Summary of the Effects of Caribbean Hurricanes on Vegetation

PAPERS IN THIS ISSUE OF BIOTROPICA treat the effects of hurricanes on forest vegetation in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, South Carolina, Jamaica, and the Yucatan Peninsula. Using a diversity of research approaches, the authors studied hurricane damage to vegetation and recorded short-term (<2 yr) patterns of vegetation response. We summarize these papers and some other recent studies, and we discuss possible longer term patterns of vegetation recovery. Tanner et al. ( 1991) place these studies of hurricane damage in a broader context and suggest directions for future research.