Drought in the U.S. Caribbean: Impacts on Tropical Forest Ecosystems
Dates
Publication Date
2019-08-01
Summary
Forests in the U.S. Caribbean are spectacularly diverse, with more than 500 native tree species in Puerto Rico alone. These forests and trees provide many services to the region's 3.5 million people, including watershed and coastal protection, economic benefits from fruit and wood, cooling in urban environments, and improved water quality, recreation, habitat, and biodiversity protection. Caribbean forests range from coastal mangroves and dry forests, to rainy cloud forests on the mountain peaks. They have been shaped by frequent natural disturbances such as hurricanes, drought, flooding, landslides, and wildfire. Projected increases in temperatures and reduced or greater variability in rainfall may lead to increased drought frequency [...]
Summary
Forests in the U.S. Caribbean are spectacularly diverse, with more than 500 native tree species in Puerto Rico alone. These forests and trees provide many services to the region's 3.5 million people, including watershed and coastal protection, economic benefits from fruit and wood, cooling in urban environments, and improved water quality, recreation, habitat, and biodiversity protection. Caribbean forests range from coastal mangroves and dry forests, to rainy cloud forests on the mountain peaks. They have been shaped by frequent natural disturbances such as hurricanes, drought, flooding, landslides, and wildfire. Projected increases in temperatures and reduced or greater variability in rainfall may lead to increased drought frequency and intensity. Drought effects will vary by forest type, with greater impacts on forests adapted to perennially wet conditions. Droughts can affect the timing and amount of fruiting and flowering with cascading effects on wildlife. Droughts can affect tree productivity, with loss of leaves and reduced canopy cover affecting nutrient cycling, and the amount of sunlight reaching forest floors. Changing nutrient and environmental conditions can affect the biota and related services delivered by forests. Under a changing climate, droughts that cause tree mortality may affect forest succession, with drier adapted species replacing wetter adapted species. Drought and wildfire can lead to loss of forests and invasion of fire-adapted nonnative shrubs and grasses.
