Английская Википедия:Cuban dry forests
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Infobox ecoregion The Cuban dry forests are a tropical dry forest ecoregion that occupies Шаблон:Convert on Cuba and Isla de la Juventud. The ecoregion receives Шаблон:Convert of rainfall annually. Cuban dry forests can be differentiated into evergreen forests, semi-deciduous forests, mogotes, and sclerophyllous low forests.[1]
Evergreen forests
Less than 30% of all trees lose their leaves in evergreen forests, and there are few epiphytes or lianas. It is classified according to leaf length as being either mesophyllous (leaves Шаблон:Convert) or microphyllous (leaves Шаблон:Convert). Mesophyllous forest occurs at elevations from sea level to Шаблон:Convert or Шаблон:Convert. The canopy reaches a height of Шаблон:Convert, while certain trees such as palms emerge at Шаблон:Convert. The upper layer of trees in Sierra del Rosario includes Шаблон:Lang (Alchornea latifolia), Шаблон:Lang (Calophyllum antillanum), Шаблон:Lang (Sideroxylon foetidissimum) and Шаблон:Lang (Matayba oppositifolia). Yaya (Oxandra lanceolata), Wallenia laurifolia, Шаблон:Lang (Trophis racemosa) and Ficus species grow in the lower layer. Microphyllous evergreen forest establishes itself over coastal limestone. It has evergreen and deciduous trees that reach a height of Шаблон:Convert or Шаблон:Convert, some thorny shrubs, arborescent cacti, other succulents, epiphytes and dry lianas. Trees include júcaro espinoso (Bucida molinetii), cúrbana (Canella winterana), guayacán negro (Guaiacum sanctum), yaití (Gymnanthes lucida), cerillo (Hypelate trifoliata), soplillo (Lysiloma latisiliquum), guao de costa (Metopium toxiferum), almácigo (Bursera simaruba), caguairán amarillo (Hymenaea torrei), uvillón (Coccoloba diversifolia), and miraguanos (Coccothrinax spp.). Tuna (Opuntia stricta) is an important understory species.[1]
Semi-deciduous forests
About half of the trees in semi-deciduous forests are evergreen, along with shrubs, epiphytes, a few herbaceous plants, and many vines. Trees in this type of forest are often mesophyllous, with leaves Шаблон:Convert long. The canopy in forests with consistent moisture reaches a height of Шаблон:Convert and may have emergent species up to Шаблон:Convert high as well as Шаблон:Convert palms. The lower arboreal story includes deciduous and sclerophyllous evergreen trees. Soils are either red rendzinas, black rendzinas, or brown soils. Trees grow rapidly due to heavy rainfall during the summer. The upper layer of trees includes Шаблон:Lang (Bursera simaruba), Шаблон:Lang (Cedrela odorata), Шаблон:Lang (Calophyllum candidissimum), Шаблон:Lang (Ceiba pentandra), Шаблон:Lang (Cordia gerascanthus), Шаблон:Lang (C. collococca), Шаблон:Lang (Dipholis salicifolia), Шаблон:Lang (Swietenia mahagoni), Шаблон:Lang (Zanthoxylum martinicense), Шаблон:Lang (Celtis trinervia) and Шаблон:Lang (Roystonea regia). The lower layer includes Шаблон:Lang (Casearia hirsuta), Шаблон:Lang (Cupania americana), Шаблон:Lang (Guarea trichiloides), Шаблон:Lang (Oxandra lanceolata) and Шаблон:Lang (Trichilia havanensis). Forests with fluctuating moisture have an Шаблон:Convert canopy, an understory of microphyllous and thorny deciduous species, and a forest floor covered in herbaceous geophytes.[1]
Mogotes
Mogotes are conical mountains composed of karstic limestone and are found in western Cuba. Forests found on mogotes are characterized by a discontinuous story of trees Шаблон:Convert high, as well as palms, plentiful succulents, epiphytes, and lianas. Plant life includes Шаблон:Lang (Gaussia princeps), Шаблон:Lang (Thrinax morrisii), Шаблон:Lang (Tabebuia calcicola), Шаблон:Lang (Erythrina cubensis), Malpighia roigiana, Шаблон:Lang (Microcycas calocoma), Lantana strigosa, Agave spp., and Leptocereus spp. The vegetation on rock faces is bushy and very open and includes shrubs and trees with specially adapted roots, such as the endemic Шаблон:Lang (Pachira emarginata).[1]
Sclerophyllous low forests
Sclerophyllous low forests are found growing on serpentine soils and represent the transition between the dry forests and xeric scrublands. This is subdivided into charrascales (wet sclerophyllous low forests) and cuabales (dry sclerophyllous low forests). Cuabales can reach heights of Шаблон:Convert, and palms and species with small, hard and very thorny leaves are abundant. Emergent trees can be found. Plant life includes Шаблон:Langl (Leucocroton flavicans), Шаблон:Lang (Annona bullata), Шаблон:Lang (Bucida molinetii), Шаблон:Lang (Coccoloba praecox), Шаблон:Lang (Pseudocarpidium wrightii), Шаблон:Lang (Copernicia spp.), Шаблон:Lang (Coccothrinax spp.), Buxus spp. Bourreria spp., Шаблон:Lang (Tabebuia spp.), Guettarda spp., Rhodogeron coronopifolius and agave cajalbanensis.[1]
Fauna
Birds of the dry forests include the West Indian woodpecker (Melanerpes superciliaris), Fernandina's flicker (Colaptes fernandinae), Cuban green woodpecker (Xiphidiopicus percussus), and blue-headed quail-dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala). Reptiles include anoles, geckos, and the Cuban boa (Epicrates angulifer). Desmarest's hutia (Capromys pilorides) is a common species of mammal.[2]
References
