A comparison of damage and recovery from Hurricane Andrew in three upland forest types of the Everglades
Koptur S, Oberbauer SF, Von Kleist K, Whelan K, Kennedy S, Seliger S. 1994. A comparison of damage and recovery from Hurricane Andrew in three upland forest types of the Everglades. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. 75(2):116
'Everglades National Park has the dubious distinction of being the largest national park in close proximity to a major urban area (Miami), and intensive land use up to the park boundaries has left no buffer zone to ameliorate the many anthropogenic disturbance effects on the remaining natural communities. Recently, these communities experienced a severe natural disturbance when Hurricane Andrew passed through Everglades National Park in August 1992. In September 1992 we initiated a study of tropical hardwood hammocks, cypress domes, and second-growth pinelands in the Long Pine Key area of Everglades National Park in order to determine the extent of damage and short-term recovery responses of these different communities. Damage was most severe in the hardwood hammocks, and larger trees were most likely to be seriously damaged in all habitats. Regrowth of damaged individuals is common in hammocks and cypress domes, but not in pinelands. Colonization of openings in our study areas is primarily by native species previously represented in that particular forest (< 3% exotic species). Overall, the composition of these communities is likely to remain very similar to that which existed prior to Hurricane Andrew.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Koptur, Suzanne; Oberbauer, Steven; Von Kleist, Kurt; Whelan, Kevin; Kennedy, Suzanne; Seliger, Sura
- Units
- EVER
- Keywords
- Ecology, Forest, Hurricanes, Impacts, Recovery