How is the hurricane's effect on an ecosystem different than a tornado?

Hurricanes and other strong storms can have a profound impact on communities. Power outages, flooding and interruption of communication systems can interrupt everyday life. But storms and natural disasters can wreak havoc on animals, ecosystems and coastal habitats.

Although parts of the world have been subjected to hurricanes, typhoons, tornadoes and other storms for millenia, experts at the United States Department of the Interior and the U.S. Geological Survey say that today's storms may be more detrimental to animal life and ecosystems than ever before. That's because periodic disturbances on plants and animals that result from storms are compounded by consistent environmental changes brought on by human development and industry. Animals that could once bounce back from a weather event may find it harder to rebound because their habitats have already been weakened by human interference.