Immediate impacts of a severe tropical cyclone on the microclimate of a rain-forest canopy in north-east Australia

Abstract

Tropical cyclones, which are frequent along the north-eastern Australian coast, can result in severe disturbances to rain forests in the region (Grove et al. 2000, Webb 1958). Branch breakages and tree falls result in high levels of light penetration to the forest floor, which is normally heavily shaded (Turton 1992). This change in microclimate stimulates the growth of normally suppressed seedlings, the germination of seeds that are triggered by sunlight (Chazdon 1988), and often, invasion by weeds. Fragmented rain forests, that are common in the region, are particularly vulnerable to impacts of cyclones because of their large edge to forest area ratio. Appropriate management of such rain forests, following catastrophic disturbance, requires a thorough understanding of recovery processes at a number of temporal and spatial scales (Grove et al. 2000).

The value of forest fragments for maintaining amphibian diversity in Madagascar

“…The eastern rainforest belt of Madagascar was originally completely forested (Green and Sussman, 1990) and thus the majority of species in our study region should be typical forest species. Nevertheless, frequent cyclone disturbances influence forest structure (de Gouvenain and Silander, 2003;Birkinshaw and Randrianjanahary, 2007), microclimate (Turton and Siegenthaler, 2004), and tree biology (Ganzhorn, 1995), and thus may have also favored amphibian adaptations to disturbed habitats. Consequently, species adapted to natural disturbances may have a higher ability to cope with anthropogenic disturbances.…”

Beetle assemblages from an Australian tropical rainforest show that the canopy and the ground strata contribute equally to biodiversity

“…Second, the microclimate of the canopy layer differs strongly from the ground. The upper canopy is exposed to more solar radiation, experiences much stronger wind velocities and temperature extremes, and is less humid than the ground (Pinker 1980;Walsh 1996;Szarzynski & Anhuf 2001;Turton & Siegenthaler 2004). Third, behavioural traits (e.g.…”

Use of 3-PG and 3-PGS to simulate forest growth dynamics of Australian tropical rainforests

“…Appropriate management of tropical rainforests following catastrophic disturbances such as tropical cyclones requires a thorough understanding of recovery processes at a number of temporal and spatial scales (Grove et al, 2000;Turton and Siegenthaler, 2004). Tropical cyclones range in intensity from relatively weak systems (Categories 1 and 2), where maximum wind speeds do not generally exceed 160 km h À1 , to extremely destructive systems (Categories 3-5), where wind speeds have been recorded in excess of 350 km h À1 (Grove et al, 2000;Mc Gregor and Nieuwolt, 1998).…”