Tree functional traits and historical wind disturbance correlate with tree performance responses to tropical cyclones globally

Tree functional traits and historical wind disturbance correlate with tree performance responses to tropical cyclones globally | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 15 January 2026 V1 Latest version Share on Tree functional traits and historical wind disturbance correlate with tree performance responses to tropical cyclones globally Authors : Tomas Fuentes-Rohwer 0009-0004-4895-0942 [email protected] , María Natalia Umaña , Vanessa Mariano , and Tsun Fung Au Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/au.176849840.03706632/v1 108 views 57 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract Tropical cyclones (TCs) are major drivers of forests structure and dynamics, yet we still lack understanding of which traits enable tree species to persist under these increasingly intense disturbances. We synthesize and analyze data from 47 studies and 427 species across 14 countries and three oceanic basins to examine how tree functional traits and TC disturbance regimes shape post-cyclone tree performance (i.e., shifts in growth, survival, and abundance). Species-level shifts in mortality, growth, and abundance before and after TCs were modeled as functions of species-level wood specific gravity, specific leaf area (SLA), and maximum height, along with maximum sustained wind speed and overall TC frequency. Overall, functional traits weakly explained demographic response to cyclone disturbance (range R2=0.057- 0.132), yet clear patterns emerged. Taller species declined in abundance after TCs, while species with high SLA grew faster post-storm. Mortality decreased nonlinearly with site-level TC frequency but was not predicted significantly by any trait. These findings indicate that tall species are more vulnerable to wind damage due to greater exposure, while acquisitive leaf strategies can take advantage of post-disturbance resource pulses. Under future scenarios of more intense cyclones, shorter and more acquisitive tree species will be more likely to gain a competitive advantage and dominate cyclone-prone forests. Conversely, taller species with smaller SLA in systems with less TC frequency will be most susceptible to subsequent TC impacts. Supplementary Material File (maintext_final.docx) Download 1.92 MB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 15 January 2026 Copyright This work is licensed under a Non Exclusive No Reuse License. Keywords abundance forest ecology functional traits growth mortality tropical cyclones Authors Affiliations Tomas Fuentes-Rohwer 0009-0004-4895-0942 [email protected] University of Michigan-Ann Arbor View all articles by this author María Natalia Umaña University of Michigan View all articles by this author Vanessa Mariano Conservation International View all articles by this author Tsun Fung Au University of Michigan-Ann Arbor View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 108 views 57 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Tomas Fuentes-Rohwer, María Natalia Umaña, Vanessa Mariano, et al. Tree functional traits and historical wind disturbance correlate with tree performance responses to tropical cyclones globally. Authorea . 15 January 2026. 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