Advancing hurricane ecology to improve ecological resilience in endangered systems

Abstract

Endangered coastal ecosystems, such as biodiverse longleaf pine savannas, have historically been resistant and resilient to the impacts of tropical cyclones. But changing hurricane regimes, coupled with little remaining habitat and detrimental management actions, threaten their persistence. We review the hurricane ecology of these systems and summarize risk factors across scales. We categorize extant longleaf pine habitat, 41% of which is privately owned, into risk categories based on coastal, inland, and continental hurricane regimes. The majority of habitat (85%) experiences inland hurricane regimes (6-year average return intervals). Considering increasing exposure to more intense cyclones, we review the ecological risk of linked disturbances, including fire, insect outbreaks, and management actions, such as salvage logging. Our adaptive management recommendations emphasize the need to maintain longleaf pine ecosystem resistance and resilience based on ecological research accounting for changing ecosystem dynamics and comprehensive postcyclone ecosystem responses to develop climate adaptation strategies and response plans.