yunabaoshanensis; the former is affected by flooding and the latter by severe cold winters. In the Caribbean area where hurricanes are prevalent, naturally occurring small populations of conifer species such as Podocarpus urbanii, J. barbadensis var barbadensis and Pinus caribaea var. bahamensis are particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of hurricanes. Such events not only cause physical damage to trees but storm surges that commonly accompany hurricanes deposit increased salt levels in soil which can have long-term consequences, causing delayed mortality of trees, followed by forest decline. An increasing prevalence of extreme weather events is associated with longer term climate change