The Effects of the Ecosystem in Hurricane Hugo

Coastal Ecosystem of Guadeloupe Island

• Guadeloupe Island, part of the French West Indies, received the wind and rain of Hurricane Hugo on September 16-17. Plant biomass loss in the coastal ecosystem ranged from 25 percent to 75 percent. Mangroves and swamp forests suffered total defoliation. A red algae bloom formed in the waters of the reefs. Lack of oxygen in the waters led to fish kills, which altered the diversity of species.

Ecosystems of Puerto Rico

• Despite the economic damage to Puerto Rico of an estimated 1 billion dollars, Hurricane Hugo had minimal long-term effect on the ecosystem, according to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey. Shorelines recovered all of their losses over a period of months. After studying the reefs the report concluded that large hurricanes benefit coral reefs the same way forest fires promote long-term forest growth. The report concludes that hurricanes are a natural part of the ecosystem and that they recover from any adverse effects.

South Carolina Forests

• In less than one day Hurricane Hugo obliterated four years of harvestable timber in South Carolina's forests. The estimated market value of the timber was in excess of 1 billion dollars. The damage covered approximately 4.45 million acres of forest and resulted from wind and saltwater. In some areas of the forest ecosystem the process of thinning had removed smaller younger trees, leaving older trees. Because of a lack of density in the forest those trees suffered more damage than denser portions of the forest. Forest ecosystems recover from hurricanes, but it takes time to regrow trees.

Forest Ecosytem Wildlife

• An example of the impact on the forest ecosystem wildlife in South Carolina is the red-cockaded woodpecker, a rare and protected species that nests in old growth pine trees (See Reference 2). Hugo destroyed half of the pine trees the woodpecker use to build nests. More than two-thirds of the woodpeckers were killed and an estimated 87 percent of their nests disappeared. For an endangered species these losses were devastating.