Hurricane-induced rainfall is a stronger predictor of tropical forest damage in Puerto Rico than maximum wind speeds

Hall, Jazlynn; Muscarella, Robert; Quebbeman, Andrew; Arellano, Gabriel; Thompson, Jill ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4370-2593; Zimmerman, Jess K.; Uriarte, María. 2020 Hurricane-induced rainfall is a stronger predictor of tropical forest damage in Puerto Rico than maximum wind speeds. Scientific Reports, 10, 4318. 10, pp. 10.1038/s41598-020-61164-2

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61164-2

Abstract/Summary

Projected increases in cyclonic storm intensity under a warming climate will have profound effects on forests, potentially changing these ecosystems from carbon sinks to sources. Forecasting storm impacts on these ecosystems requires consideration of risk factors associated with storm meteorology, landscape structure, and forest attributes. Here we evaluate risk factors associated with damage severity caused by Hurricanes María and Irma across Puerto Rican forests. Using field and remote sensing data, total forest aboveground biomass (AGB) lost to the storms was estimated at 10.44 (±2.33) Tg, ca. 23% of island-wide pre-hurricane forest AGB. Storm-related rainfall was a stronger predictor of forest damage than maximum wind speeds. Soil water storage capacity was also an important risk factor, corroborating the influence of rainfall on forest damage. Expected increases of 20% in hurricane-associated rainfall in the North Atlantic highlight the need to consider how such shifts, together with high speed winds, will affect terrestrial ecosystems.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1038/s41598-020-61164-2
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)
ISSN:	2045-2322
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	ecology, environmental sciences, forest ecology, natural hazards, tropical ecology
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Date made live:	12 May 2020 20:42 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/527695

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1038/s41598-020-61164-2

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Biodiversity (Science Area 2017-)

ISSN:

2045-2322

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

Additional Keywords:

ecology, environmental sciences, forest ecology, natural hazards, tropical ecology