Seed dispersal by bats and birds is very important in the recovery of tropical forests. Other pioneer species have seeds that are long-lived in the soil, and that can survive a wide variety of soil environments. High light levels, and high temperatures often stimulate the germination of these seeds. Once these pioneer species have established, their shade often prevents other members of the same species from germinating and surviving. Thus the forest begins to increase in diversity.
Tropical forests tend to recover faster than their temperate counterparts.
Studies in Puerto Rico showed that some forests recover from hurricane destruction in about 40 years. However full recovery of a large landscape that had been completely denuded of forest species i s likely take considerably longer. Because of the total loss in vegetation near the crater summit, erosion has become a severe problem, and with each rain storm more soil is lost from the mountainsides. The soil and any debris accumulated along the way, flows into the ghauts and eventually to the ocean. We have observed plumes of sediment entering the ocean at Tar River, White River, Gingoes, New Beach, Fort Ghaut.