Caribbean forested wetlands- Pterocarpus officinalis forests as - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Caribbean forested wetlands- Pterocarpus officinalis forests as models to understand wetlands in light of expected changes in sea level Elsie Rivera Ocasio 1 , Neftal Rios Lpez 1 , Amadou B 2 and Tamara Heartsill Scalley 3 1 University of
Caribbean forested wetlands-Pterocarpus officinalis forests as models to understand wetlands in light of expected changes in sea level
Elsie Rivera Ocasio1, Neftalí Rios López1, Amadou Bâ2 and Tamara Heartsill Scalley3
1University of Puerto Rico-Bayamón/Humacao, 2Université Antilles-Guyane, 3International Institute of Tropical Forestry-USDA Forest Service
wetlands in the Caribbean basin.
Grassland Pterocarpus swamp forest Mangrove
for many plant and animal species; endemic & neotropical migrant birds.
& along river banks in both coastal and montane areas.
Figure 1. Distribution and relative size of P. officinalis, from grassland to mangrove along a salinity gradient in Guadeloupe (Saint-Etienne et
salinity and flooding in coastal areas
& seasonal variations in the water table in mountain areas
expansion of agricultural and urban areas has reduced its distribution to isolated patches.
areas often occur near the extreme of their salinity tolerance.
Figure 2. Water depth measurements in the pasture side, low salinity (N = 12) and Laguncularia side, high salinity (N = 12) sections of 1-ha plot in Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico.
Rivera Ocasio et al. (2007) Journal of Tropical Ecology 23:559–568.
50 100 150 200
Position in the 1ha plot
10 20 30 40 50 50 100 150 200
Position in the 1ha plot
10 20 30 40 50
Low salinity High salinity Juveniles Adults
Laguncularia side pasture side
Rivera Ocasio et al. (2007) Journal of Tropical Ecology 23:559–568.
Low salinity High salinity Laguncularia side
pasture side
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Rivera Ocasio et al (2007) Journal of Tropical Ecology 23:559–568.
Eusse AM, Aide TM (1999) Plant Ecology 145: 307-315.
cannot be considered a halophyte
salt concentrations of 200 mM (12‰) NaCl
identified that P. officinalis associated to mangroves
and sequesters Na in the rachis thus, actively preventing damage to leaf tissues
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Root nodulation
Rivera Ocasio et al (2007) Journal of Tropical Ecology 23:559–568.
In the absence of salt, inoculation had a positive effect on biomass production of Pterocarpus when compared to un-inoculated plants. At 10‰ of NaCl, the decrease of seedling biomass has been linked to the reduction of the number of nitrogen fixating nodules.
Root mycorrhizal colonization
Saint-Etienne L, et al. (2006). Forest Ecology and Management 232 : 86-89.
strong regional differentiation between Caribbean and Continental populations.
within Puerto Rico.
scale for populations from the two main regional groups.
diverse population.
genetic diversity.
Rivera-Ocasio et al. 2005 Conservation Genetics
local extinctions and recolonization events
Dominican Republic) and Continental populations.
population, indicating isolation and restricted geneflow.
pollen dispersal is limited (Rivera Ocasio 2007).
nrITS- gene network
cpDNA- chloroplast structure/maternal seed dispersal history
Central America
within the Caribbean Basin. Strong regional differentiation between Caribbean and Continental populations.
groups, suggesting historical geneflow,
with sea currents within the Caribbean Basin and the influence of the Orinoco River plume.
flooding along rivers and seasonal variations in the water table.
salinity and flooding
Leaf K [ ] is greater in coastal sites, less in montane sites. Leaf percent carbon was greater in montane sites. No differences between sites in terms of N of leaves or fine roots.
Nodule mass and diameter were larger near the surface of the soil and in montane sites.