Social-Ecological-Technological Effects of Hurricane María on Puerto Rico : Planning for Resilience Under Extreme Events

This book deals with the immediate effects of, and response to, Hurricane María on the social, ecological, and technological systems (SETS) of Puerto Rico. The SETS approach to analyzing hurricane effects places into historical context the role of social and technological factors, and compares social and ecological resilience on the same temporal scales. Written from the perspective of a Puerto Rican scientist who experienced Maria's wrath first-hand, the book uses extensive empirical knowledge of the ecological effects of hurricanes on Caribbean forests and combines that knowledge with a detailed analysis of the effects of Hurricane María on the social and technological fabric of Puerto Rico. The comparison suggests that the effects of extreme events are dictated not only by the strength of the physical event, but also by the conditions of affected SETS at the time when the event exerts influence over them. Moreover, SETS have historical legacies that influence how resilient they can be when affected by an extreme event. Therefore, preparation and response to extreme events require an integrated social, ecological, and technological effort, known as the SETS response. The SETS response requires an understanding of the energetics of extreme events and their effects on the economy, which in turn determines social and technological resilience. Hurricane María demonstrated that the social and technological systems of Puerto Rico were not adapted to dealing with extreme events, in contrast with the ecological systems, which were. Hurricane María’s effect on Puerto Rico can be used as an example from which valuable lessons emerge for making SETS more adaptable and resilient to extreme events. Dedication 6 Preface 7 Abstract 10 Contents 12 Chapter 1: Introduction 14 Chapter 2: The Hurricanes of 2017: Pre-María and Immediate Social and Technological Effects 17 General Effects 18 Difficulties Faced by Rescuers 21 The Role of the Dead 22 Chapter 3: Immediate Ecological Effects 27 Chapter 4: Recovery and Long-Term Effects 31 Summary 39 Chapter 5: The Roots of Vulnerability 41 Out of Control Capitalism 51 Unacceptable Behaviors 52 Corruption Schemes 54 Chapter 6: Fundamental Lessons of Hurricane María 59 Lesson One: Functioning from the Bottom-Up 59 Lesson Two: Failure of Governance 61 Lesson Three: The Answer Is Not in Business as Usual 63 Chapter 7: Energy and Ecological Basis of Extreme Events 64 Energy Nature of Extreme Events 64 Ecological Perspective on Disturbance 66 Time-Space Relationship of Extreme Events 67 Power, Load, and Effects of Extreme Events 67 Point of Contact Within an Ecosystem 69 Ecology vs. Technology 71 Effects on SETS History 72 The Metaphor of Adaptive Change 80 Chapter 8: Looking to 2080: A New Puerto Rico 85 Acknowledgments 94 Appendix A: My Report to US Forest Service Officials After Hurricane María 99 Appendix B: Hurricane María: The Tallonal, Log Notes by Abel Vale Nieves 101 Appendix C: Experiences of an Undergraduate Student and Her Family During Hurricane María in the Mountains of Puerto Rico by Gabriela Morales Nieves 105 Appendix D: This Is What University of California at Berkeley Scientist Whendee Silver Wrote in Her Facebook Page on October 21, 2017 108 Appendix E: Poem by Institute Employee María Rivera 111 Appendix F: A Puerto Rican on the Mainland: What You Can Learn from a Disaster (When You Are Lucky Not to Actually Be in One) by Tischa Muñoz Erickson 112 Information Flow During Times of Crisis 112 Our Connected Vulnerability 113 Compounding Effects 113 Solidarity in Our Communities and Our Institutions 114 References 115 "This book deals with the immediate effects of, and response to, Hurricane María on the social, ecological, and technological systems (SETS) of Puerto Rico. The SETS approach to analyzing hurricane effects places into historical context the role of social and technological factors, and compares social and ecological resilience on the same temporal scales. Written from the perspective of a Puerto Rican scientist who experienced Maria's wrath first-hand, the book uses extensive empirical knowledge of the ecological effects of hurricanes on Caribbean forests and combines that knowledge with a detailed analysis of the effects of Hurricane María on the social and technological fabric of Puerto Rico."-- Provided by publisher Front Matter ....Pages i-xiv Introduction (Ariel E. Lugo)....Pages 1-3 The Hurricanes of 2017: Pre-María and Immediate Social and Technological Effects (Ariel E. Lugo)....Pages 5-14 Immediate Ecological Effects (Ariel E. Lugo)....Pages 15-18 Recovery and Long-Term Effects (Ariel E. Lugo)....Pages 19-28 The Roots of Vulnerability (Ariel E. Lugo)....Pages 29-46 Fundamental Lessons of Hurricane María (Ariel E. Lugo)....Pages 47-51 Energy and Ecological Basis of Extreme Events (Ariel E. Lugo)....Pages 53-73 Looking to 2080: A New Puerto Rico (Ariel E. Lugo)....Pages 75-83 Back Matter ....Pages 85-112