Reconstructing the effects of hurricanes over 155 years on the structure and diversity of trees in two tropical montane rainforests in Jamaica

•The influence of hurricane exposure on tree diversity and density were determined.•Diversity peaked at locations with intermediate exposure to six hurricanes.•Density peaked at locations that were always highly exposed to 12 hurricanes.•The influence of a hurricane became evident after 16–21 years and can last 101 years.•At a second site, density peaked where exposure to four recent hurricanes was highest.