Английская Википедия:Cuban cactus scrub
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Infobox ecoregion
The Cuban cactus scrub is a xeric shrubland ecoregion that occupies Шаблон:Convert on the leeward coast of Cuba. Most of it occurs in the southeastern part of the island in the provinces of Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba. The ecoregion receives less than Шаблон:Convert of rainfall annually. The principal soils are coastal rendzinas that were derived from coralline limestone. Cuban cactus scrub contains four vegetation zones: xerophytic coastal and subcoastal scrubland, coastal thorny semidesert, coastal sclerophyllous scrubland, and rocky coastal scrublands.[1]
Xerophytic coastal and subcoastal scrubland
Vegetation in the xerophytic coastal and subcoastal scrublands reaches a height of Шаблон:Convert and is dominated by palms and succulents, especially cacti. Common evergreen plants include Шаблон:Lang (Bourreria virgata), Шаблон:Lang (Capparis cynophallophora), Шаблон:Lang (Eugenia foetida), Bursera glauca, B. cubana, Croton spp., Cordia spp., Calliandra colletioides, Caesalpinia spp., Acacia spp., Phyllostylon brasiliense, Pseudosamanea cubana and Шаблон:Lang (Guaiacum officinale). Шаблон:Lang (Opuntia stricta), O. militaris, Шаблон:Lang (Harrisia eriophora), Шаблон:Lang (H. taetra), Шаблон:Lang (Pilosocereus polygonus), Шаблон:Lang (Dendrocereus nudiflorus), Шаблон:Lang (Agave spp.), Шаблон:Lang (Melocactus spp.) and Leptocereus spp. are typical succulents.[1]
Coastal thorny semidesert
Coastal thorny semidesert is similar to xerophytic coastal and subcoastal scrubland in that they both have the same succulent composition and reach a height of Шаблон:Convert. However, succulents represent a smaller proportion of the plant life in this zone. Other plant species include Шаблон:Lang (Cordia sebestena), Шаблон:Lang (Hippomane mancinella) and Шаблон:Lang (Plumeria filifolia).[1]
Coastal sclerophyllous scrubland
The vegetation in this zone is sclerophyllous, meaning that their leaves are hard. It reaches a height of Шаблон:Convert with emergent trees up to Шаблон:Convert. This zone represents the transition between xeric shrublands and moister dry forests. Plant life includes Шаблон:Lang (Picrodendron baccatum), Шаблон:Lang (Maytenus buxifolia), Шаблон:Lang (Pictetia spinosa), Шаблон:Lang (Brya ebenus) and Шаблон:Lang (Diospyros grisebachii).[1]
Rocky coastal scrublands
The most sparse and stunted vegetation is found in this zone, which occurs adjacent to the ocean on karstic soil. The flora is tolerant of wind and salt spray, and includes Шаблон:Lang (Borrichia arborescens), Шаблон:Lang (Tournefortia gnaphalodes), and Шаблон:Lang (Sesuvium maritimum).[1]
Fauna
Birds of the cactus scrub include the Zapata sparrow (Torreornis inexpectata sigmani), Cuban vireo (Vireo gundlachii), Cuban gnatcatcher (Polioptila lembeyei), and Oriente warbler (Teretistris fornsi). The yellow-striped pygmy eleuth (Eleutherodactylus limbatus) is a species of frog endemic to this ecoregion, while several anole species and the Cuban rock iguana (Cyclura nubila nubila) are endemic lizards.[2]
References
