Data from: Framework for quantifying population responses to disturbance reveals that coastal birds are highly resilient to hurricanes

Changes in the frequency and severity of extreme weather may introduce new
threats to species that are already under stress from gradual habitat loss
and climate change. We provide a probabilistic framework that quantifies
potential threats by applying concepts from ecological resilience to
single populations. Our approach uses computation to compare
disturbance-impacted projections to a population’s normal range of
variation, quantifying the full range of potential impacts. We illustrate
this framework with projection models for coastal birds, which are
commonly depicted as vulnerable to disturbances, especially hurricanes and
oil spills. We found that populations of coastal specialists are resilient
to extreme disturbances, with high resistance to the effects of short-term
reductions in vital rates and recovery within 20 years. Applying the
general framework presented here across disturbance-prone species and
ecosystems would improve understanding of population resilience and
generate specific projections of resilience that are needed for effective
conservation planning.