Dendrometric and structural indicators of forest resilience to climate extremes: A systematic review of post-disturbance stand dynamics

There is a clear trend of increasing number and intensity of observed climate disruptions, including droughts, floods, extreme heat, storms, and uncontrolled fires. These events test the ability of forests to preserve their shape, production and persistence through time. Evidence collected here is based on measurable biological characteristics that are assessed for the ability of forests and woodlands to resist weather-related shocks. Tropical regions, regions below the Sahara and coastal mangroves in Nigeria, which are influenced by changing climates, are given special attention. Traits being examined include the rate of trunk widening, growth in height, mortality, establishment of new trees, cross-sectional area per plot, number of stems, and physical layout variation. Results indicate that in many warm-region forests, the growth rate of girth is reduced by from one-tenth to one-half during long dry periods. It will take 2 to 10 growth cycles for the plants to return to previous growth levels, depending on which plants are dominant and the severity of the conditions. Wider trunks in the higher layers are more stressed in hot and dry conditions, resulting in significant losses of ground cover values and the capacity to sequester atmospheric carbon. Mangrove systems are more resilient than many other systems to flooding and salt exposure, due to unique biological characteristics, and usually recover in mass and trunk size after 3-5 years if not damaged. Recovery strength in forests is closely coupled to a diversity of canopy layers, a relatively stable rate of young tree arrival compared to loss, and survival of large trees, which contribute the most to stored carbon and volume. Storms and fire alter forests by killing trees in uneven patterns and changing the species that dominate them, and recovery rates vary with forest type and event intensity. Despite the growing number of studies, comparisons remain challenging due to the limited availability of long-term data, inconsistent measurement of rebound ability, and the underrepresentation of Africa's tropical forests. This analysis suggests a convergence of observation methods that involves fixed study areas, consistent growth markers, and satellite tools to support smarter forestry decisions, accurate carbon tracking and enduring adaptability in the face of increasingly challenging climate conditions.