XVI International Botanical Congess

Pterocarpus officinalis forest of Dorado has been target by two hurricanes in 10 years. The aftereffects of Hugo(Sept,89) and Georges(Sept,98) were compared. From permanent plots all trees 2.5cm dbh were identified and classified as: without damage, branch and canopy damage,defoliated, snapped,uprooted, dead and bent.Hugo caused 27% of defoliation and Georges 46%. Comparison of the Importance Value from 1982, 1989 and 1998 showed an increase of Pterocarpus dominance and a decrease or variation for Bucida buceras, Calophyllum calaba and Roystonea borinquena. Sporadical species are being substituted by dominant species assuring their capacity to compete and survived natural disturbances in this type of forest.