Tropical Forest Structural Changes In Response to Increased Hurricane Frequencies

大多数全球变暖模型预测热带风暴的频率和强度都会增加。飓风的频率几乎肯定会对热带雨林的生物多样性产生长期影响。了解飓风后演替的细节将使我们能够更准确地评估这些对生物多样性影响的确切性质。该项目是一个正在进行的项目的继续，该项目跟踪了自1988年琼飓风袭击以来热带森林的恢复和重组。森林现在正进入一个新的恢复阶段，在这个阶段，竞争变得更加激烈，随着森林进入另一个演替阶段，竞争性的间伐开始了。测量大量有标记的树木的树径和树冠高度将检验竞争间伐的几种理论。将测量节肢动物的生物多样性，并跟踪土壤和地面的物理和化学因素。这项研究将为预测飓风频率增加对生物多样性的影响提供基础。

9524061 Vandermeer Most global warming models predict an increased frequency and intensity of tropical storms. The frequency of hurricanes will almost certainly have a long-term effect on the biodiversity of tropical rain forests. Understanding the details of post-hurricane succession will enable a more accurate assessment of the exact nature of these impacts on biodiversity. This project continues an ongoing project which has followed recovery and reassembly of a tropical forest since Hurricane Joan struck in 1988. The forest is now entering a new phase of recovery where competition has become more intense and competitive thinning is beginning as the forest enters another stage of succession. Measurements of tree diameters and crown heights of a large number of marked trees will test several theories of competitive thinning. Biodiversity will be measured for arthropods, and physical and chemical factors will be followed in the soils and at ground level. This research will provide a basis on which to predict the biodiversity consequences of increased hurricane frequencies.