Habitats. Flashcards
What are the 7 vegetation types found in Grenada?
Savanna and Grazing Land.
Dry Scrub-Woodlands.
Rain Forest.
Montane Thicket.
Palm Brake.
Elfin Woodland.
Secondary Forest.
What are the coastal Grenada forest types?
Mangrove woodland.
What are the seasonal forest types found in Grenada?
Evergreen and Semi-evergreen Forest.
Deciduous Seasonal Forest.
Cactus Scrub.
What are the montane forest types found in Grenada?
Lower Montane Rain Forest.
Elfin Woodland/Cloud Forest.
Mangrove forests are highly tolerant of what?
Salt water.
What often lies behind the mangrove forests?
Dry scrub thorn trees.
Healthy mangrove forests have a very high what?
High productivity rate.
What is an estuarine habitat known as?
Coastal riparian.
Mangrove forests provide what?
Mangrove ecosystems provide valuable breeding and nursery habitat for fish and shrimp, and provide security cover and feeding habitat for adults.
How much of the commercial fish species caught off the Australian coast depend, at some point in their lives, on mangrove ecosystems?
2/3rds.
Mangrove ecosystems do what for the shoreline?
Mangrove ecosystems stabilize shorelines and protect coastal areas from hurricanes, severe storms and tsunamis.
Why is are mangrove ecosystems decreasing?
Cleared for rice cultivation, hotel development, aquaculture (commercial shrimp and prawn hatcheries), wood gathering etc.
Mangroves are often considered, around the world, to be nothing more than mudflats into which one should throw garbage and any manner of household items no longer wanted.
How much mangrove forest has been cleared globally?
35%
How many mangrove sites are there in Grenada?
22.
What species of mangrove makes up the mangrove sites in Grenada?
Red, white, black and button mangrove.
Where is the largest mangrove site in Grenada?
Levera pond.
What is the mean height of mangrove trees in Grenada?
15m.
What are the roots of red mangrove known as?
Prop roots.
What are the characteristics of black mangrove?
Pneumatophores (roots above the ground allows for respiration).
Species is further upland (inland) than red mangroves.
Secrete salt through salt glands
What are the characteristics of white mangrove?
White mangroves are further upland (inland) than either red or black mangroves.
Mangroves provide a great home for invertebrates, true or false?
True?
What are the characteristics of moist Dystrophic Savannas and Woodlands?
Nutrient load low in soil.
60 cm (24 inches) – 160 cm (63 inches) of rainfall.
Principle herbivores = termites.
Decomposition is slow and grasses dry out.
Fire would be an annual event in this habitat.
Where are moist Dystrophic Savannas and Woodlands found in Grenada?
Southern end of the island of Grenada–Pt. Saline, Lance Aux Epines, True Blue (note point of peninsula in front of Caribbean House), Mt. Hartmann etc.
Give an example of plants found in dry thorn scrub habitat?
Acacia.
Cacti.
Black sage.
Wild tamarind.
Glory cedar.
Campeche.
What species are found in dry thorn scrub habitat?
Grenada dove.
Burmese mongoose.
Hook billed kite.
Zenaida dove.
Tree boa.
Some of the richest ecosystems border what?
Lakes and oceans.
Beaches, sand dunes and sea cliffs are what?
Critical habitat.
Coastal ecosystems act as what?
As breeding or non-breeding habitat for animals that are also members of other ecosystems.
What species are found on coastal ecosystems?
Waterfowl.
Raptors.
Seabirds.
Sea turtles.
Distinct habitat conditions along coastlines are often?
Discontinuous and isolated in nature.
Separated by stretches of rocky coastline.
These isolated habitats often contain isolated, endemic populations of organisms.
Sandy coastlines are?
Highly dynamic because beaches change seasonally.
What dove is half the size of other island doves?
Common ground dove.
Sandy coastal ecosystems especially outlying islands are breeding grounds for what?
Gulls.
Terns.
Plovers.
Herons.
Ibis.
Rails.
What raptors are found in Grenada?
Osprey.
Peregrine falcons.
What ground nesters are found on open beaches?
Wilsons plover.
Terns.
Why are ground nesters the most threatened.
Human encroachment.