Suitability of the global forest cover change map to assess climatic megadisturbance impacts on remote tropical forests

A significant portion of Alejandro de Humboldt National Park, Cuba, experienced megadisturbance impacts between 2001 and 2017, with Hurricane Matthew causing the most severe effects in 2016. The study found that approximately 11,110 hectares (~16% of the park's area) were affected by these extreme events, particularly impacting lowland rainforests and submountainous sclerophyllous rainforests on serpentinite, which together cover 43% of the park. The research used the Global Forest Cover Change (GFCC) product to validate and quantify these impacts, revealing that about 85% of the disturbed area was linked to megadisturbance events. Additionally, prolonged droughts exacerbated the effects, with around 1276 hectares still impacted in 2017. The findings highlight the need for prioritizing conservation monitoring and restoration strategies in the easternmost portions of these forests, contributing to methodological guidelines for assessing climate change impacts in remote tropical protected areas.

Geler Roffe, T., Couturier, S., & García-Romero, A. (2022). Suitability of the global forest cover change map to assess climatic megadisturbance impacts on remote tropical forests. Scientific Reports, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-13558-7