Caribbean swamp communities

We are going to be looking at;-

Herbaceous swamp vegetation
Swamp forest

Mangrove

Herbaceous swamp In areas with periodic flooding or standing water, an emergent vegetation dominated by sedges and grasses is found. In islands like Cuba and Trinidad certain palms are found in this habitat as well. More will be said of this habitat under the Aquatic habitats section of the course. .

Herbaceous swamp along a tributary of the Indian River, Dominica. The swamp fern (Acrostichum aureum) and a hibiscus relative, Pavonia paludicola, dominate (photo © Arlington James).

Herbaceous swamp at Graeme Hall, Barbados, dominated by the leafless sedge, Eleocharis mutata. (Photo © Sean Carrington)	Swamp fern (Acrostichum aureum), at Indian River, Dominica (Photo © Sean Carrington)
Environmental features Fresh to brackish water, anaerobic substratum
Animals Various crabs, especially fiddler crabs, resident and migratory birds
Caribbean Vegetation Mapping Project Equivalent V.B.1.N.e. Tidally flooded tropical or subtropical perennial forb vegetation Acrostichum aureum - Acrostichum danaeifolium Herbaceous Alliance V.A.1.N.g. Seasonally flooded tropical or subtropical grassland Eleocharis interstincta - Sagittaria lancifolia Herbaceous Alliance at http://conserveonline.org/coldocs/2001/06/A_Guide_to_Caribbean_Vegetation_Types.doc

Swamp forest This is an essentially freshwater, riparian (river bank) swamp forest found from St Lucia to Guadeloupe (but not Barbados and virtually absent in Martinique). It is dominated by the 20 m tall leguminous tree Pterocarpus officinalis. This tree has sinous roots the top edges of which project above water level and allow gas exchange. The high humidity allows the growth of epiphytes.

Swamp forest at the Indian River (near Glanvillia), Dominica (photo © Hazel Oxenford).

The sinuous roots of Pterocarpus officinalis in the flood plain at the same site (photo © Sean Carrington).
Environmental conditions Periodic flooding leading to waterlogged, anaerobic substratum. Animals Various crabs, especially fiddler crabs, resident and migratory birds, boa constrictors
Caribbean Vegetation Mapping Project Equivalent I.A.1.N.f. Tropical or subtropical seasonally flooded rain forest Pterocarpus officinalis Forest Alliance at http://conserveonline.org/coldocs/2001/06/A_Guide_to_Caribbean_Vegetation_Types.doc

Mangrove (Also known as mangal) develops on leeward sea shores in areas of freshwater discharge.
Cades Bay, south coast of Antigua (Photo © Sean Carrington)

Graeme Hall Swamp, south coast of Barbados (Photo © Sean Carrington)
A distinct succession is evident as one proceeds back from the sea. Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) is the most salt-tolerant mangrove tree and forms a monoculture near the sea. Further back in less saline areas white mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) and black mangrove (Avicennia spp.) [not Barbados] predominate. Few other plant species are found aside from the swamp fern (Acrostichum aureum). Further back, under less saline and drier conditions, the button mangrove (Conocarpus erectus) and coastal scrub and woodland components enter the picture.

Red mangrove in Descourtilz, ME (1827) "Flore Pittoresque et Medicale des Antilles..."	...and at Port Royal, Jamaica, today (Photo © Kareem Sabir)

White mangrove area at Graeme Hall Swamp, Barbados. (Photo © Sean Carrington)

Seaward Landward Mangrove zonation [from North Sound (1986) BVI Natioanal Parks Trust & ECNAMP]
Front line mangrove species...

Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) Photo © Sean Carrington	Black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) - absent from Barbados. (Photo © Sean Carrington)
"Rear guard" mangrove species...
White mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa) (Photo © Sean Carrington)	Button mangrove (Conocarpus erectus) (Photo © Sean Carrington)

Environmental features Salinity, anaerobic substratum, tidal variation.
Animal life
Various crabs, especially fiddler crabs, resident and migratory birds. Many sponges, molluscs, fish and crustaceans in the waters beneath. Right: Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), a North American species that spends the winter months (or meets its death) in the West Indies.
	Left: Roosting brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) at Port Royal mangrove, Jamaica. (Photo © Myrna Bernard)
Right: The (flat) tree oyster, Isognomon alatus, (above) and an orange-coloured sponge, Terpios zeteki, (below) growing on red mangrove prop roots. Both species are widespread in the Caribbean. (Photo © Myrna Bernard)
	Left: The mangrove (tree) crab, Aratus pisonii, (seen here at Port Royal, Jamaica) is a leaf-eating crab found in mangroves from Florida to Brazil. (Photo © Myrna Bernard)

Caribbean Vegetation Mapping Project Equivalent I.A.5.N.f. Tidally flooded tropical or subtropical broad-leaved evergreen sclerophyllous closed tree canopy Avicennia germinans Forest Alliance (Black Mangrove Forest Alliance; Mangle prieto Forest Alliance) Conocarpus erecta Forest Alliance Laguncularia racemosa Forest Alliance (White Mangrove and Mixed Mangrove Forests) Rhizophora mangle Forest Alliance (Red Mangrove Forests) at http://conserveonline.org/coldocs/2001/06/A_Guide_to_Caribbean_Vegetation_Types.doc