Monteverde : Ecology and Conservation of a Tropical Cloud Forest

Table 3.2. Common or characteristic tree species of the life zones in the Monteverde area.

1. Tropical Moist
   Forest

Anacardium excelsum
Ardisia revoluta
Astronium graveolens
Beilschmiedia sp.
Bombacopsis quinatum
Brosimum alicastrum
Croton draco
Capparis
cyn oph alloph ora
Cecropia peltata
Cecropia obtusifolia
Cedrela salvadorensis
Ceiba aesculifolia
Clarisia biflora
Cupania guatemalensis
Erblichia odorata
Eugenia salamensis
Ficus citrifolia
Ficus trachelosyce
Ficus yoponensis
Hura crepitans
Lonchocarpus haberi,
ined.
Nectan dra martinicensis
Ochroma pyramidale
Ocotea veraguensis
Picramnia antidesma
Sideroxylon capiri
Terminalia oblonga
Thouinidium decandrum
Trichilia glabra
Trichilia martiana
Triplaris
malaenoden dron

2. Premontane Moist
   Forest
   Agonandra macrocarpa
   Albizia adinocephala
   Beilschmiedia sp.
   Bravaisia integerrima
   Bur sera simaruba
   Byrsonima crassifolia
   Casimiroa edulis
   Chrysophyllum brenesii
   Cinnamomum brenesii
   Clarisia biflora
   Clethra lanata
   Cordia alliodora
   Cordia stellifera
   Cupania guatemalensis
   Dilodendron costaricense
   Diphysa americana
   Drypetes lateriflora
   Ficus laterisyce
   Ilex haberi
   Licaria triandra
   Lonchocarpus oliganthus
   Luehea speciosa
   Manilkara chicle
   Myrcianthes sp.
   Nectandra salicina
   Ocotea sinuata
   Psidium sartorianum
   Roupala montana
   Sapium macrocarpum
   Sideroxylon per simile
   Styrax argenteus
   Zanthoxylum
   monophyllum
   3. Premontane Wet
   Forest
   Beilschmiedia brenesii
   Billia colombiana
   Cecropia obtusifolia
   Cedrela tonduzii
   Chionanthus panamensis
   Cinnamomum
   cinnamomifolium
   Citharexylum
   integerrimum
   Conostegia xalapensis
   Croton mexicanus
   Dendropanax arboreus
   Eugenia monticola
   Exothea paniculata
   Ficus tuerckheimii
   Gymnosporia haberiana
   Inga sierrae
   Matayba oppositifolia
   Meliosma idiopoda
   Mortonioden dron
   costaricense
   Nectandra membranacea
   Ocotea floribunda
   Ocotea monteverdensis
   Ocotea whitei
   Pouteria exfoliata
   Randia matudae
   Roupala glaberrima
   Sapium laurifolium
   Sideroxylon
   stenospermum
   Stauranthus perforatus
   Styphnolobium
   monteviridis
   Symplocos limoncillo
   4. Lower Montane
   Wet Forest
   Ardisia palmana
   Beilschmiedia
   costaricensis
   Casearia tacanensis
   Chione sylvicola
   Citharexylum caudatum
   Cojoba costaricensis
   Conostegia oerstediana
   Conostegia pittieri
   Dendropanax querceti
   Dussia sp.
   Eugenia guatemalensis
   Eugenia octopleura
   Guarea tonduzii
   Hasseltia floribunda
   Inga micheliana
   Matayba sp.
   Maytenus reconditus
   Meliosma vernicosa
   Mortonio den dron
   costaricense
   Myrcianthes fragrans
   Ocotea insularis
   Ocotea meziana
   Persea americana
   Pleurothyrium
   palmanum
   Pouteria fossicola
   Quararibea costaricensis
   Sapium glandulosum
   Sloanea ampla
   Symplocos brenesii
   Weinmannia wercklei

foothills of the San Bosco area to Volcan Arenal above

La Fortuna, and around the southeast end of Laguna

de Arenal (Bolanos and Watson 1993; Fig.1.5). With

the canopy height at 40—50 m and emergents that

reach 55—60 m, this forest presents a majestic aspect

with the feel of "real rain forest" (Fig. 3.2). It is ever-

green, with few deciduous species. Trees with straight

trunks and large buttresses are common; epiphytes

and lianas are abundant. Vegetable farming and pro-

duction of ornamentals and beef cattle are successful

in this life zone.

3.1.4. Soil, Microclimatic, and Human-

Generated Associations within Life Zones

Ridges and canyons. On the Pacific slope, trees char-

acteristic of higher elevation cloud forest tend to grow

at lower elevations in steep stream canyons where

conditions are moister and cooler than on the sur-

rounding ridges. Some tree species typical of drier

habitats on the Pacific slope ascend along exposed,

well-drained ridge crests, which are exposed to the

desicating trade winds during the dry season. These

ridges also sustain "ridge specialists," species that

occur almost exclusively on the sharp dry ridges that

descend the Pacific slope (Table 3.3). Some of these

are endemic to the area and are still undescribed (e.g.,

Myrcianthes sp., Z/exsp.). Several species common on

the wet Atlantic slope survive in moist canyons and

as riparian species (e.g., Lunania mexicana, Ticoden-

dron incognitum, Trophis mexicana).

Rock ridges. Dry rocky ridges on the Pacific slope

below Monteverde support plants typical of much

drier habitats at lower elevations (Table 3.3), some of

which are found on limestone ridges behind the field

station in Palo Verde National Park at 100 m (e.g.,

Euphorbia schlechtendalii, Plumeria rubra). Most are

44 Plants and Vegetation