Abstract
Cyclones regularly impact the east coast of Madagascar but almost nothing is known about their effects on Malagasy ecosystems. On 2 April 2000 the powerful winds of Cyclone Hudah struck the humid forests in the northern part of Masoala Peninsula. An analysis of satellite images revealed that 3 % of the forest here was severely damaged or 22 % when just the forest of the northeast was considered. In 2001 the vegetation in this area was studied using fifteen 0.1 ha plots located in differently impacted sites. The cyclone had caused tree death (up to 53 % of the trunks within a plot); a reduction in trunk basal area (to 64 %); uprooting (to 46 %); snapping of trunks (to 51 %); reduction of crown volume (to mean of 83 %); an increase in herbs, liana and woody pioneer species and decrease in saplings of primary forest species; an increase in vegetation in the “shrub” layer and decrease in vegetation in the “canopy” layer. Among a sample of 340 trees killed by the cyclone, 39 % were uprooted, 37 % snapped, and 24 % were still standing. Mortality was relatively low for trees with either small or large trunk diameter compared to trees with intermediate size. In 2003 the plots were re - examined. Six had been impacted by human activities (fire or timber exploitation). A comparison between the vegetation in 2001 and 2003 in 6 plots that had been moderately or seriously impacted by Cyclone Hudah but not impacted by human activity revealed a further decrease in trunk density, an increase in the frequency of herbs and woody pioneers, a decrease in the frequency of liana and saplings of primary forest trees in the “shrub layer”, and an increase of vegetation in the “shrub layer” but decrease of vegetation in the “canopy layer”. The lack of recovery of this vegetation towards its pre - cyclone state may be explained by the impact of Cyclone Ihary, in 2002. Recovery may yet occur provided the vegetation is not impacted by human activities, particularly burning, that can derail this process. It is recommended that following cyclones conservation managers prioritize fire control.
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Claims 20
Claim · model-written summary
Satellite images showed severe damage to 3% of the forest.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“3 % of the forest here was severely damaged or 22 % when just the forest of the northeast was considered.”
Claim · model-written summary
In the northeast, 22% of forest was severely damaged.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“3 % of the forest here was severely damaged or 22 % when just the forest of the northeast was considered.”
Claim · model-written summary
Tree death reached up to 53% of trunks in a plot.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“The cyclone had caused tree death (up to 53 % of the trunks within a plot); a reduction in trunk basal area (to 64 %); uprooting (to 46 %); snapping of trunks (to 51 %); reduction of crown volume (to mean of 83 %); an increase in herbs, liana and woody pioneer species and decrease in saplings of primary forest species; an increase in vegetation in the “shrub” layer and decrease in vegetation in the “canopy” layer.”
Claim · model-written summary
Trunk basal area fell to 64%.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“The cyclone had caused tree death (up to 53 % of the trunks within a plot); a reduction in trunk basal area (to 64 %); uprooting (to 46 %); snapping of trunks (to 51 %); reduction of crown volume (to mean of 83 %); an increase in herbs, liana and woody pioneer species and decrease in saplings of primary forest species; an increase in vegetation in the “shrub” layer and decrease in vegetation in the “canopy” layer.”
Claim · model-written summary
Uprooting reached 46%.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“The cyclone had caused tree death (up to 53 % of the trunks within a plot); a reduction in trunk basal area (to 64 %); uprooting (to 46 %); snapping of trunks (to 51 %); reduction of crown volume (to mean of 83 %); an increase in herbs, liana and woody pioneer species and decrease in saplings of primary forest species; an increase in vegetation in the “shrub” layer and decrease in vegetation in the “canopy” layer.”
Claim · model-written summary
Trunk snapping reached 51%.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“The cyclone had caused tree death (up to 53 % of the trunks within a plot); a reduction in trunk basal area (to 64 %); uprooting (to 46 %); snapping of trunks (to 51 %); reduction of crown volume (to mean of 83 %); an increase in herbs, liana and woody pioneer species and decrease in saplings of primary forest species; an increase in vegetation in the “shrub” layer and decrease in vegetation in the “canopy” layer.”
Claim · model-written summary
Crown volume fell to a mean of 83%.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“The cyclone had caused tree death (up to 53 % of the trunks within a plot); a reduction in trunk basal area (to 64 %); uprooting (to 46 %); snapping of trunks (to 51 %); reduction of crown volume (to mean of 83 %); an increase in herbs, liana and woody pioneer species and decrease in saplings of primary forest species; an increase in vegetation in the “shrub” layer and decrease in vegetation in the “canopy” layer.”
Claim · model-written summary
Herbs, liana and woody pioneers increased after the cyclone.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“The cyclone had caused tree death (up to 53 % of the trunks within a plot); a reduction in trunk basal area (to 64 %); uprooting (to 46 %); snapping of trunks (to 51 %); reduction of crown volume (to mean of 83 %); an increase in herbs, liana and woody pioneer species and decrease in saplings of primary forest species; an increase in vegetation in the “shrub” layer and decrease in vegetation in the “canopy” layer.”
Claim · model-written summary
Primary forest saplings decreased after the cyclone.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“The cyclone had caused tree death (up to 53 % of the trunks within a plot); a reduction in trunk basal area (to 64 %); uprooting (to 46 %); snapping of trunks (to 51 %); reduction of crown volume (to mean of 83 %); an increase in herbs, liana and woody pioneer species and decrease in saplings of primary forest species; an increase in vegetation in the “shrub” layer and decrease in vegetation in the “canopy” layer.”
Claim · model-written summary
Canopy-layer vegetation decreased.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“The cyclone had caused tree death (up to 53 % of the trunks within a plot); a reduction in trunk basal area (to 64 %); uprooting (to 46 %); snapping of trunks (to 51 %); reduction of crown volume (to mean of 83 %); an increase in herbs, liana and woody pioneer species and decrease in saplings of primary forest species; an increase in vegetation in the “shrub” layer and decrease in vegetation in the “canopy” layer.”
Claim · model-written summary
Of killed trees, 39% were uprooted.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“Among a sample of 340 trees killed by the cyclone, 39 % were uprooted, 37 % snapped, and 24 % were still standing.”
Claim · model-written summary
Of killed trees, 37% were snapped.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“Among a sample of 340 trees killed by the cyclone, 39 % were uprooted, 37 % snapped, and 24 % were still standing.”
Claim · model-written summary
Of killed trees, 24% remained standing.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“Among a sample of 340 trees killed by the cyclone, 39 % were uprooted, 37 % snapped, and 24 % were still standing.”
Claim · model-written summary
Intermediate-diameter trees had higher mortality than small or large trees.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“Mortality was relatively low for trees with either small or large trunk diameter compared to trees with intermediate size.”
Claim · model-written summary
Trunk density declined further by 2003.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“a further decrease in trunk density, an increase in the frequency of herbs and woody pioneers, a decrease in the frequency of liana and saplings of primary forest trees in the “shrub layer”, and an increase of vegetation in the “shrub layer” but decrease of vegetation in the “canopy layer”.”
Claim · model-written summary
Herb and woody pioneer frequency increased by 2003.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“a further decrease in trunk density, an increase in the frequency of herbs and woody pioneers, a decrease in the frequency of liana and saplings of primary forest trees in the “shrub layer”, and an increase of vegetation in the “shrub layer” but decrease of vegetation in the “canopy layer”.”
Claim · model-written summary
Liana and primary-forest sapling frequency decreased by 2003.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“a further decrease in trunk density, an increase in the frequency of herbs and woody pioneers, a decrease in the frequency of liana and saplings of primary forest trees in the “shrub layer”, and an increase of vegetation in the “shrub layer” but decrease of vegetation in the “canopy layer”.”
Claim · model-written summary
Shrub-layer vegetation increased by 2003.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“a further decrease in trunk density, an increase in the frequency of herbs and woody pioneers, a decrease in the frequency of liana and saplings of primary forest trees in the “shrub layer”, and an increase of vegetation in the “shrub layer” but decrease of vegetation in the “canopy layer”.”
Claim · model-written summary
Canopy-layer vegetation decreased by 2003.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“a further decrease in trunk density, an increase in the frequency of herbs and woody pioneers, a decrease in the frequency of liana and saplings of primary forest trees in the “shrub layer”, and an increase of vegetation in the “shrub layer” but decrease of vegetation in the “canopy layer”.”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommended prioritizing fire control after cyclones.
Verbatim
t0“Forest of Masoala Peninsula, Madagascar”
e0“It is recommended that following cyclones conservation managers prioritize fire control.”