Open AccessComparison of Hurricane Damage to Several Species of Urban Trees in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Author(s) -
John K. Francis
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
arboriculture and urban forestry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.222
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 2155-0778
pISSN - 1935-5297
DOI - 10.48044/jauf.2000.022
Subject(s) - crown (dentistry) , resistance (ecology) , specific gravity , storm , forestry , environmental science , biology , regression analysis , stepwise regression , geography , horticulture , botany , ecology , mathematics , meteorology , geology , statistics , composite material , materials science , mineralogy
Percent defoliation and percent crown loss were estimated, and a count of stem failure was taken for 24 species of urban trees in San Juan following Hurricane Georges. Differences among species were significant, and detailed comparisons are presented. Wood-specific gravity, branch resistance to flexing, and leaf retention strength were measured for the study species. Many significant correlations were noted between pre-storm height, diameter, wood-specific gravity, branch resistance to flexing, leaf retention strength, defoliation, percent crown loss, and stem failure. A regression equation predicting defoliation is presented. Tree height was the most influential variable followed by branch resistance to flexing, leaf retention strength, and wood-specific gravity. If tree height was eliminated from the model, specific gravity then entered the stepwise regression first.