Assessing hurricane damage and species vulnerability across six Jamaican forest ecosystems following catastrophic and compounding hurricanes

On 28 November 2025, Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds >295 km/h, made landfall on Jamaica's south-western coast as the most powerful hurricane on record (since 1851) and the third most intense Atlantic hurricane, damaging six tropical forest ecosystems. These include the Blue Mountains (BM) cloud forest, John Crow Mountains (JCM) wet montane forest, Cockpit Country (CC) moist forest, Portland Ridge (PR) and Hellshire Hills (HH) (the last remaining habitat for the critically endangered Jamaican iguana) dry forests, and the Black River Lower Morass (BRLM) herbaceous wetland. Two sites (CC and BRLM) experienced significant damage. Melissa's impact was compounded by Hurricane Beryl, (Category 4, 3 July 2024) that damaged the BRLM and PR. All sites are internationally recognized biodiversity hotspots and protected areas including a National Park (BM and JCM), World Heritage site (BM and JCM), tentative World Heritage Site (CC), and RAMSAR wetland (BRLM). The frequency of high-intensity hurricane impacts has increased due to climate change. The JCM is the most frequently impacted – five hurricanes in 21 years (2004-2025) versus nine in 153 years (1851-2003) – while the CC is the least frequently impacted – two hurricanes in 37 years (1988-2025) versus three in 136 years (1851-1987). Past hurricane damage at three sites (PR, HH and CC) was never assessed and species/ecosystem vulnerability remains unknown.
Hurricanes alter plant species composition through differential mortality and recruitment over years or decades. Compounding impacts reduce populations of vulnerable species. Jamaica has a high diversity of endemic frogs (23 species), many threatened with extinction. Many use bromeliads - funnel/vase-shaped rosette plants growing in trees and on the ground that holds water - as habitats. Most have fallen or are buried, and recovery may take decades. Accurate pre-recovery damage mapping is essential for tracking these changes and...