Hispaniolan dry forests

Hispaniolan dry forests
Hispaniolan dry forests
	Jaragua National Park, Dominican Republic
	Ecoregion territory (in purple)
Ecology
Realm	Neotropical
Biome	tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests
Borders	Greater Antilles mangroves; Hispaniolan moist forests,; Hispaniolan pine forests;
Geography
Area	15,123 km2 (5,839 sq mi)
Countries	Dominican Republic; Haiti;
Conservation
Conservation status	Critical/endangered
Protected	2,859 km2 (19%)

The Hispaniolan dry forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion on the island of Hispaniola (split between the Dominican Republic and Haiti). They cover 15,123 km² (5,839 sq mi), around 20% of the island's area.^[1]

Geography

The dry forests are found mostly on the southern and western portions of the island of Hispaniola, covering portions of both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The ecoregion covers the southern and western coastal lowlands, the

Cibao Valley in the north-central portion of the island.^[1]

Flora

Plant communities include high dry forest and cactus scrub dominated by species of Prosopis, Pilosocereus, Hippomane, Cylindropuntia, Agave, and Bursera, as well as Melocactus lemairei.^[3]

Fauna

Given the climate, reptiles are numerous in this region. Species found include

extinct giant tortoises (Chelonoidis marcanoi) found on Hispaniola were specialists adapted to dry, open habitats and had a major role in shaping this ecoregion; following a decrease in the extent of these ecosystems after the end of the Pleistocene, these tortoises were restricted to refugia habitats up until their extinction.^[4]

Protected areas

2,859 km², or 19%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas.

Three Bays National Park, Arroyo Cano Forest Reserve (23.9 km²), Barrero Forest Reserve (192.2 km²), Cabeza de Toro Forest Reserve (5.9 km²), Cerro de Bocanigua Forest Reserve (29.2 km²), Carretera Cabral - Polo panoramic road (12 km²), and Carretera Santiago - La Cumbre - Puerto Plata panoramic road (21 km²).^[5]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Hispaniolan dry forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
^ ^a ^b Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, pp. 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b. [1]
^ Cano-Ortiz, Ana & Musarella, Carmelo & Piñar Fuentes, José Carlos & Gomes, Carlos & Cano, Eusébio. (2015). Forests and Landscapes of Dominican Republic. Jordan Journal of Applied Science.
^ "A new species of extinct Late Quaternary giant tortoise from Hispaniola". 2017.
^ "Hispaniolan dry forests". DOPA Explorer. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2022.

External links

"Hispaniolan dry forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
Hispaniolan dry forests (DOPA)
Hispaniolan dry forests (Encyclopedia of Earth)

[wwf-1] "Hispaniolan dry forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.

[Dinerstein-2] Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, pp. 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b. [1]

[3] Cano-Ortiz, Ana & Musarella, Carmelo & Piñar Fuentes, José Carlos & Gomes, Carlos & Cano, Eusébio. (2015). Forests and Landscapes of Dominican Republic. Jordan Journal of Applied Science.

[:1-4] "A new species of extinct Late Quaternary giant tortoise from Hispaniola". 2017.

[dopa-5] "Hispaniolan dry forests". DOPA Explorer. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2022.

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