Blown away: cyclone threats to tropical island biodiversity in a changing climate

Islands are key to global biodiversity, yet extreme weather events cause significant mortality of many island species. Using field and satellite data, we describe two cases where increasing cyclone activity has significantly reduced habitat availability and resulted in mortality on low-lying tropical islands. We thus advocate for considering future cyclone activity and subsequent ecological recovery in developing suitable adaptation actions, especially in the context of translocation of endangered populations.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
npj Biodiversity
Published
2026-09-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-026-00155-4
Primary Topic
Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
article

Blown away: cyclone threats to tropical island biodiversity in a changing climate

Jennifer L. Lavers, Amy C. Steel
npj Biodiversity
Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research
article

Blown away: cyclone threats to tropical island biodiversity in a changing climate

Jennifer L. Lavers, Amy C. Steel
article en

Abstract

Islands are key to global biodiversity, yet extreme weather events cause significant mortality of many island species. Using field and satellite data, we describe two cases where increasing cyclone activity has significantly reduced habitat availability and resulted in mortality on low-lying tropical islands. We thus advocate for considering future cyclone activity and subsequent ecological recovery in developing suitable adaptation actions, especially in the context of translocation of endangered populations.

npj Biodiversity
Natural History Museum (GB), Charles Sturt University (AU), Curtin University (AU), Tasmanian Land Conservancy (AU)
Australian Government, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey
Climate action
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
Tropical and Extratropical Cyclones Research
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Blown away: cyclone threats to tropical island biodiversity in a changing climate — Jennifer L. Lavers, Amy C. Steel · npj Biodiversity (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS