Natural Restoration of the Species-Area Relation for a Lizard After a Hurricane
Thomas W. Schoener,1*
David A. Spiller,1
Jonathan B. Losos2
We document the decimation and recovery of the commonest lizard
species, Anolis sagrei, on 66 islands in the Bahamas that were directly hit by Hurricane Floyd in September 1999. Before the
hurricane, an island's area was a better predictor of the occurrence
of A. sagrei than was its altitude. Immediately after, altitude was a better predictor: Apparently all lizards on islands lower than about 3 meters maximum elevation perished in the storm surge. After about 1 year, area again became the better predictor. By
19 months after the hurricane, A. sagrei populations
occurred on 88% of the islands they formerly occupied. Recovery
occurred via overwater colonization and propagation from eggs that
survived inundation, mechanisms that were enhanced by larger island
area. Thus, natural processes first destroyed and then quickly restored a highly regular species-area distribution.
1 Section of Evolution and Ecology, University
of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
2 Department of
Biology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed: E-mail:
twschoener{at}ucdavis.edu
