. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: the Americas. Lesser Antilles. Figure An idealised transect through a Caribbean island in the Lesser Antilles. Suiinc- Lugo « a/. (1981) cymosa, Diissia martinicciisis, Talaiima dodecapetala. OrmosUi monosperma, Meliosma Iwrhertii. Hyenmiiiia carihaect. Phoebe elongata and Beilschmiedia pendiila. A variety of second growth communities following destruc- tion of the forest can be recognized, of which the most readily distinguished are: tree-fern brake, dominated by groves of Cyalliea aihorea and Heiuitelia grandifolia; Mieouia thicket, dominate
. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: the Americas. Lesser Antilles. Figure An idealised transect through a Caribbean island in the Lesser Antilles. Suiinc- Lugo « a/. (1981) cymosa, Diissia martinicciisis, Talaiima dodecapetala. OrmosUi monosperma, Meliosma Iwrhertii. Hyenmiiiia carihaect. Phoebe elongata and Beilschmiedia pendiila. A variety of second growth communities following destruc- tion of the forest can be recognized, of which the most readily distinguished are: tree-fern brake, dominated by groves of Cyalliea aihorea and Heiuitelia grandifolia; Mieouia thicket, dominated by Miconia guicmensis: and pioneer forest, dominated in the initial stages by species such as Cecropia peltata. Ochroma lagopus. Hibiscus tiilipiflonis. Frezieni hiisiiia and Aemistiis arborescens and at later stages by members of the Lauraceae, notably Necrandra antitlami and Ocolea leiicoxylon. Montane Formations There are marked changes in forest physiognomy and floristic composition between the lowland forests and those at higher altitudes. However, the distribution of the different montane for- mations appears to be determined by exposure to wind rather than by changes in temperature or rainfall with altitude. a. Lower montane rain forest Lower montane rain forest is found on mountain slopes and ridges from 60 m to 500 m elevation, generally more or less exposed to the wind. It is dominated by a variable though closed and often very dense stratum of trees 20-30 m in height, below which is an understorey of trees up to 12 m in height. Shrub, sub-shrub and ground layers also occur, merg- ing into each other and into the lower tree storey. The major dominants are Licania teniatensis and pallida, with Ainanoa caribaea locally important ( in the wetter parts of Dominica where it is the common- est species in this formation). Other dominants are Dacryodes excelsa, Tapura antillana. Ternstoemia oligosre- mon, Micropholis chryosphylloides, Manilkara bidentata. Gua
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Keywords: ., bhlconsortium, bookc, bookcentury1900, bookcollectionbiodiversity
