Revista Cubana de Ciencias Forestales (Sep 2018)
Conservation status of the semideciduousmicrophyllous forest vegetation in the Baitiquirí Ecological Reserve
Abstract
The research was carried out in the Baitiquirí ecological reserve, an area of the municipality of San Antonio del Sur in the province of Guantánamo, in September 2016 and June 2017. The objective of this research is to determine the conservational status of the vegetation of the semideciduousmicrophyllous forest. The area is characterized by a registered average temperature of 25,45 oC while the annual rainfall average is 756,3 mm3. The soils are brown sialitic carbonate ochre. A total of 25 squared plots of 500 m2 were studied by a simple random sampling where the floristic species present in the different defined strata were counted. The height and diameter were measured for the species larger than one meter. The horizontal and vertical structures were determined and finally 6 variables were evaluated to determine the conservational status, comprehending a total of 26 indicators. A total of 57 species belonging to 50 genera and 35 families were found. The most important ecological species: PhyllostylonbrasiliensisCapanema, Guaiacum officinaleL.,Malachraalceifolia Jacq, CordiasulcataDC.yAmyriselemiferaL. The state of conservation of the area is regular showing 44,5% and the structure of the forest as well as the socio-environmental problems were the indicators of greater ecological significance, which is a consequence of the presence of invasive species, natural regeneration, stratification, fragmentation and the possibility of fire occurrence.
