The Cuban moist forests is a

tropical moist broadleaf forest Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Description TSMF is generally found in large, disco ...

ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) or ecozone (ecological zone) is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than a bioregion, which in turn is smaller than a biogeographic realm. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas o ...

that occupies on

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

and

Isla de la Juventud Isla de la Juventud (; en, Isle of Youth) is the second-largest Cuban island (after Cuba's mainland) and the seventh-largest island in the West Indies (after mainland Cuba itself, Hispaniola, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and Andros Islan ...

. The ecoregion receives more than of rainfall annually, and does not have a dry season.

Soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former ...

s are usually derived from

quartz Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica ( silicon dioxide). The atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall chemical ...

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms wh ...

, or

serpentinite Serpentinite is a rock composed predominantly of one or more serpentine group minerals, the name originating from the similarity of the texture of the rock to that of the skin of a snake. Serpentinite has been called ''serpentine'' or ''ser ...

s. Cuban moist forests can be differentiated into lowland forests (sea level to ), sub-montane forests (), and

montane forests Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

().

Lowland forests

Lowland forests are found at elevations from sea level to and reach heights of . They consist of three tree stories. The upper story includes achiotillo ('' Alchornea latifolia''), najesí (''

Carapa guianensis ''Carapa guianensis'' is a species of tree in the family Meliaceae, also known by the common names andiroba or crabwood. Description Andiroba is native to the Amazon and is widely used by the indigenous populations of the northern region o ...

'') and acana (''

Manilkara valenzuelana ''Manilkara valenzuelana'' is a species of tree or tall shrub in the Sapodilla family. It is found in coastal and subcoastal semi- deciduous forests of Cuba (Pinar del Río and Oriente), the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and possibly Puerto R ...

''); the middle story has tagua-tagua (''

Diospyros ''Diospyros'' is a genus of over 700 species of deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions. Individual species valued for their hard, heavy, dark ...

caribaea''), ''

Ocotea ''Ocotea'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Lauraceae. Many are evergreen trees with lauroid leaves. There are over 520 species currently accepted within the genus, distributed mostly in tropical and subtropical areas of ...

floribunda'', '' Oxandra laurifolia'', '' Talauma minor'', '' Terminalia'' spp. and ''

Ficus ''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few species extending int ...

'' spp.; and the lower story has a number of species of

tree ferns The tree ferns are arborescent (tree-like) ferns that grow with a trunk elevating the fronds above ground level, making them trees. Many extant tree ferns are members of the order Cyatheales, to which belong the families Cyatheaceae (scaly tre ...

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All spe ...

and

Melastomataceae Melastomataceae is a family of dicotyledonous flowering plants found mostly in the tropics (two-thirds of the genera are from the New World tropics) comprising c. 175 genera and c. 5115 known species. Melastomes are annual or perennial herbs, s ...

. Epiphytes are abundant and varied, including the endemic '' Hymenodium crinitum'', '' Oleandra articulata'', '' Columnea tincta'', and ''

Psychotria ''Psychotria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It contains 1,582 species and is therefore one of the largest genera of flowering plants. The genus has a pantropical distribution and members of the genus are small understo ...

pendula''. Typical palms are '' Calyptronoma plumeriana'', ''

Prestoea acuminata ''Prestoea acuminata'' is a species of palm tree native to Central America, the West Indies and South America. It was formerly widely harvested in Ecuador for palmito Heart of palm is a vegetable harvested from the inner core and growing ...

'' var. ''montana'' and '' Bactris cubensis''. ''

Heliconia ''Heliconia'', derived from the Greek word (), is a genus of flowering plants in the monotypic family Heliconiaceae. Most of the ca 194 known species are native to the tropical Americas, but a few are indigenous to certain islands of the w ...

'' species,

moss Mosses are small, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic division Bryophyta (, ) '' sensu stricto''. Bryophyta ('' sensu lato'', Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryophytes, which comprise liverworts, mosses, and ...

es, and

liverworts The Marchantiophyta () are a division of non-vascular land plants commonly referred to as hepatics or liverworts. Like mosses and hornworts, they have a gametophyte-dominant life cycle, in which cells of the plant carry only a single set of g ...

are also important plants.

Sub-montane forests

Sub-montane forests occur elevations of . Typical sub-montane forests consist of two tree stories and an

understory In forestry and ecology, understory (American English), or understorey (Commonwealth English The use of the English language in current and former member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations was largely inherited from British co ...

; they reach a height of up to in height. Achiotillo ('' Alchornea latifolia''), júcare amarillo (''

Buchenavia ''Buchenavia'' is a genus of plant in family Combretaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): * ''Buchenavia grandis'', Ducke * ''Buchenavia hoehneana'', N. Mattos * ''Buchenavia iguaratensis'', N. Mattos * ''Buc ...

capitata''), purío prieto (''

Guatteria ''Guatteria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Annonaceae. It is the largest genus in the family in South America, and the dominant genus in mature forest. The fruits are berries, borne in clusters on short stalks. Species include:

blainii''), '' Licaria jamaicensis'', roble macho ('' Tabebuia hypoleuca'') and ''

Zanthoxylum ''Zanthoxylum'' is a genus of about 250 species of deciduous and evergreen trees, shrubs and climbers in the family Rutaceae that are native to warm temperate and subtropical areas worldwide. It is the type genus of the tribe Zanthoxyleae i ...

elephantiasis'' grow in the upper story. Cuaba de la maestra (''

Amyris ''Amyris'' is a genus of flowering plants in the citrus family, Rutaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word αμ ('), which means "intensely scented" and refers to the strong odor of the resin. Members of the genus are commonly kno ...

lineata''), cuajaní ('' Prunus myrtifolia''), '' Ditta myricoides'', '' Laplacea'' spp., '' Oxandra laurifolia'', ''

'' spp., ''

Rapanea ''Rapanea'' is a genus of plant in family Primulaceae. It has often been placed in synonymy with ''Myrsine'', and many species have been moved to ''Myrsine''. , Plants of the World Online does not accept the genus, regarding it as a synonym of '' ...

ferruginea'' and ''

Podocarpus ''Podocarpus'' () is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family, the Podocarpaceae. The name comes from Greek πούς (poús, “foot”) + καρπός (karpós, “fruit”). ''Podocarpus'' speci ...

'' species can be found in the lower story.

Tree ferns The tree ferns are arborescent (tree-like) ferns that grow with a trunk elevating the fronds above ground level, making them trees. Many extant tree ferns are members of the order Cyatheales, to which belong the families Cyatheaceae (scaly tre ...

and

Rubiaceae The Rubiaceae are a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the coffee, madder, or bedstraw family. It consists of terrestrial trees, shrubs, lianas, or herbs that are recognizable by simple, opposite leaves with interpetiolar stipules ...

flourish in the understory. Sub-montane forests growing in

ultisol Ultisols, commonly known as red clay soils, are one of twelve soil orders in the United States Department of Agriculture soil taxonomy. The word "Ultisol" is derived from "ultimate", because Ultisols were seen as the ultimate product of continu ...

s reach a height of and have two stories with trees such as ''

Calophyllum ''Calophyllum'' is a genus of tropical flowering plants in the family Calophyllaceae. They are mainly distributed in Asia, with some species in Africa, the Americas, Australasia, and the Pacific Islands. History Members of the genus ''Calophyll ...

utile'', ''

cubensis'', '' Magnolia cristalensis'', roble de hoja ancha ('' Tabebuia dubia''), ''

cubense'' and '' Bactris cubensis''.

Montane forests

Montane forests Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

are found at elevations of . These forests consist of two arboreal stories and reach a height of . The upper story is dominated by barril (''

Cyrilla racemiflora ''Cyrilla racemiflora'', the sole species in the genus ''Cyrilla'', is a flowering plant in the family Cyrillaceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas, from the southeastern United States (coastal areas from southeaster ...

''), marañon de la Maestra ('' Magnolia cubensis''), ''

Persea ''Persea'' is a genus of about 150 species of evergreen trees belonging to the laurel family, Lauraceae. The best-known member of the genus is the avocado, ''P. americana'', widely cultivated in subtropical regions for its large, edible fruit. ...

anomala'' and '' Laplacea angustifolia''. The lower story consists of ''

Cleyera ''Cleyera'' is a plant genus consisting of 21 speciesThe Plant List (2013). ''Cleyera''. Version 1.1. Published on the Internet; http://www.theplantlist.org/ Accessed 24 August 2020/ref> of tender, evergreen shrubs to small trees, mostly native t ...

nimanimae'', ''

Freziera ''Freziera'' is a Neotropical genus of trees (or rarely shrubs) in the family Pentaphylacaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): * ''Freziera alata'' * ''Freziera angulosa'' * '' Freziera biserrata'' * ''Fr ...

grisebachii'', '' Haenianthus salicifolius'', '' Lyonia'' species, '' Torralbasia cuneata'' and enebro ('' Juniperus saxicola''). Epiphytes,

es,

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except ...

s, terrestrial

orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...

s, and

clubmosses Lycopodiopsida is a class of vascular plants known as lycopods, lycophytes or other terms including the component lyco-. Members of the class are also called clubmosses, firmosses, spikemosses and quillworts. They have dichotomously branching s ...

are abundant.

Fauna

Bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...

s of Cuba's moist forests include the Cuban tody (''Todus multicolor''),

bee hummingbird The bee hummingbird, zunzuncito or Helena hummingbird (''Mellisuga helenae'') is a species of hummingbird, native to the island of Cuba in the Caribbean. It is the world's smallest bird. Description The bee hummingbird is the smallest living ...

(''Mellisuga helenae''),

Cuban trogon The Cuban trogon or tocororo (''Priotelus temnurus'') is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is endemic to Cuba, where it is also the national bird. Taxonomy and systematics The Cuban trogon shares its genus with the Hispaniolan t ...

(''Priotelus temnurus''), Cuban solitaire (''Myadestes elisabeth''), Cuban kite (''Chondrohierax wilsonii''), red-legged honeycreeper (''Cyanerpes cyaneus''), Cuban parakeet (''Aratinga euops''),

stygian owl The stygian owl (''Asio stygius'') is a medium-sized "typical owl" in subfamily Striginae. It is found in Mexico, parts of Central America, Cuba, Hispaniola, and 10 countries in South America.HBW and BirdLife International (2020) ''Handbook of ...

(''Asio stygius'') and

Gundlach's hawk Gundlach's hawk (''Accipiter gundlachi'') is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is one of 21 endemic bird species of Cuba. The common name and Latin binomial commemorate the German-Cuban ornithologist Juan Cristobal Christ ...

(''Accipiter gundlachi''). The rare

Cuban solenodon The Cuban solenodon or ''almiquí'' (''Atopogale cubana'') is a small, furry, shrew-like mammal endemic to mountainous forests on Cuba. It is the only species in the genus ''Atopogale''. An elusive animal, it lives in burrows and is only active ...

(''Solenodon cubanus''), a small mammal, is endemic to eastern montane forests. Other notable mammals include the

hutia Hutias (known in Spanish as jutía) are moderately large cavy-like rodents of the subfamily Capromyinae that inhabit the Caribbean islands, with most species restricted to Cuba and Hispaniola. Twenty species of hutia have been identified, but at ...

s, 4-5 species of small to medium-sized, climbing

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the Order (biology), order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are roden ...

s related to the

Guinea Pig The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus '' Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the ...

References

{{- Neotropical tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Ecoregions of the Caribbean Ecoregions of Cuba * Natural history of Cuba

Lowland forests

Sub-montane forests

Montane forests

Fauna

See also

References