A study of the dry forest communities in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

This paper is a floristic and phytosociological study of the dry forest communities of the Dominican Republic. A total of 69 relevés in dry forest biotopes were carried out. The samples were subsequently subjected to Detrended Correspondence Analysis for the determination and study of possible groupings. The study does not cover tree formations growing on serpentines, nor the so-called semideciduous forests, peculiar to areas with higher rainfall. A total of nine phytocoenoses were identified. The most significant results led to the description of six new phytosociological associations: Simaroubetum berteroani (thorny dry forest on coastal dunes), Phyllostylo rhamnoidis-Prosopidetum juliflorae (southern Dominican disturbed dry forest), Consoleo moniliformis-Camerarietum linearifoliae (dry forest on hard limestones), Lemaireocereo hystricis-Prosopidetum juliflorae (northern Dominican disturbed dry forest), Lycio americani-Prosopidetum juliflorae (disturbed dry forest on saline soils) and Guettardo ellipticaeGuapiretum discoloris (dry forest on flat-topped hillocks in Montecristi). This is an important step forward in the phytosociological and floristic studies of the Caribbean territories.

Neotropical Mangrove Communities: A Review

“…Jarvis, and Chloris barbata Sw. It is clear that the description of this formation is based on an ecotone between the driest parts of the mangroves and a dry forest phytocoenosis that resembles the one published subsequently in García-Fuentes et al (2015) (Lycio americani-Prosopidetum juliflorae García-Fuentes, Torres, Ruiz, Lendínez, Quesada, Valle, and Salazar 2015) for the Dominican Republic.…”