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Tropical Coastal Communities

Relationships to other tropical systems — specialized :

Tropical Coastal Forests and beach forests § confined to tropical and & subtropical zones at the interface Tropical Forests of terrestrial and saltwater

Mangrove Forests Mangrove Forests

§ confined to tropical and subtropical § stilt roots - support ocean tidal zones § water temperature must exceed 75° F or 24° C in warmest month § unique adaptations to harsh , environment - convergent Rhizophora mangle - red mangrove

Moluccas Venezuela

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Mangrove Forests Mangrove Forests

§ stilt roots - support § stilt roots - support § pneumatophores - erect roots for § pneumatophores - erect roots for O2 exchange O2 exchange § salt glands - excretion § salt glands - excretion § viviparous seedlings Rhizophora mangle - red mangrove

Rhizophora mangle - red mangrove Xylocarpus (Meliaceae) & Rhizophora

Mangrove Forests Mangrove Forests

§ 80 species in 30 genera (20 § 80 species in 30 genera (20 families) families) § 60 species OW& 20 NW § 60 species OW& 20 NW (Rhizophoraceae - red mangrove - Avicennia - black mangrove; inner Avicennia nitida (black mangrove, most common in Neotropics) boundary of red mangrove, better Acanthaceae) drained

Rhizophora mangle - red mangrove Xylocarpus (Meliaceae) & Rhizophora

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Mangrove Forests

§ 80 species in 30 genera (20 families) § 60 species OW& 20 NW

Four mangrove families in one Neotropical mangrove community

Avicennia - Rhizophora - Acanthanceae Rhizophoraceae

Laguncularia - Maytenus - Combretaceae Celastraceae

Beach Forests Beach Forests

§ salt and sand - species often seen § salt and sand - species often seen in mangrove community in mangrove community

Hippomane (Euphorbiaceae) - machaneel Terminalia catappa

Hibiscus tiliaceus

Cocos nucifera

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Beach Forests Beach Forests

§ woody climbers or runners § woody climbers or runners

Ipomoea pes-caprae Coccoloba uvifera (Convolvulaceae) - (Polygonaceae) - morning glory Polihale State seaside grape western Kauai

Beach Forests

§ woody climbers or runners

Tropical Deciduous Forests Scaevola (Goodeniaceae)

Solanum (Solanaceae)

Chamaesyce (Euphorbiaceae)

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Tropical Deciduous Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests or / Green Forests or Rain/Summer Green Forests Climate . . . Climate . . . find this moving away from § wet-dry seasonal alternation

§ equatorial trough OR 23No subtropical high climate

0o

23So

Tropical Deciduous Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests or Rain/Summer Green Forests or Rain/Summer Green Forests Climate . . . find this moving away from tropics Locations . . .

§ Gradient evident in dry winter from § - N tropics to & S of Amazon, & § Also found in W. Indies leeward sides of 0o mountains - west Madagascar . . . § and monsoon climate areas

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Tropical Deciduous Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests or Rain/Summer Green Forests Locations . . . § closed in § W & W Madagascar § , Indochina, wet summer, but § § Australia more open than tropical

Santa Rosa, Costa Rica dry forest, summer § Canopy opens up in dry winter as some or many deciduous drop leaves - adaptation to xeric conditions

. . . and winter

Tropical Deciduous Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests

Vegetation Vegetation

§ Canopy closed in § Forests closer to Tropics of wet summer, but Cancer and Capricorn have more open than more pronounced dry winter season - and more pronounced deciduousness Santa Rosa, Costa Rica dry forest, summer § Canopy often has same families or Alamos, (27o N) genera of Summer green, winter dry tropical forests – but different species

Enterlobium (Fabaceae) canopy

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Tropical Deciduous Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests

Vegetation Vegetation

§ Understory more developed § Flowering occurs at end of - better light when leafless

§ Green (photosynthetic) stems common - no leaves during winter

Bursera - , Mexico Hildegardia barteri - Ipomoea arborea Malvaceae, Africa (Convolvulaceae - Mexico)

Tropical Deciduous Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests

Vegetation Vegetation

§ Flowering occurs at end of § Flowering occurs at end of dry season when leafless dry season when leafless

Tabebuia (Bignoniaceae) Cochlospermum (Cochlospermaceae - )

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Tropical Deciduous Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests

Vegetation Same vegetation - different flora

§ Spines (anti-herbivory) Flacourtia (Flacourtiaceae common on stems Thailand)

Pachira - Malvaceae, Mexico Ceiba (kapok- Malvaceae), Brazil Acacia (Fabaceae, Deckenia, palm Astrocaryum Mexico) cabbage, Seychelles (palm- Mexico)

Tropical Deciduous Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests

Vegetation Vegetation

§ “Bottle” trees - water storage § “Bottle” trees - water storage: different genera in different areas

Adansonia (Malvaceae) Cola (silk Madagascar & Africa & Australia cotton , Malvaceae), Peru

Brachychiton (Malvaceae, Australia)

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Tropical Deciduous Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests

Vegetation Vegetation

§ parasites common § epiphytes or rare

Mistletoe (Loranthaceae-Venezuela)

Rhipsalis baccifera (Cactaceae - Africa)

Stemona (Stemonaceae - Mistletoe (Loranthaceae-Mexico) Thailand)

Thorn Forests/Scrub Thorn Forests/Scrub

§ Open forest with small deciduous trees or shrubs heavily § Location in subtropical latitudes between dry forests and protected by thorns . . .

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Thorn Forests/Scrub Thorn Forests/Scrub

§ Location in subtropical latitudes between dry forests and deserts § Open forest with small deciduous trees or shrubs heavily . . . or on elevational gradient below tropical deciduous forests protected by thorns § Acacia - legume - worldwide

Acacia - spines for protection also house ants that patrol plant

Thorn Forests/Scrub Thorn Forests/Scrub

§ Open forest with small deciduous trees or shrubs heavily § Open forest with small deciduous trees or shrubs heavily protected by thorns Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) protected by thorns § Floristic differences pronounced Ethiopia § Floristic differences pronounced

Cactaceae Mexico

Alluaudia and relatives (Didiereaceae) southern Madagascar Senecio (Asteraceae) Canary Islands

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Thorn Forests/Scrub Tropical

§ Low scrub vegetation grading into deserts; § Tall with widely scattered trees and shrubs convergence of leafless, green-stemmed shrubs § Low to intermediate elevations where seasonal with heavy spines and fire combine to favor perennial grasses and limit tree growth

Opuntia (Cactaceae) south Texas Rutaceae, Mexico

Oleaceae, south Texas Koeberlinia (Koberliniaceae) Mexico

Tropical Savanna Woodland Tropical Savanna Woodland

§ Tall grasslands with widely scattered trees and shrubs § Tall grasslands with widely scattered trees and shrubs § Seasonal drought and fire combine to favor perennial § Seasonal drought and fire combine to favor perennial grasses and limit tree growth grasses and limit tree growth

Venezuelan

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Tropical Savanna Woodland Tropical Savanna Woodland

§ Tall grasslands with widely scattered trees and shrubs § Termites and fire go together in savanna § Seasonal drought and fire combine to favor perennial grasses and limit tree growth

Queensland, Australia Venezuelan llanos

Venezuelan llanos

Tropical Savanna Woodland Tropical Savanna Woodland

§ Specialized types can produce tropical Vegetation: § Calcium carbonate hardpan § small trees, crowns umbrella-like § trunks thick and rough § leaves xeromorphic or are shed in dry season

Serengeti hardpan with Acacia (Fabaceae) Byrsonima (Malpighiaceae), llanos

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Tropical Savanna Woodland Tropical Savanna Woodland

Vegetation: § xylopodia (“wooden feet”) in Brazilian § small trees, crowns umbrella-like § trunks thick and rough § leaves xeromorphic or are shed in dry season

South African savanna leaf convergence (white rhinoceros diet)

Tropical Savanna Woodland Tropical “Dry Forest” Flora & Fauna Relationships § xylopodia (“wooden feet”) in Madagascar savanna PNAS 2009

• When did the originate? • Did the Cerrado species come in via dispersal of dry adapted species? (niche conservatism) • Did the Cerrado species arise in “Dufflepuds” – Voyage of situ from surrounding wet adapted the Dawn Treader species? (adaptive radiation) Asteraceae – sunflower family

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Tropical “Dry Forest” Flora & Fauna Relationships

• Cerrado species arose in last § red-fronted brown lemur in Madagascar dry 10my forests – nocturnal & derived from wet tropical • All arose in situ from forest lemur lineages surrounding wet adapted species • Convergent evolution for arid, § nocturnal & small fire system in many groups! rodents elsewhere — adaptive radiations!

§ lizards account for up to 40% species in Neotropical dry forest fauna - Anolis § Myrmicinae ant radiations (Atta)

Tropical “Dry Forest” Flora & Fauna Relationships Tropical “Dry Forest” Flora & Fauna Relationships

§ cat evolution more complicated § cat species are well adapted to both tropical dry forests (and temperate) but § ? also to tropical wet forests § tropical wet or dry origin?

§National Geographic – Feb 2017

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