Recovery of the hurricane forest canopy at La Bodega, Kukra River, R.A.A.S., sixteen years after hurricane Juana.

Abstract

The bodega rainforest along the Kukra River in the southern Nicaraguan Caribbean was severely damaged by Hurricane Juana in October 1988. These two researchers have studied the regeneration of the canopy layer of this forest sixteen years after the hurricane, in a study area of 2.57 hectares. The regenerated canopy is dominated by Vochysia ferruginea (43%), followed by Qualea paraensis (16%). Both species showed very different responses to Hurricane Joan (resilience vs. resistance), and despite the strong dominance of Vochysia ferruginea, the overall diversity of the forest is now considerably higher than before the hurricane. Most of the canopy trees still have diameters of less than 400 mm, suggesting the potential for rapid biomass accumulation and carbon retention in the coming years.