CATASTROPHIC AND BACKGROUND DISTURBANCE OF TROPICAL ECOSYSTEMS AT THELUQUILLO-EXPERIMENTAL-FOREST

The forests of the Luquillo Experimental Forest Long-Term Ecological R esearch site are subject to low-intensity, widespread disturbance that establishes levels of background mortality that contrast with periodi c catastrophic mortality resulting from hurricanes and landslides. Alt hough catastrophic mortality is more dramatic, background mortality is still more important in determining population turnover, However, cat astrophic mortality may still be an important agent in determining eco system structure. Catastrophic disturbances affect forest function in many ways besides mortality, some of which are only apparent in the co ntext of long-term studies. Since most ecosystems are subject to some form of catastrophic disturbance, general principles can be derived fr om comparative studies of disturbance in different systems.