HURRICANE-FIRE INTERACTIONS IN COASTAL FORESTS OF THE SOUTH - A REVIEW AND HYPOTHESIS

The extent to which periodic wildfires, burning in increased forest fu els following severe hurricanes, influenced coastal plain forest ecosy stems prior to European settlement is unknown. A review of the literat ure suggests that, in many forests, conditions after exceptionally str ong hurricanes promote the occurrence of fires of higher than normal i ntensity. While post-hurricane fires have not been prevalent or widesp read in recent times in the southern US, a credible line of reasoning plus observations from outside the US supports the hypothesis of a hur ricane-lire interaction, particularly in the era before organized fire suppression. The drastic effects, caused by strong hurricanes and sub sequent fire is likely to have been a significant part of the long-ter m disturbance regime of many ecosystems. Due to their infrequent occur rence and the difficulties involved in their study, these effects have been overlooked. minimized, or ignored. The hypothesis is presented t hat a hurricane-fire interaction influenced vegetation in specific way s in the presettlement South. Further, the present-day absence of this process may in part account for the continuing decline of certain pla nt communities. Opportunities for large-scale restoration of declining communities and ecosystems exist in areas where extensive vegetation change has already come in the form of drastic natural disturbance, su ch as that caused by severe hurricanes. Land managers may be able to f acilitate the long-term process of restoring diverse, fire-maintained ecosystems by using: a regime of frequent prescribed fires in areas im pacted by strong hurricanes. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.