[Effects of hurricane "Pauline" (1997) on the fauna associated with the plant Eichhornia crassipes in Laguna Coyuca, South Pacific of Mexico]. / Efectos del huracán "Pauline" (1997) sobre la fauna asociada a la planta Eichhornia crassipes en la Laguna Coyuca, Pacífico sur de México.

Effects of hurricane "Pauline" (1997) on the fauna associated with the plant Eichhornia crassipes in Laguna Coyuca, South Pacific of Mexico. Reports on the effects of hurricanes on marine and coastal environments often deal with coral reefs, but little is known about their effect on the communities associated with the water hyacinth, Eichhornia crassipes. From January 1997 (pre-hurricane) through April 1998 (post-hurricane) we made montly collections of fauna in E. crassipes roots from Laguna Coyuca, Mexico (17 degrees 00' - 16 degrees 54' N, 99 degrees 58'-100 degrees 05' W). The hurricane affected Coyuca on October 9th, 1997 and caused mortalities of that fauna. During the three subsequent months the absence of E. crassipes and its associated fauna in the study area was evident, but in January 1998, we found a partial reestablishment of E. crassipes and its associated fauna. Four months later, this community was almost back to pre-hurricane levels.