. The Caribbean forester. Forests and forestry Caribbean Area Periodicals; Forests and forestry Tropics Periodicals. 114 Caribbean Forester convex slopes, convex slopes are better sites than ridges, and ridges are better than peaks. This relationship is most pronounced in the sinkhole region. This relationship reflects differences in rate of soil erosion, the con- tribution of alluvial deposits, and exposure. A counteracting factor is soil drainage; which on certain heavy soils in rainy forest areas such as at Carite and Guilarte may make lower slopes superior to valleys for the establishment
. The Caribbean forester. Forests and forestry Caribbean Area Periodicals; Forests and forestry Tropics Periodicals. 114 Caribbean Forester convex slopes, convex slopes are better sites than ridges, and ridges are better than peaks. This relationship is most pronounced in the sinkhole region. This relationship reflects differences in rate of soil erosion, the con- tribution of alluvial deposits, and exposure. A counteracting factor is soil drainage; which on certain heavy soils in rainy forest areas such as at Carite and Guilarte may make lower slopes superior to valleys for the establishment and growth of certain tree species. At Susua and Maricao the effect of topographic position upon the vegetation is less pronounced than elsewhere apparently because of long uniform slopes. The physical soil factors appear to be more important to reforestation than the chemical factors, although it is probably impossible to completely isolate the two. Loose rocky shallow soils tend to accentuate the effects of drought because of their poor water retention. Such soils are of significance to reforestation at Guanica, Guajataca, Rio Aba jo, Maricao, Susua, and the drier southern edge of the Carite Forest. On the other hand, the heavier clay soils in the humid mountains are so poorly drained in the more level areas as to produce root decay in young planted trees. The effects of modification of soils by past use or abuse can be as significant to tree establishment, at least temporarily, as the inherent physical or chemical properties of the soil. On the heavy soils of the Carite and Guilarte Forests in the central mountains, plantation sucess seems to be more directly related to the history of previ- ous cultivation of the land than to any other factor, in spite of considerable variation in topography. Compacting and loss of top- soil and fertility through erosion and leach- ing are probably largely responsible for this relationship. The biological site factors are the pre- sence of
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