Cuban pine forests
Gran Piedra, Sierra Maestra
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| Ecology | |
|---|---|
| Biome | Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests |
| Bird species | 249 |
| Mammal species | 34 |
| Geography | |
| Area | 6,400 km2 (2,500 sq mi) |
| Country | Cuba |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Critical/endangered |
| Habitat loss | 52.883% |
| Protected | 7.66% |
Coordinates: 23°07′48″N 82°22′59″W / 23.13°N 82.383°W
The Cuban pine forests are a tropical coniferous forest ecoregion on the Caribbean islands of Cuba and Isla de la Juventud. They cover an area of 6,400 km2 (2,500 sq mi), occurring in separate sections in eastern Cuba and western Cuba and Isla de la Juventud.
Pine forests are found primarily in well-drained, nutrient-poor, acidic soils such as quartziferous sands, pseudo-spodosols in the west, and lateritic soils. Pine trees and encino (Quercus sagraeana) obtain nutrients through an ectomycorrhizal symbiosis with fungi, allowing them to attain tree size. The forests feature a dense xerophytic brushy story of mainly Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Myrtaceae, and Melastomataceae along with a herbaceous story of a few epiphytes, primarily from the genus Tillandsia, and lianas. Secondary forests formed by deforestation have a more open canopy with an understory dominated by Comocladia dentata; grasses, lianas and epiphytes are poorly represented.
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