A Research Framework to Integrate Cross-Ecosystem Responses to Tropical Cyclones

J. Aaron Hogan, Florida International University
Rusty A. Feagin, Texas A&M University, College Station
Gregory Starr, University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa
Michael Ross, Florida International University
Teng-Chiu Lin, National Taiwan Normal University
Christine S. O'Connell, Chapman UniversityFollow
Thomas P. Huff, Texas A&M University, College Station
Beth A. Stauffer, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Kelly L. Robinson, University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Maria Chapela Lara, University of New Hampshire, Durham
Jianhong Xue, University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute
Brandi Kiel Reese, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
Simon J. Geist, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
Elizabeth R. Whitman, Florida International University
Sarah Douglas, University of Texas at Austin
Victoria M. Congdon, University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute
Joseph W. Reustle, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
Rachel S. Smith, University of Georgia
David Lagomasino, East Carolina University
Bradley A. Strickland, Florida International University
Sara S. Wilson, Florida International University
C. Edward Proffitt, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
J. Derek Hogan, Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
Benjamin Branoff, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Anna Armitage, Texas A&M University at Galveston
Scott A. Rush, Mississippi State University
Rolando O. Santos, Florida International University
Marconi Campos-Cerqueira, Sieve Analytics
Paul A. Montagna, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi
Brad E. Erisman, University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute
Lily Walker, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi
Whendee L. Silver, University of California - Berkeley
Todd A. Crowl, Florida International University
Michael S. Wetz, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi
Nathan Hall, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Xiaoming Zou, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
Steven C. Pennings, University of Houston
Lih-Jih Wang, National Taiwan University
Chung-Te Chang, Tunghai University
Miguel Leon, University of New Hampshire, Durham
William H. Mcdowell, University of New Hampshire, Durham
John S. Kominoski, Florida International University
Christopher J. Patrick, College of William and Mary

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-6-2020

Abstract

Tropical cyclones play an increasingly important role in shaping ecosystems. Understanding and generalizing their responses is challenging because of meteorological variability among storms and its interaction with ecosystems. We present a research framework designed to compare tropical cyclone effects within and across ecosystems that: a) uses a disaggregating approach that measures the responses of individual ecosystem components, b) links the response of ecosystem components at fine temporal scales to meteorology and antecedent conditions, and c) examines responses of ecosystem using a resistance–resilience perspective by quantifying the magnitude of change and recovery time. We demonstrate the utility of the framework using three examples of ecosystem response: gross primary productivity, stream biogeochemical export, and organismal abundances. Finally, we present the case for a network of sentinel sites with consistent monitoring to measure and compare ecosystem responses to cyclones across the United States, which could help improve coastal ecosystem resilience.

Comments

This article was originally published in BioScience, volume 70, issue 6, in 2020. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa034

Copyright

The authors

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS