Shifts in wood anatomical traits after a major hurricane

Trait variation across individuals and species influences the resistance and resilience of ecosystems to disturbance, and the ability of individuals to capitalize on post-disturbance conditions. In trees, the anatomical structure of the xylem directly affects plant function and, consequently, it is a valuable lens through which to understand resistance and resilience to disturbance.
To determine how hurricanes affect the wood anatomy of tropical trees, we characterized a set of anatomical traits in wood produced before and after a major hurricane for 65 individuals of ten Puerto Rican tree species. We quantified variation at different scales and determined trait shifts between the pre- and post-hurricane periods. We also assessed correlations between traits and growth rates.
While the majority of anatomical trait variation occurred among species, we also observed substantial variation within species and individuals. Within individuals, we found significant shifts for some traits that ge...