puerto rco’s dry forest

Carlos J. Cabello Valeria Laboy

Adriana Vera Andrea C. Vicenti

Laura V. Díaz Stephanie C Rodriguez

José E. Ríos Cristina M. Rivera

Joanly Rivera Gabriela Reyes

Claudia Colón Camila P. Santiago

The Guánica Dry Forest, Elfin

Forest and Tamarindo Lagoon

General information The Guánica State Dry Forest is a subtropical dry

forest located in the southwest of Puerto Rico.

Appointed as a forest reserve in 1919 and a UN

Biosphere Reserve in 1981.

Scientifically important

Due to its complexity, nature and scientific

diversity.

Some 119 investigations (1990-present) have

been made there, studying various topics:

Flora

Fauna

Archeology

Ecology

Fisheries and more…

Location and Climate

Located in the most arid area of Puerto Rico, with

an annual rainfall of 30 inches a year.

Temperatures vary from 75° F to 85° F, reaching up

to 110° F in the most exposed areas.

Monthly Precipitation in Guánica

Geography and Topography

It covers the counties of Guánica, Guayanilla,

and Yauco; also having islets in Ponce and

Peñuelas.

Considered as a undulant zone: mostly flat

land, while having a variety in the terrain level.

Soil properties

Soil ranges from sandy to limestone, showing a

difference of these:

1. Floor composed of limestone and fine-grained

surface.

2. Abundant in fine and soft lime with small areas of

sand and clay.

3. Floor of sand and clay with a depth of 6” or more.

As an Ecosystem

It is a xerophytic forest; driest place in Puerto Rico.

Also considered as an inhospitable ecosystem:

Lack of rainfall

High temperatures

Soils with little accumulation of organic material

Absence of permanent rivers

Flora

Around 550 species of plant; representing 85

families.

Around 180 are trees (45 are endangered).

The flora is adapted to extreme conditions:

Wind

Saltpeter

Lack of water

Fauna examples

• Eucalyptus

• Caoba (Mahogany)

• Chery Cactus

Guajacán Centenario

The symbol of the Guánica Dry Forest.

Predicted to be from 700-1000 years old.

The age can be estimated by the width of the

trunk since the diameter increases a millimeter per

year.

The extract of its trunk posses medicinal properties.

Fauna

Some136 species of birds had been recorded;

12 of them being native.

Some 21 species of reptiles and 6 of amphibians

have been found; 8 species of lizards are

exclusive to Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.

Insects are an important community and exert

various functions from pollinating to

decomposing.

Reptiles

Anolis poncensis and Anolis cooki

(exclusive to the forest)

Endangered Fauna

The federal agencies had denominated 16

endangered species:

Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum)

The bird (Agelaius xanthomus)

Guabairo (Caparimulgus vociferus noctitherus)

Tamarindo Lagoon

Found in the southern part of Puerto Rico in the

Refuge of the Guánica Dry Forest.

It only fills with the passage of heavy rains. In

times of heat and drought the lagoon dries up

completely.

It has served as stoppage between the coast

and firm land for migratory birds.

Tamarindo Lagoon

• When filled, shown in the sign and when dry

Flora

The plant and tree diversity of the Lagoon has

adapted itself to be able to survive both

drought and flooding of the lagoon.

These species can also be found in the Elfin

forest and the Tamarindo Bay.

Flora

Espesia populnea

Fauna

Composed of aquatic and amphibious life.

Reproductive place of Sapo Concho

(Pelthophryne lemur), an endangered species.

In 1984 a population was recorded in the area of Tamarindo within the forest.

During dry weather they remain refuge. They

reproduce when the temporary lagoon

emerge.

Sapo Concho (Pelthophryne lemur)

Elfin Forest of Guánica

It extends from Tamarindo

Lagoon to Punta Ventana.

It is known as the “Elfin Forest”

due to the limited altitude and

growth of its vegetation.

The ground has a formation of

sedimentary rocks.

Fauna’s problem

Same species as in the Dry Forest, yet slightly

miniature and limited.

Factors that limit vegetation growth:

Wind

Water limitation

Salt concentrations

Fauna

Ipomea pres- caprae (Canavalia maritime)

Coccoloba uvifera

Elfin Forest

Cherry Cactus population on sedimentary soil.

Fauna

They obtain water from pray and vegetation.

They hiding in cavities, underground, in bushes or

ground.

Puerto Rican Tody (Todus mexicanus)

Puerto Rican Nightjar (Caprimulgus noctitherus)

Avifauna

Mayor population consists of bird (132 )species

(40 resident and 9 endemic species of birds)

Elfin-woods Warbler (Setophaga angelae)

Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo (Coccyzus vieilloti)

Puerto Rican Flycatcher (Myiarchus antillarum)

References

Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. 1981.

Documentation re-proposing Guanica Forest as

UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve. Area of Scientific

Research, Department of natural Resources San Juan

P.R. 13 p.

Cerame Vivas, M. 2001, Ecología de Puerto Rico.

Publicaciones Puertorriqueñas

Murphy P.G. 1990. Dry Forest of the Tropics and Subtropics

Guanica Forest in Context4(1-3):15- 24

ReferencesOrtíz, C. G. Bosque Estatal de Guánica. PrFrogui.

Obtained from:

http://www.prfrogui.com/geocities/guanicabos

que.htm

Ricart Ph.D, C. M. (Narrador). (2014). Bosque Seco [Video

en línea]. Obtained from: Youtube.

Ramírez, Jennie (2009). Bosque Seco de Guánica.

Obtained from:

http://ponce.inter.edu/acad/cursos/ciencia/pa

ges/guanica.htm on June 28, 2015

References

Anonymus. (2007). Sapo concho puertorriqueño.

28 de junio de 2015, de CoaliciónPro Bosque

Seco Ventanas Verraco Website:

http://www.coalicionventanaverraco.org/index

.php?q=gallery&g2_view=slideshow.Slideshow&

g2_itemId=882

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