This paper compares aboveground forest structure and macronutrient stoichiometry over 5 15 years of hurricane induced secondary succession by species, life history groups, community 6 species composition, and geomorphic setting. Stem density continually increased after the 7 impact of the Category 4 hurricane Hugo and 15 years later, it was greater than pre-hurricane. 8 There were significant spatial and temporal differences in the number of species, the diversity 9 index per plot, forest structure, and biomass. The greatest compositional differences occurred 10 between the post-Hugo and the 15-year census. Prior to hurricane Hugo most plots had very 11 similar species composition and abundances, and thus occupied a small area in non-metric 12 multidimensional species space. Following the hurricane new species combinations occurred 13 and the location of plots was spread in multidimensional space. Diversity indices were 14 significantly different among geomorphic settings before and immediately after hurricane Hugo. 15 However, these differences were not observed again until the 15-year census where they returned 16 to pre-hurricane levels. Plant associations based on abundance, life history traits, and landscape 17 position had measurable differences in their structure, composition, aboveground nutrient 18 storage, and stoichiometry. However, these differences were reflected in a variety of ways at 19 different spatial scales. At the species level differences in macronutrient tissue concentrations 20 were apparent when comparing co-existing primary forests dominants, early successional 21 dominants, high-light and low-light species, and species whose stem densities are negatively 22 correlated. Community level differences were greater for forest structure and total nutrient 23 storage compared to the mass weighted concentrations of macronutrients. The largest differences observed were in Mg and can be attributed to the succession of pioneer species 2 following the hurricane. Over the entire 15-year period, the watershed average aboveground 3 stoichiometry was relatively consistent and this is linked to the biomass dominance of a few 4 species. The successional history recorded here also suggests that community level differences 5 in species composition, structure, and stoichiometry were well established after 10 to 15 years of 6 secondary succession.