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As destructive as hurricanes can be in our lives, coastal plants and animals have evolved to live in regions where they are frequent.
When seawater surges onshore during a hurricane, it leaves salt in the soils. This kills most plants, but it creates an opportunity for salt-tolerant plants to move in. Certain specialized insects feed on these plants. Birds and other animals then feed on the insects. It all adds up to an ecosystem—a unique habitat called coastal prairie that is found along the coastlines of the southeastern U.S.
Hurricanes’ role in forming new ecosystems helps increase biodiversity—a key indicator of the planet’s overall health. Like a forest fire, a storm surge clears out existing vegetation, making space for new growth.
We humans depend on hurricanes ourselves. In dry areas like Mexico and Texas, they are the primary source of rainfall. And without hurricanes moving warm air from one part of the planet to another, maintaining the global heat balance, there are places on Earth that would simply be too hot for human survival.
Continue to Tornadoes. >>
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