Leeward Islands Moist Forests Ecoregion (Caribbean)

Leeward Islands Moist Forests Ecoregion (Caribbean)

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The Leeward Islands moist forests ecoregion covers the specific areas of those islands, situated within the Leeward Islands chain in the eastern Caribbean, characterized by rugged, volcanic mountains covered in a moist tropical forest.

Leeward Islands Moist Forests

The Leeward Islands moist forests ecoregion covers the specific areas of those islands, situated within the Leeward Islands chain in the eastern Caribbean, characterized by rugged, volcanic mountains covered in a moist tropical forest.

Leeward Islands refers to the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Starting with Dominica, the more southerly part of this chain is the Windward Islands.

The island groups that contain moist forests that make up this ecoregion include:

  • U.S. Virgin Islands

  • British Virgin Islands

  • Saint Kitts and Nevis

  • Antigua and Barbuda

  • Montserrat

  • Guadeloupe

Specifically, the Leeward Islands moist forests ecoregion covers approximately 85% of the island of Basse Terre in Guadeloupe, the central, mountainous portions of Montserrat, Saint Kitts, and Nevis, small southern portions of Antigua, and western portions of the U.S. and British Virgin Islands.

The Leeward Islands lie within the trade-winds belt resulting in a subtropical climate. Islands with sufficient relief receive adequate rainfall, but those with a more subdued topography tend to be dry to semi-arid. The main hurricane track passes through these islands and influences vegetation, especially broadleaf forests.

The forested areas are typically in the core interior of the islands and at the higher elevations of the volcanic islands. Non-forested lower elevations in the region receive less rainfall and generally are semi-arid. A notable feature of the ecoregion is its position in the main hurricane track. The frequent damage to trees produces, in many places, an uneven forest canopy and an opening of the canopy that allows more pre-climax trees to grow.

A considerable portion of this ecoregion lies within protected areas, including the Virgin Islands National Park on the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe National Park in Guadeloupe, and the Centre Hills forest reserve on the island of Montserrat.

Flora and Fauna

Like many island chains, many endemic species exist in the ecoregion. However, species diversity and endemism are higher on the larger islands and those farther from the mainland, such as Guadeloupe. Small patches of moist forests on the smaller islands, such as Saba, may also be classified as rainforests or cloud forests.

Common species are Miconia and Clusia spp., both members of the native tropical flowering plant family ranging from shrubs to medium-sized trees. In less disturbed areas, the common species is the large gommier or candlewood tree (Dacroydes excelsa). At higher elevations, the prevalent vegetation is palm trees, such as the mountain cabbage palm Euterpe globosa.

The most common mammals in the ecoregion are bats; the ten recorded species include the endangered Guadeloupe big brown bat (Eptesicus guadeloupensis) and the vulnerable Thomas's yellow-shouldered bat (Sturnira thomasi). Another endemic species is the endangered subspecies Guadalupe raccoon, which resides in mangrove areas and habitats above 300 m (985 ft). The Leeward Islands moist forests ecoregion is vital for regional and island endemic bird, reptile, and amphibian species.

Map depicting the location of the Leeward Islands moist forests (islands inside dashed blue box)

Map depicting the location of the Leeward Islands moist forests (islands inside the dashed blue box).