Robustness, adaptation and innovation: Forest communities in the wake of Hurricane Dean

Severe weather events, such as hurricanes, serve as catalysts for changes in linked social-ecological systems. We examine robustness, adaptation and innovation of forest-dependent communities in the wake of Hurricane Dean, which devastated significant tracts of forests in southeastern Mexico in August 2007. We identify five key factors that enable innovative strategies which enhance robustness of forest communities; 1) the biophysical attributes of the system, 2) institutional context, 3) connectivity, 4) livelihood diversity, and 5) social memory. We qualitatively assess robustness among five forest communities. Our findings suggest that the institutional context is critical to how linked social-ecological systems experience and ultimately respond to severe disturbances.

► We investigate social-ecological systems in the wake of natural disturbance. ► We examine how community characteristics shape robustness, adaptation and innovation. ► Strong local institutions and links to external actors enhanced robustness. ► Social memory at varying scales provided resources for adaptation and innovation.