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G845 Caribbean Lowland Ruderal Rainforest Group
Type Concept Sentence: This is a widespread broad-leaved ruderal forest which occurs in moist lowland areas on islands of the Caribbean, on sites which were mostly cultivated or used for pasture in the past.
Common (Translated Scientific) Name: Caribbean Lowland Ruderal Rainforest Group
Colloquial Name: Caribbean Lowland Ruderal Rainforest
Hierarchy Level: Group
Type Concept: This is a widespread broad-leaved ruderal forest which occurs in moist lowland areas on islands of the Caribbean. These sites were mostly cultivated or used for pasture in the past, from the colonial period to the middle of the 20th century. After abandonment of agriculture and grazing, forests of native and exotic trees reestablished on these sites. Over time, more native trees regenerate on many of the sites.
Diagnostic Characteristics: This is a widespread ruderal forest which occurs in moist lowland areas on islands of the Caribbean.
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: Evergreen or semi-deciduous forest.
Floristics: Dominant trees and shrubs include Casearia arborea, Cecropia schreberiana, Citrus x sinensis, Guarea guidonia, Inga vera, Mangifera indica, Spathodea campanulata, Syzygium jambos, and Tabebuia heterophylla.
Dynamics: Native shade-tolerant tree species regenerate in ruderal forests which have the canopy dominated by Spathodea campanulata. Many of these native tree species do not regenerate on newly abandoned agricultural or grazing land in Puerto Rico. Natural processes have the potential of making these ruderal forests more diverse (Abelleira Martínez et al. 2010). Because Spathodea campanulata tolerates flooding, its dominance may persist longer on alluvial sites than upland sites (Abelleira Martínez et al. 2010). Alluvial forests were mostly cleared for sugar cane cultivation, then abandoned during the middle of the 20th century, allowing ruderal forests to establish. Syzygium jambos has invaded riparian areas and old-growth forest stands and appears to inhibit the regeneration of native forest species. To recover native forest in areas that are dominated by Syzygium jambos, it will be necessary to reduce the abundance of this species (Aide et al. 2000). Tabebuia heterophylla has been extensively planted on the more humid public forest lands in Puerto Rico due to its adaptability to replenish soils degraded by farming. It is widespread in forests, abandoned pastures, secondary forests, forest plantations, and along roadsides and city streets throughout Puerto Rico with the exception of the upper Luquillo and upper Cordillera forest regions (Little and Wadsworth 1964).
Environmental Description: In moist lowland areas, ruderal forests mainly occur on sites which were formerly used for agriculture, agroforestry or grazing. Included here are upland and alluvial sites which were cultivated in the past. Ruderal forests have higher soil bulk densities due to past soil compaction. Also there is much less leaf litter and soil organic matter than in mature native forests, but soil organic matter increases in ruderal forests over time following abandonment of agriculture or grazing (Weaver et al. 1987, Lugo and Helmer 2004).
Geographic Range: This group occurs on moist lowland sites on islands of the Caribbean.
Nations: CU,DO,JM,PR,VI
States/Provinces: No Data Available
Plot Analysis Summary:
http://vegbank.org/natureserve/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.963745
Confidence Level: Low - Poorly Documented
Confidence Level Comments: No Data Available
Grank: GNA
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.c Caribbean Lowland Ruderal Rainforest Group | G845 | 1.A.2.Eg.1.c |
Concept Lineage: No Data Available
Predecessors: No Data Available
Obsolete Names: No Data Available
Obsolete Parents: No Data Available
Synonomy: >< CecSch/CitSin (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
> CitFru/ExoCar (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
>< GuaGui/DenArb (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
>< I.A.1.N.b. Mangifera indica Forest Alliance (Areces-Mallea et al. 1999)
>< I.A.1.N.b. Syzygium jambos Forest Alliance (Areces-Mallea et al. 1999)
> I.A.1.N.b. Terminalia catappa Forest Alliance (Areces-Mallea et al. 1999)
> Roble Prieto Scrub - 63.4 (Dansereau 1966)
> Second-growth Savana - 48.3 (Dansereau 1966)
> Second-growth Woodland -- 48.2 (Dansereau 1966)
> SpaCam (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
>< SyzJam (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
> TabHet/CasArb (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
>< Trumpet-wood Forest - 43.1 (Dansereau 1966)
> CitFru/ExoCar (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
>< GuaGui/DenArb (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
>< I.A.1.N.b. Mangifera indica Forest Alliance (Areces-Mallea et al. 1999)
>< I.A.1.N.b. Syzygium jambos Forest Alliance (Areces-Mallea et al. 1999)
> I.A.1.N.b. Terminalia catappa Forest Alliance (Areces-Mallea et al. 1999)
> Roble Prieto Scrub - 63.4 (Dansereau 1966)
> Second-growth Savana - 48.3 (Dansereau 1966)
> Second-growth Woodland -- 48.2 (Dansereau 1966)
> SpaCam (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
>< SyzJam (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
> TabHet/CasArb (Brandeis et al. 2009b)
>< Trumpet-wood Forest - 43.1 (Dansereau 1966)
- Abelleira Martínez, O. J., M. A. Rodríguez, I. Rosario, N. Soto, A. López, and A. E. Lugo. 2010. Structure and species composition of novel forests dominated by an introduced species in northcentral Puerto Rico. New Forests 39:1-18.
- Aide, T. M., J. K. Zimmerman, J. B. Pascarella, L. Rivera, and H. Marcano-Vega. 2000. Forest regeneration in a chronosequence of tropical abandoned pastures: Implications for restoration. Restoration Ecology 8(4):328-338.
- 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.
- Brandeis, T. J., E. H. Helmer, H. Marcano-Vega, and A. E. Lugo. 2009b. Climate shapes the novel plant communities that form after deforestation in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Forest Ecology and Management 258(7):1704-1718.
- Dansereau, P. 1966. Studies on the vegetation of Puerto Rico. Part I. Description and integration of the plant-communities. University of Puerto Rico, Institute of Caribbean Sciences. Special Publication No. 1. Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. 287 pp.
- 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]
- Little, E. L., and F. H. Wadsworth. 1964. Common trees of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Agricultural Handbook No. 249. USDA Forest Service, Institute of Tropical Forestry. 548 pp.
- Lugo, A. E., and E. Helmer. 2004. Emerging forests on abandoned land: Puerto Rico''s new forests. Forest Ecology and Management 190:145-161.
- Weaver, P. L., R. A. Birdsey, and A. E. Lugo. 1987. Soil organic matter in secondary forests of Puerto Rico. Biotropica 19:17-23.