The complex structure of the abiotic factors in the Lesser Antilles leads to singular vegetation ranging from the dry to the humid. Geomorphology by means of the wide variety of topographic facets is the determining parameter which leads to gradients of mesological factors. Among the latter, both on the windward and leeward facades, the precipitation is distinguished by bioclimatic staging associated with plant stagings which consist of a mosaic of phytocenoses of variable sizes, ages, floristic compositions and structures as well as of different architecture. Based on examples of old and recent floristic surveys by authors which indicate ecotones, types and inversions of vegetation, we have shown the great phytocenotic diversity of the plant cover in the Lesser Antilles which are all biosystemic responses to the effects of natural and anthropogenic hazards. Thanks to this significant ecosystemic plasticity, the Lesser Antilles represent veritable laboratories for autoecological and synecological studies as well as of floristic succession.
Cite this paper
Joseph, P. , Claude, J. , Baillard, K. , Abati, Y. , Jean-Francois, Y. , Major, P. , Simphor, J. , Marc, J. , Ely-Marius, S. and Sophie, S. (2020). Contribution to the Knowledge of the Phytocenotic Diversity of the Lesser Antilles Revisiting Some Old and More Recent Floristic Data
. Open Access Library Journal, 7, e6191. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1106191.
Veblen, K.E. and Young, T.P. (2010) Contrasting Effects of Cattle and Wildlife on the Vegetation Development of a Savanna Landscape Mosaic. Journal of Ecology, 98, 993-1001. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2010.01705.x
del Arco Aguilar, M.J., González-González, R., Garzón-Machado, V. and Pizarro-Hernández, B. (2010) Actual and Potential Natural Vegetation on the Canary Islands and Its Conservation Status. Biodiversity and Conservation, 19, 3089-3140.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-010-9881-2
Burga, C.A., Krüsi, B., Egli, M., Wernli, M., Elsener, S., Ziefle, M., Mavris, C., et al. (2010) Plant Succession and Soil Development on the Foreland of the Morteratsch Glacier (Pontresina, Switzerland): Straight Forward or Chaotic? Flora-Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants, 205, 561-576.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.flora.2009.10.001
Bu, W., Zang, R. and Ding, Y. (2014) Functional Diversity Increases with Species Diversity along Successional Gradient in a Secondary Tropical Lowland Rainforest. Tropical Ecology, 55, 393-401. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2013.10.002
Klanderud, K., Mbolatiana, H.Z.H., Vololomboahangy, M.N., Radimbison, M.A., Roger, E., Totland, ?. and Rajeriarison, C. (2010) Recovery of Plant Species Richness and Composition after Slash-and-Burn Agriculture in a Tropical Rainforest in Madagascar. Biodiversity and Conservation, 19, 187.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-009-9714-3
Lohbeck, M., Poorter, L., Martínez-Ramos, M., Rodriguez-Velázquez, J., van Breugel, M. and Bongers, F. (2014) Changing Drivers of Species Dominance during Tropical Forest Succession. Functional Ecology, 28, 1052-1058.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.12240
Salama, F.M., El Naggar, S.M. and Baayo, K.A. (2005) Vegetation Structure and Environmental Gradients in the Sallum Area, Egypt. Ecologia Mediterranea, 31, 15-32.
Noumi, E. (2013) Floristic Inventory of Woody Species in the Manengouba Mountain Forest, Cameroon. Journal of Biology and Life Science, 4, 282-309.
https://doi.org/10.5296/jbls.v4i2.4014
Noumi, E. (2015) Floristic Structure and Diversity of a Tropical Sub-Montane Evergreen Forest, in the Mbam Minkom Massif (Western Yaoundé). Journal of Biology and Life Sciences, 6, 149. https://doi.org/10.5296/jbls.v6i1.7028
Trifanov, C., Romanescu, G., Tudor, M., Grigoras, I., Doroftei, M., Covaliov, S. and Mierla, M. (2018) Anthropisation Degree of Coastal Vegetation Areas in Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. Journal of Environmental Protection and Ecology, 19, 539-546.
Derroire, G., Balvanera, P., Castellanos-Castro, C., Decocq, G., Kennard, D.K., Lebrija-Trejos, E., Tigabu, M., et al. (2016) Resilience of Tropical Dry Forests: A Meta-Analysis of Changes in Species Diversity and Composition during Secondary Succession. Oikos, 125, 1386-1397. https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.03229
Jamoneau, A., Sonnier, G., Chabrerie, O., Closset-Kopp, D., Saguez, R., Gallet-Moron, E. and Decocq, G. (2011) Drivers of Plant Species Assemblages in Forest Patches among Contrasted Dynamic Agricultural Landscapes. Journal of Ecology, 99, 1152-1161. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2011.01840.x
Valdés, A., Lenoir, J., Gallet-Moron, E., Andrieu, E., Brunet, J., Chabrerie, O., De Smedt, P., et al. (2015) The Contribution of Patch-Scale Conditions Is Greater than That of Macroclimate in Explaining Local Plant Diversity in Fragmented Forests across Europe. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 24, 1094-1105.
https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12345
De Frenne, P., Graae, B.J., Rodríguez-Sánchez, F., Kolb, A., Chabrerie, O., Decocq, G., Gruwez, R., et al. (2013) Latitudinal Gradients as Natural Laboratories to Infer Species’ Responses to Temperature. Journal of Ecology, 101, 784-795.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12074
Farina, A. (2019) Hybrid Nature: Effects on Environmental Fundamentals and Species’ Semiosis. Biosemiotics, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12304-019-09373-9
Mercier, A., Ajzenberg, D., Devillard, S., Demar, M.P., De Thoisy, B., Bonnabau, H., Carme, B., et al. (2011) Human Impact on Genetic Diversity of Toxoplasma gondii: Example of the Anthropized Environment from French Guiana. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 11, 1378-1387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meegid.2011.05.003
Kalesnik, F. and Ace?olaza, P. (2008) Regional Distribution of Native and Exotic Species in Levees of the Lower Delta of the Paraná River. Acta Scientiarum. Biological Sciences, 30, 391-402. https://doi.org/10.4025/actascibiolsci.v30i4.5869
Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. and Strong, M.T. (2008) Floristic Richness and Affinities in the West Indies. The Botanical Review, 74, 5-36.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12229-008-9000-1
Losos, J.B. (2010) Adaptive Radiation, Ecological Opportunity, and Evolutionary Determinism: American Society of Naturalists EO Wilson Award Address. The American Naturalist, 175, 623-639. https://doi.org/10.1086/652433
Carmona, E.C., Ramírez, A.V. and Cano-Ortiz, A. (2010) Contribution to the Biogeography of the Hispaniola (Dominican Republic, Haiti). Acta Botanica Gallica, 157, 581-598. https://doi.org/10.1080/12538078.2010.10516233
Maunder, M., Abdo, M., Berazain, R., Clubbe, C., Jiménez, F., Leiva, A., Francisco-Ortega, J., et al. (2011) The Plants of the Caribbean Islands: A Review of the Biogeography, Diversity and Conservation of a Storm-Battered Biodiversity Hotspot. In: The Biology of Island Floras, Cambridge University Press, London, 154-178.
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511844270.007
Banda-Rodríguez, K., Weintritt, J. and Pennington, R.T. (2016) Caribbean Dry Forest Networking: An Opportunity for Conservation. Caribbean Naturalist, No. 1, 63-72.
DeWalt, S.J., Ickes, K. and James, A. (2016) Forest and Community Structure of Tropical Sub-Montane Rain Forests on the Island of Dominica, Lesser Antilles. Caribbean Naturalist, No. 1, 116-137.
Rojas-Sandoval, J., Tremblay, R.L., Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. and Díaz-Soltero, H. (2017) Invasive Plant Species in the West Indies: Geographical, Ecological, and Floristic Insights. Ecology and Evolution, 7, 4522-4533.
https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.2984
Weaver, P.L. (2010) Tree Species Distribution and Forest Structure along Environmental Gradients in the Dwarf Forest of the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico. Bois et Forets des Tropiques, 306, 33-44.
https://doi.org/10.19182/bft2010.306.a20429
Germa, A., Quidelleur, X., Labanieh, S., Lahitte, P. and Chauvel, C. (2010) The Eruptive History of Morne Jacob Volcano (Martinique Island, French West Indies): Geochronology, Geomorphology and Geochemistry of the Earliest Volcanism in the Recent Lesser Antilles Arc. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 198, 297-310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2010.09.013
Mantran, M., Hamparian, R. and Bouchereau, J.L. (2009) Geomorphology and Hydrology of the Manche-à-Eau Lagoon (Guadeloupe, French Islands). Geomorphology: Relief, Process, Environment, 15, 199-210.
https://doi.org/10.4000/geomorphologie.7606
Alexandre, H., Faure, J., Ginzbarg, S., Clark, J. and Joly, S. (2017) Bioclimatic Niches are Conserved and Unrelated to Pollination Syndromes in Antillean Gesneriaceae. Royal Society Open Science, 4, Article ID: 170293.
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.170293
Franklin, J., Andrade, R., Daniels, M.L., Fairbairn, P., Fandino, M.C., Gillespie, T.W., Kelly, D.L., et al. (2018) Geographical Ecology of Dry Forest Tree Communities in the West Indies. Journal of Biogeography, 45, 1168-1181.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13198
Ewel, J.J. and Whitmore, J.L. (1973) The Ecological Life Zones of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. USDA Forest Service, Institute of Tropical Forestry, Research Paper ITF-018, 18.
Fiard, J.P. (1994) The Forests of Northern Pelée Mountain and the Volcanic Structures of Mont-Conil Peak and Le Morne-Sibérie. University Diploma in Tropical Phyto-Ecology and Island Development. University of the Antilles and Guyana, 595 p.
Howard, R.A. (1950) The Vegetation of the Grenadines, Windward Islands, British West Indies. Contributions from the Gray Herbarium of Havard University, n CLXXIV, Gray Herbarium, Cambrige.
Joseph, P. (1997) Dynamics, Plant Ecophysiology in Dry Bioclimate in Martinique. Doctoral Thesis New Regime, University of the Antilles and Guyana, 941 p., Appendices, 111 p.
Tallis, H., Levin, P.S., Ruckelshaus, M., Lester, S.E., McLeod, K.L., Fluharty, D.L. and Halpern, B.S. (2010) The Many Faces of Ecosystem-Based Management: Making the Process Work Today in Real Places. Marine Policy, 34, 340-348.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2009.08.003
Doré, J.C. and Ojasoo, T. (2001) How to Analyze Publication Time Trends by Correspondence Factor Analysis: Analysis of Publications by 48 Countries in 18 Disciplines over 12 Years. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 52, 763-769. https://doi.org/10.1002/asi.1130
Thorson, J.T., Scheuerell, M.D., Shelton, A.O., See, K.E., Skaug, H.J. and Kristensen, K. (2015) Spatial Factor Analysis: A New Tool for Estimating Joint Species Distributions and Correlations in Species Range. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 6, 627-637. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12359
Kolahi, M. and Atri, M. (2014) The Effect of Ecological Factors on Vegetation in Hamedan Alvand Region (Iran). International Journal of Farming and Allied Sciences, 3, 489-496.
Saima, S., Altaf, A., Faiz, M.H., Shahnaz, F. and Wu, G. (2018) Vegetation Patterns and Composition of Mixed Coniferous Forests along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Western Himalayas of Pakistan. Austrian Journal of Forest Science, 135, 159-180.
Kawai, T. and Tokeshi, M. (2007) Testing the Facilitation-Competition Paradigm under the Stress-Gradient Hypothesis: Decoupling Multiple Stress Factors. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 274, 2503-2508.
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2007.0871
Berner, D. and Thibert-Plante, X. (2015) How Mechanisms of Habitat Preference Evolve and Promote Divergence with Gene Flow. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 28, 1641-1655. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.12683
Orrock, J.L. and Witter, M.S. (2010) Multiple Drivers of Apparent Competition Reduce Re-Establishment of a Native Plant in Invaded Habitats. Oikos, 119, 101-108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2009.17831.x