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Puerto Rican dry forests (WWF ecoregion NT0226)

Pine woods and saw palmetto, Pinelands Trail, Everglades Ntl. Park, FL
Guanica Dry Forest Biosphere Reserve, Puerto Rico (c) 2006 Emma Hamilton


Source of ecoregions data: Olson, D. M. and E. Dinerstein. The Global 200: Priority ecoregions for global conservation. (PDF file) Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 89:125-126.

Distinctiveness (1=highest,4=lowest): (not assessed)
Has a high level of diversity.  Supports numerous endangered and endemic species. 

Conservation Status (1=most endangered, 5=most intact): 1 (critical)
Highly threatened due to clearing for development, fires, and invasive species.*

Characteristic species*
Coastal dry forests:
Guaiacum officinale (lignum vitae)
Coccoloba venosa (false chiggergrape)
Ceiba pentandra (kapok)
Capparis cynophallophora (Jamaica caper)

Dry limestone forests:
Pisonia albida (corcho bobo)
Guaiacum sanctum (lignum vitae)
Plumeria alba (white frangipani)
 

Associated habitats

Guanica Dry Forest Biosphere Reserve, Puerto Rico


Guanica Forest Reserve contains the last large block of coastal dry forest and dry limestone forest in Puerto Rico.  (c) 2006 Emma Hamilton  hires

 

* Ricketts, T.H., E. Dinerstein, D.M. Olson, C.J. Loucks, et al.  (1999) Terrestrial Ecoregions of North America: A Conservation Assessment.  World Wildlife Fund - United States and Canada.  Island Press, Washington, D.C. pp. 150-152.

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