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G456 Caribbean Evergreen Lowland Rainforest Group
Type Concept Sentence: This group is characterized by lowland and submontane evergreen forest, dominated by evergreen, broadleaf species of tropical affinities. Natural communities within this group are distributed in all the islands of the Greater Antilles and most of the Lesser Antilles.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Caribbean Evergreen Lowland Rainforest Group
Colloquial Name: Caribbean Evergreen Lowland Rainforest
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group is characterized by forests growing in the lowland and submontane areas of the Caribbean Islands, mostly below 600 m elevation and with total annual precipitation above 1500 mm and reaching over 3000 mm. The canopy of these forests is 30 m or up to 35 m tall and formed by emergent trees, with a middle, more continuous layer 20-25 m high, and a third canopy layer 6-15 m high, all of them very rich in species. The canopy''s dominant species vary from island to island. Along creeks, palms are frequent in the understory.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: Some of the species included in forest communities in the submontane areas within this group are also present in montane forest types at higher elevations; however, dominant tree species included here reach their highest elevation distributions at about 800-900 m. Prestoea acuminata var. montana is a typical species of this transitional belt between lowland forests and montane or cloud forests.
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Evergreen lowland rainforests of the Caribbean present many of the characteristics for which tropical rainforests are characterized, several strata of trees forming a dense, closed canopy that limits the growth of plants at the ground level which is only scarcely vegetated, while epiphytes are abundant on trees. Some tree species feature large buttress roots that help support the heavy canopy of large trees growing in very wet soil. Some forest associations in this group are more common and reach a larger structure on upper slopes and ridges, where they may form nearly pure groups whose roots are grafted. Presumably this reflects the better drainage of soils at such locations or the superior anchorage against hurricane winds that the prominent boulders may offer.
Floristics: The following list of species is diagnostic for this group: Bactris cubensis, Buchenavia tetraphylla (= Buchenavia capitata), Calophyllum antillanum (= Calophyllum calaba), Calophyllum jacquinii, Calophyllum utile, Calyptronoma occidentalis, Calyptronoma plumeriana (= Calyptronoma clementis), Carapa guianensis, Cinnamomum montanum (= Phoebe montana), Clusia rosea, Cupania americana, Cyrilla racemiflora, Dacryodes excelsa, Ficus spp., Guarea guidonia, Magnolia splendens, Manilkara bidentata, Meliosma herbertii, Micropholis garciniifolia, Micropholis guyanensis, Ocotea leucoxylon, Ocotea spathulata, Ormosia krugii, Prestoea acuminata var. montana (= Prestoea montana), Roystonea regia, Sloanea berteriana, Sloanea curatellifolia, and Tetragastris balsamifera. Above 600 m elevation, tree ferns are frequent, particularly Alsophila bryophila (= Cyathea pubescens). Dacryodes excelsa is typically associated with Sloanea berteriana, Guarea guidonia, and Manilkara bidentata forming a forest type locally called Tabonuco forest which extends from Puerto Rico into the Lesser Antilles.
Dynamics: Background disturbances, such as small gaps, small landslides, downbursts, normal cold fronts, and normal seasonal precipitation variability are important for creating and maintaining habitat heterogeneity and species and structural diversity, preventing competitive exclusion. Disturbance regimes from catastrophic natural causes, e.g., hurricanes, rare catastrophic floods, multiple landslides, volcanism, rare extreme cold fronts, and rare extreme droughts, are rare events that can be very important for ecological dynamics. Hurricanes play a major role in landscape-scale dynamics of forests on Caribbean Islands, and species that are dominant in these forests have developed a capability for dealing with hurricanes.
Environmental Description: Forest included within this group are more common and reach a larger structure on protected slopes at elevations above 400 m which probably capture more humidity than forests on the flatlands.
Climate: Forests of this group occur in areas with a mean temperature range of 21° to 25°C (70-77°F) and a mean annual precipitation from 2000 to 4000 mm. Precipitation is generally abundant except from February through April, when it decreases down to 75 mm per month. Mean relative humidity is very high.
Soil/substrate/hydrology: Forests of this groups grow on volcanic and sedimentary substrates. Tall, dense "Tabonuco" forests dominated by Dacryodes excelsa and Sloanea berteriana grow on deep, red, acidic (pH 4.5 to 5.5), clay soils derived from igneous rock. Typically these soils are stony, often with large boulders, and internal drainage is good. Forests growing on swales are shorter or show lower growth rates.
Climate: Forests of this group occur in areas with a mean temperature range of 21° to 25°C (70-77°F) and a mean annual precipitation from 2000 to 4000 mm. Precipitation is generally abundant except from February through April, when it decreases down to 75 mm per month. Mean relative humidity is very high.
Soil/substrate/hydrology: Forests of this groups grow on volcanic and sedimentary substrates. Tall, dense "Tabonuco" forests dominated by Dacryodes excelsa and Sloanea berteriana grow on deep, red, acidic (pH 4.5 to 5.5), clay soils derived from igneous rock. Typically these soils are stony, often with large boulders, and internal drainage is good. Forests growing on swales are shorter or show lower growth rates.
Geographic Range: This group is found on the islands of the Greater and Lesser Antilles.
Nations: CU,DM,DO,GD,GP,JM,KN,LC,MQ,MS,PR,VC,XD
States/Provinces: No Data Available
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.860786
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 1 Forest & Woodland Class | C01 | 1 |
| Subclass | 1.A Tropical Forest & Woodland Subclass | S17 | 1.A |
| Formation | 1.A.2 Tropical Lowland Humid Forest Formation | F020 | 1.A.2 |
| Division | 1.A.2.Eg Caribbean-Mesoamerican Lowland Humid Forest Division | D091 | 1.A.2.Eg |
| Macrogroup | 1.A.2.Eg.1 Caribbean Lowland Humid Forest Macrogroup | M281 | 1.A.2.Eg.1 |
| Group | 1.A.2.Eg.1.b Caribbean Evergreen Lowland Rainforest Group | G456 | 1.A.2.Eg.1.b |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Lower Montane Rainforest (Dansereau 1966)
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