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 (ecology), habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. Description TSMF is generally foun ...

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 of l ...

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 te ...

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 form ...

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 whe ...

, 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'') and acana ('' Manilkara valenzuelana''); the middle story has tagua-tagua ('' Diospyros caribaea''), '' Ocotea floribunda'', '' Oxandra laurifolia'', '' Talauma minor'', ''

Terminalia Terminalia may refer to: * Terminalia (festival), a Roman festival to the god of boundaries Terminus * ''Terminalia'' (plant), a tree genus * Terminalia (insect anatomy), the terminal region of the abdomen in insects * ''Polyscias terminalia'', a ...

'' 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 in ...

'' 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 tree ...

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 speci ...

and Melastomataceae.

Epiphyte An epiphyte is an organism that grows on the surface of a plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphytes grow are called phoroph ...

s are abundant and varied, including the endemic '' Hymenodium crinitum'', ''

Oleandra Oleandra is a genus of ferns. In the Pteridophyte Phylogeny Group classification of 2016 (PPG I), it is the only genus in the family Oleandraceae, which is placed in suborder Polypodiineae, order Polypodiales. Alternatively, the family may be pla ...

articulata'', ''

Columnea ''Columnea'' is a genus of around 200 species of epiphytic herbs and shrubs in the family Gesneriaceae, native to the tropics of the Americas and the Caribbean. The tubular or oddly shaped flowers are usually large and brightly colored – us ...

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 understor ...

pendula''. Typical palms are ''

Calyptronoma plumeriana ''Calyptronoma plumeriana'' is a pinnately compound leaved palm species which is native to Cuba and Hispaniola (both Haiti and the Dominican Republic). Description ''C. plumeriana'' stems grow singly and reach heights of 4–10 m, with stems 10 ...

'', ''

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. However, the palm is now uncommon due to overharvesting and is no longer com ...

'' var. ''montana'' and ''

Bactris cubensis ''Bactris cubensis'' is a species of palm endemic to the Nipe-Baracoa Massif and eastern Sierra Maestra in eastern Cuba at elevations between 40 and 700 metres above sea level Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average ...

''. ''

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 we ...

'' 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 hor ...

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 ge ...

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; 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 ''Licaria'' is a flowering plant genus in the family Lauraceae, native to Central America and South America. It is a Neotropical genus with around 80 species. Overview ''Licaria'' is a Neotropical genus consisting of about 80 species distributed ...

jamaicensis'', roble macho (''

Tabebuia hypoleuca ''Tabebuia hypoleuca'' is a species of plant in the family Bignoniaceae. It is endemic to 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 ...

'') and '' Zanthoxylum elephantiasis'' grow in the upper story. Cuaba de la maestra ('' Amyris lineata''), cuajaní (''

Prunus myrtifolia ''Prunus myrtifolia'', called the West Indies cherry or myrtle laurel cherry, is a New World species of shrubs in the family Rosaceae. Description ''Prunus myrtifolia'' is a spineless, evergreen tree up to 12 metres (40 feet) tall, not forming ...

''), '' Ditta myricoides'', '' Laplacea'' spp., '' Oxandra laurifolia'', '' Ocotea'' spp., '' Rapanea ferruginea'' and '' Podocarpus'' 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 tree ...

and Melastomataceae and Rubiaceae 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 ''Calophyllu ...

utile'', ''

cubensis'', ''

Magnolia cristalensi ''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphology (biology), morphological research shows that former genera ''Talaum ...

s'', roble de hoja ancha (''

Tabebuia dubia ''Tabebuia dubia'' is a species of plant in the family Bignoniaceae. It is endemic to Cuba. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat bec ...

''), '' Zanthoxylum cubense'' and ''

''.

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''), marañon de la Maestra (''

Magnolia cubensis ''Magnolia cubensis,'' the Cuban magnolia or cashew of the Maestra, is a tree native to the island of Cuba in the West Indies. It grows in the Sierra Maestra The Sierra Maestra is a mountain range that runs westward across the south of the o ...

''), ''

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. O ...

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'' * '' ...

grisebachii'', ''

Haenianthus ''Haenianthus'' is a genus of plants native to the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean. It contains 3 species: # '' Haenianthus incrassatus'' (Sw.) Griseb. - Jamaica # '' Haenianthus salicifolius'' Griseb. - Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico # '' Ha ...

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

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 t ...

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 lightweigh ...

s of Cuba's moist forests include the Cuban tody (''Todus multicolor''), bee hummingbird (''Mellisuga helenae''), Cuban trogon (''Priotelus temnurus''),

Cuban solitaire The Cuban solitaire (''Myadestes elisabeth''), also known as the Cuban nightingale, is a species of bird in the family Turdidae. It is endemic to Cuba. Its natural habitat is montane moist forests. It is threatened by habitat loss. References ...

(''Myadestes elisabeth''),

Cuban kite The Cuban kite (''Chondrohierax wilsonii'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles and harriers. It is endemic to Cuba. This species is classified as critically endang ...

(''Chondrohierax wilsonii''),

red-legged honeycreeper The red-legged honeycreeper (''Cyanerpes cyaneus'') is a small songbird species in the tanager family (Thraupidae). It is found in the tropical New World from southern Mexico south to Peru, Bolivia and central Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and on ...

(''Cyanerpes cyaneus''),

Cuban parakeet The Cuban parakeet (''Psittacara euops'') is a species of parrot in the family Psittacidae that is endemic to the island of Cuba. It was Local extinction, extirpated from the Isla de la Juventud south of Cuba soon after 1900. Its natural habitat ...

(''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 Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

, is endemic to eastern montane forests. Other notable mammals include the hutias, 4-5 species of small to medium-sized, climbing

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the 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 rodents. They are na ...

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 ani ...

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