TY - JOUR T1 - Spatiotemporal effects of Hurricane Ivan on an endemic epiphytic orchid: 10 years of follow-up JF - Plant Ecology & Diversity Y1 - 2020 A1 - Iván A. Ortiz-Rodríguez A1 - Jose Raventós A1 - Ernesto Mújica A1 - Elaine González-Hernández A1 - Ernesto Vega-Peña A1 - Pilar Ortega-Larrocea A1 - Andreu Bonet A1 - Cory Merow KW - Caribbean KW - cyclones KW - integral projection models KW - management strategies KW - plant population dynamics KW - stochastic growth rate KW - transfer functions KW - transient behaviour AB - Background: Hurricanes have a strong influence on the ecological dynamics and structure of tropical forests. Orchid populations are especially vulnerable to these perturbations due to their canopy exposure and lack of underground storage organs and seed banks. Aims: We evaluated the effects of Hurricane Ivan on the population of the endemic epiphytic orchid Encyclia bocourtii to propose a management strategy. Methods: Using a pre- and post-hurricane dataset (2003–2013), we assessed the population asymptotic and transient dynamics. We also identified the individual size-stages that maximise population inertia and E. bocourtii’s spatial arrangement relative to phorophytes and other epiphytes. Results: Hurricane Ivan severely affected the survival and growth of individuals of E. bocourtii, and caused an immediate decline of the population growth rate from λ = 1.05 to λ = 0.32, which was buffered by a population reactivity of ρ1 = 1.42. Our stochastic model predicted an annual population decrease of 14%. We found an aggregated spatial pattern between E. bocourtii and its host trees, and a random pattern relative to other epiphytes. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that E. bocourtii is not safe from local extinction. We propose the propagation and reintroduction of reproductive specimens, the relocation of surviving individuals, and the establishment of new plantations of phorophytes. VL - 13, 2020 UR - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17550874.2019.1673495 IS - 1 ER -