Sprouting of trees in Jamaican montane forests after a hurricane

Abstract

1 Forests in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica were damaged by Hurricane Gilbert which passed over the island on 12 September 1988. 2 In plots between 1300-1900 m, recorded 5-41 months after the hurricane, most stems (61.4% of 4949 living stems) and most species (44 of 47 common species) had sprouts. Comparing species, percent of stems sprouting ranged from 0 to 100%. 3 Broken stems sprouted proportionately more than intact stems; completely defoliated stems sprouted proportionately more than those not completely defoliated; there was no difference between uprooted and upright stems; and stems > 10 cm d.b.h. sprouted more frequently and produced more sprouts per stem, than those

Citation

Journal of Ecology (1994) 82 747-758

Sprouting of trees in Jamaican montane forests after a hurricane

Published 1 January 1994