Tamara Ticktin, Ashley McGuigan, Frazer Alo, Michael J Balick, Andre Boraks, Chanel Sam, Thomas Doro, Presley Dovo, Thomas Ibanez, Alivereti Naikitini, Tom A Ranker, Marika V Tuiwawa, Jean-Pascal Wahe, Gregory M Plunkett
Assessing how forests respond to, and recuperate from, cyclones is critical to understanding forest dynamics and planning for the impacts of climate change. Projected increases in the intensity and frequency of severe cyclones can threaten both forests and forest-dependent communities. The Pacific Islands are subject to frequent low-intensity cyclones, but there is little information on the effects of high intensity cyclones, or on how forest stewardship practices may affect outcomes. We assess the resistance and resilience of forests in three community-stewarded sites on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu, to the wind-related effects of 2015 Category-5 Cyclone Pam, one of the most intense cyclones to make landfall globally...
February 14, 2024: Science of the Total Environment