The Windward Islands moist forests

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 ...

(WWF ID: NT0179) covers forested, high-precipitation areas of the volcanic

Windward Islands french: Îles du Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Windward Islands. Clockwise: Dominica, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean Sea No ...

. The forested areas are mostly at higher elevations in the interior of the islands, surrounded by dry forests, dry shrubland, or mangroves on the flat coastal lowlands. Closed forest of this ecoregion cover the majority of the islands. Species diversity is very high.

Location and description

The Windward Islands are a volcanic island arc, with mountainous interiors in which steep slopes and difficulty converting the land to agriculture has provided some protection from human settlement and development. Moist forests are found on the islands of Dominica,

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...

, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and Grenada.

Climate

The climate of the ecoregion is ''

Tropical rainforest climate A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southea ...

'' (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

(Af)). This climate is characterized as hot, humid, and having at least 60 mm of precipitation every month. The rainy season occurs in the summer and fall, with precipitation ranging from 10,000 mm/year in the high elevations of Dominica to 3,750 mm/year in the lower elevations of Grenada.

Flora and fauna

70% of the ecoregion is closed, broadleaf evergreen forest. Another 20% is open forest. The characteristics tree species of the mature forests are gommier (''

Dacryodes excelsa ''Dacryodes excelsa'' is a tree native to Puerto Rico with a habitat that extends into the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean region. Its English vernacular names include gommier and candlewood. Its Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from o ...

''), ('' Amanoa caribaea''), and trees of genus ('' Sloanea''). The mature forests feature widespread

epiphytes 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 ...

and

lianas A liana is a long- stemmed, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the canopy in search of direct sunlight. The word ''liana'' does not refer to a t ...

, with an understory of '' Licania ternatensis'' and '' Tapura antilliana''. Forests that have been cleared for agriculture or timber are typically reforested by '' Miconia mirabilis'' and '' Cecropia schreberiana''.

References

{{Reflist Neotropical ecoregions Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Ecoregions of the Caribbean Ecoregions of France