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G485 Opuntia spp. - Paspalidium chapmanii Caribbean Coastal Cactus Scrub Group
Type Concept Sentence: This Caribbean coastal open cactus- and grass-dominated scrub with scattered shrubs and small trees occurs on dry rocky limestone sites with sparse or thin soils which are prone to drought.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Prickly-pear species - Chapman''s Bristlegrass Caribbean Coastal Cactus Scrub Group
Colloquial Name: Caribbean Coastal Cactus Scrub
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This group occurs either on sandy or rocky substrates, along the Caribbean coasts, or higher in areas of low rainfall. Few species of thorny trees and shrubs form an open canopy with a maximum height of 5 m, and the herb (mainly grasses) layer and cacti are conspicuous. Vegetation cover by annual plants varies due to large quantitative and seasonal rain fluctuations. Cacti are codominant; columnar and tree-shaped cacti are common. Microphyllous shrubs, small succulent trees, plants in rosettes (such as agaves and terrestrial bromeliads) or evergreen and semi-deciduous shrubs can also be present. In Puerto Rico, the cactus scrub is associated with limestone pavements. In the Bahamas, this type occurs on limestone pavements with sinkholes and "dogtooth" terrain above the water table. In many areas, this vegetation has an open aspect. Species vary across the Antilles, Bahamas, and the Florida Keys, but common plants include Agave spp., Croton flavens, Dendrocereus nudiflorus, Eugenia spp., Leptochloa dubia, Opuntia spp., Paspalidium chapmanii, Pilosocereus brooksianus, and Stenocereus spp.
Diagnostic Characteristics: No Data Available
Rationale for Nominal Species or Physiognomic Features: No Data Available
Classification Comments: No Data Available
Similar NVC Types: No Data Available
note: No Data Available
Physiognomy and Structure: Few species of thorny trees and shrubs form an open canopy with a maximum height of 5 m, and the herb (mainly grasses) layer is conspicuous. Vegetation cover by annual plants varies due to large quantitative and seasonal rain fluctuations. Cacti are codominant; columnar and tree-shaped cacti are common. Microphyllous shrubs, small succulent trees, plants in rosettes (such as agaves and terrestrial bromeliads) or evergreen and semi-deciduous shrubs can also be present. In many areas, this vegetation has an open aspect, and is primarily herbaceous (FNAI 2010a).
Floristics: The following list of species is diagnostic for this group: Agave albescens, Agave missionum, Bourreria cumanensis, Caesalpinia spp., Capparis spp., Cercidium sp., Consolea macracantha, Cordia spp., Cylindropuntia hystrix, Dendrocereus nudiflorus, Erithalis fruticosa, Gochnatia sp., Guaiacum officinale, Guettarda sp., Jacquinia armillaris (= Jacquinia arborea), Lantana involucrata, Melocactus acunae, Opuntia militaris, Opuntia dillenii, Opuntia triacantha, Pilosocereus brooksianus, Plumeria alba, Rhodocactus cubensis, Stenocereus fimbriatus (= Stenocereus hystrix, = Ritterocereus hystrix), and Stenocereus griseus (= Ritterocereus griseus, = Ritterocereus deficiens). In Puerto Rico, the Lesser Antilles, and Bahamas, the following species are typical: Calliandra purpurea, Chrysobalanus icaco, Coccoloba spp., Comocladia dodonaea, Croton flavens, Eugenia xerophytica, Manilkara jaimiqui ssp. emarginata (= Manilkara bahamensis), Melocactus intortus, Oplonia spinosa, Pilosocereus royenii, Psidium longipes, Stenocereus fimbriatus, Stigmaphyllon sagraeanum, and Tabebuia bahamensis (Huggins et al. 2007). In the Florida Keys, characteristic species include Acanthocereus tetragonus, Cienfuegosia yucatanensis, Cyperus elegans, Evolvulus convolvuloides, Indigofera oxycarpa (= Indigofera mucronata var. keyensis), Jacquemontia pentanthos, Leptochloa dubia, Opuntia stricta, Opuntia triacantha, and Paspalidium chapmanii (FNAI 2010a).
Dynamics: Drought occurs from lack of rain and from the rapid drainage of the rocky substrate. Drought keeps the dominance of woody plants low and favors grasses, such as Paspalidium chapmanii and Leptochloa dubia. Some sites have probably been subject to soil erosion from fire or coastal storm surge, exposing the rocky substrate (FNAI 2010a). The cactus moth (Cactoblastis cactorum) is a threat to all the Opuntia which occur in Caribbean Coastal Cactus Scrub. It is native to South America, but has spread in coastal areas of the Caribbean and southern United States.
Environmental Description: Climate: This group occurs in coastal areas, especially areas of rainshadows created by mountains and in areas of extreme temperatures. Xeric areas generally have low and highly seasonal precipitation with a range of 800-1000 mm annual precipitation, with great variation between years. The rainy season is from May through November. The driest months are February and March. Overall temperature averages at sea level are mostly in the range of 25-27°C. Annual precipitation ranges from 600 to 1500 mm for the distribution range of this group. The dry season is usually limited to one period that can last for 2-6 months, or divided into two periods together lasting up to 8 months. The main dry period is usually between January and April; there may be a second dry period in more southerly latitudes in July to September.
Soil/substrate/hydrology: This group occurs either on sandy or rocky substrates, along the Caribbean coasts, or higher in areas of low rainfall. The limestone substrate has low water-retention capacity, and rainfall leaches easily after accumulating in cracks and crevices of variable depth. Other substrates where communities of this group develop also exhibit actual drought during periods of low rainfall and physiological drought due to impeded drainage and waterlogging during periods of high rainfall. In Puerto Rico, the cactus scrub is associated with limestone pavements. In the Bahamas, this type occurs on limestone pavements with sinkholes and "dogtooth" terrain above the water table. In the Florida Keys, it is associated with rocky areas of limestone with thin soils.
Soil/substrate/hydrology: This group occurs either on sandy or rocky substrates, along the Caribbean coasts, or higher in areas of low rainfall. The limestone substrate has low water-retention capacity, and rainfall leaches easily after accumulating in cracks and crevices of variable depth. Other substrates where communities of this group develop also exhibit actual drought during periods of low rainfall and physiological drought due to impeded drainage and waterlogging during periods of high rainfall. In Puerto Rico, the cactus scrub is associated with limestone pavements. In the Bahamas, this type occurs on limestone pavements with sinkholes and "dogtooth" terrain above the water table. In the Florida Keys, it is associated with rocky areas of limestone with thin soils.
Geographic Range: This group occurs in coastal areas of the Caribbean, including south Florida, the Bahamas, and the Antilles.
Nations: BS,CU,DO,HT,JM,PR,TT,US,VI,XC,XD
States/Provinces: FL
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.860867
Confidence Level: Moderate
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNR
Greasons: No Data Available
| Type | Name | Database Code | Classification Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class | 2 Shrub & Herb Vegetation Class | C02 | 2 |
| Subclass | 2.A Tropical Grassland, Savanna & Shrubland Subclass | S01 | 2.A |
| Formation | 2.A.1 Tropical Lowland Grassland, Savanna & Shrubland Formation | F019 | 2.A.1 |
| Division | 2.A.1.Ea Caribbean-Mesoamerican Lowland Grassland, Savanna & Shrubland Division | D094 | 2.A.1.Ea |
| Macrogroup | 2.A.1.Ea.1 Catclaw Blackbead - Prickly-pear species - Agave species Scrub Macrogroup | M671 | 2.A.1.Ea.1 |
| Group | 2.A.1.Ea.1.a Prickly-pear species - Chapman''s Bristlegrass Caribbean Coastal Cactus Scrub Group | G485 | 2.A.1.Ea.1.a |
Concept Lineage: G468 is redundant with G485 (DFL 5-17-13)
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: ? Cactus scrub (Beard 1955)
? Keys Cactus Barren (FNAI 2010a)
> Puerto Rico land cover type 49, Dry cactus grassland and shrubland (Gould et al. 2008)
> Puerto Rico land cover type 9, Lowland dry cactus shrubland (Gould et al. 2008)
? Succulent extremely xeromorphic evergreen shrubland Formation (Areces-Mallea et al. 1999)
? Keys Cactus Barren (FNAI 2010a)
> Puerto Rico land cover type 49, Dry cactus grassland and shrubland (Gould et al. 2008)
> Puerto Rico land cover type 9, Lowland dry cactus shrubland (Gould et al. 2008)
? Succulent extremely xeromorphic evergreen shrubland Formation (Areces-Mallea et al. 1999)
- Areces-Mallea, A. E., A. S. Weakley, X. Li, R. G. Sayre, J. D. Parrish, C. V. Tipton, and T. Boucher. 1999. A guide to Caribbean vegetation types: Preliminary classification system and descriptions. The Nature Conservancy, Arlington, VA. 166 pp.
- Beard, J. S. 1955. The classification of tropical American vegetation types. Ecology 36:89-100.
- Borhidi, A. 1991. Phytogeography and vegetation ecology of Cuba. Akademiai Kiado. Budapest, Hungary. 858 pp. plus color plates and map by A. Borhidi and O. Muniz (1970) inside of back cover.
- FNAI [Florida Natural Areas Inventory]. 2010a. Guide to the natural communities of Florida: 2010 edition. Florida Natural Areas Inventory, Tallahassee, FL. 228 pp. [https://fnai.org/naturalcommguide.cfm]
- Faber-Langendoen, D., J. Drake, S. Gawler, M. Hall, C. Josse, G. Kittel, S. Menard, C. Nordman, M. Pyne, M. Reid, L. Sneddon, K. Schulz, J. Teague, M. Russo, K. Snow, and P. Comer, editors. 2010-2019a. Divisions, Macrogroups and Groups for the Revised U.S. National Vegetation Classification. NatureServe, Arlington, VA. plus appendices. [in preparation]
- Figueroa Colon, J. 1996. Geoclimatic regions of Puerto Rico (map). USGS Water Resources Division. San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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- Huggins, A. E., S. Keel, P. Kramer, F. Núñez, S. Schill, R. Jeo, A. Chatwin, K. Thurlow, M. McPherson, M. Libby, R. Tingey, M. Palmer, and R. Seybert. 2007. Biodiversity conservation assessment of the insular Caribbean using the Caribbean Decision Support System, Technical Report, The Nature Conservancy.
- International Institute of Tropical Forestry. No date. Maps of vegetation and land cover in Puerto Rico. [in press]
- Josse, C., G. Navarro, P. Comer, R. Evans, D. Faber-Langendoen, M. Fellows, G. Kittel, S. Menard, M. Pyne, M. Reid, K. Schulz, K. Snow, and J. Teague. 2003. Ecological systems of Latin America and the Caribbean: A working classification of terrestrial systems. NatureServe, Arlington, VA.