurricane Hugo (Brokaw and Grear, 1991). Plots within each block were located at least 20 m from the edge of adjacent plots.…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The sizes of forest patches (i.e., patches of nearly complete canopy loss) near EVFS that were created by the two most recent major hurricanes (0.01-0.05 ha, estimated from Fig. 2 in Brokaw and Grear, 1991;0.10 ha, Zimmerman et al, 2010) guided our choice of plot size (0.09 ha). Although the size of the plots were equivalent to a canopy patch produced by a hurricane, our study did not reproduce the landscape-level patchwork that is generated from hurricanes in this forest (see Boose et al, 2004) because the CTE plots were embedded in an intact forest matrix.…”

Section: Overcoming Barriers Of Scale Debris Deposition Simulation mentioning

confidence: 99%

Responses to canopy loss and debris deposition in a tropical forest ecosystem: Synthesis from an experimental manipulation simulating effects of hurricane disturbance

Shiels¹,

González

Willig

2014

Forest Ecology and Management

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a b s t r a c tHurricanes, cyclones, or typhoons are intense and broad-scale disturbances that affect many island and coastal ecosystems throughout the world. We summarize the findings of the articles that compose this special issue of Forest Ecology and Management, which focuses on a manipulative experiment (the Canopy Trimming Experiment, CTE) that simulates two key aspects of hurricane effects in a wet tropical forest. Although previous studies of tropical and subtropical forests have documented changes resulting from hurricanes, it is not clear which of the two simultaneously occurring direct effects of hurricanes-canopy openness or debris deposition-most influence responses. In the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) of Puerto Rico, a multi-disciplinary team of scientists used replicated factorial manipulations to determine the independent and interactive effects of canopy openness and debris deposition on structural and functional characteristics of the forest. The majority of responses were primarily driven by canopy openness rather than by debris deposition. Canopy openness resulted in significant increases in densities of and compositional changes in woody plants, ferns, and some litter arthropods, and significant decreases in coqui frog abundances, leaf decomposition, and litterfall. Debris deposition significantly increased tree basal area and microbial diversity on leaf litter, but these increases were relatively small and ephemeral. Several interactive effects of canopy openness and debris addition emerged, including those involving understory herbivory, canopy arthropod structure, terrestrial gastropod abundances and composition, and soil solution chemistry. Arguably, hurricanes are the most important natural disturbance that affect the LEF, and most characteristics that were measured in the CTE showed evidence of resistance or resilience. By identifying the causal factors affecting secondary successional trajectories of diverse taxa ranging from microbes to vertebrates, biogeochemical attributes, microclimatic characteristics, and measures of ecosystem processes following hurricane disturbance, we better understand tropical forest dynamics resulting from past hurricanes and are better able to predict mechanisms of change related to future hurricanes.Published by Elsevier B.V.

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Forest Structure Before and After Hurricane Hugo at Three Elevations in the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico

Cited by 196 publications

References 22 publications

Effects of nitrogen additions on above- and belowground carbon dynamics in two tropical forests

Effects of nitrogen additions on above- and belowground carbon dynamics in two tropical forests

Physical and Biological Responses of Forests to Tropical Cyclones Affecting the United States Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico Coasts

Responses to canopy loss and debris deposition in a tropical forest ecosystem: Synthesis from an experimental manipulation simulating effects of hurricane disturbance

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