stop-9-invasive-species-typha
STOP #9 STOP #9 STOP #9 El Bosque de Pterocarpus Listen to the Audio Invasive Species – The Typha The abundance of interspersed canopy gaps has contributed to the increased abundance of grass and other plant species. The Typha is one of these species. As trees grow and canopy closes, and with a little human […]
stop-8-invasive-species-suckermouth-catfish
STOP #8 STOP #8 STOP #8 El Bosque de Pterocarpus Listen to the Audio Invasive Species – Suckermouth Catfish The Suckermouth Catfish (Hypostomus plecostomus, Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus), is a nonindigenous aquatic species that occurs in quiet, slow-moving waters and swamps like the Pterocarpus Forest. In Puerto Rico, its presence is explained by release or escape from […]
stop-7-woody-vine
STOP #7 STOP #7 STOP #7 El Bosque de Pterocarpus Listen to the Audio Woody Vine Approximately 300 species of vines occur in Puerto Rico. The vine is a climbing plant with long flexible stems that intertwine the branches of trees and use other plants as a support. Vines extend their branches over and through […]
stop-5-natural-recycling-forest
STOP #5 STOP #5 STOP #5 Listen to the Audio Natural Recycling in the Forest – Fungi When this photo was taken, in the place where you are standing, there was a log, a fallen tree covered with fungi. You can hardly see any remains of the tree anymore. The fungi decomposed it. You will […]
stop-4-pterocarpus-forest-functions
STOP #4 STOP #4 STOP #4 Listen to the Audio Pterocarpus Forest Functions Pterocarpus forests are swamp ecosystems that are seasonally inundated with freshwater. The Pterocarpus officinalis, a native tree that is the predominant species in this type of wetland in Puerto Rico, has large buttress roots that allow it to grow in flooded soils. […]
stop-3-giant-swamp-fern
STOP #3 STOP #3 STOP #3 Listen to the Audio Giant Swamp Fern The Giant Swamp Fern (Acrostichum danaeifolium), in front of you, is native to the Caribbean and one of the most notable non-arboreal plants in the Pterocarpus Forest, non-arboreal meaning it’s not a tree. It abounds in those sectors of the forest, such […]
stop-2-pterocarpus-tree
STOP #2 STOP #2 STOP #2 Listen to the Audio Pterocarpus Tree The Pterocarpus Living beings depend on their adaptations for their survival in our very competitive environment. Pterocarpus officinalis, the tree that predominates in the Forest, is a unique example of extreme adaptations. Pterocarpus officinalis is known as ‘Palo de pollo’ in Puerto Rico, […]
stop-1-welcome-pterocarpus-forest
STOP #1 STOP #1 STOP #1 Welcome to the Pterocarpus Forest Listen to the Audio Welcome to the Pterocarpus Forest at Palmas del Mar! You are about to enter a unique, 51-acre, Pterocarpus swamp forest nature preserve. This is one of the largest known remaining swamp forests in Puerto Rico, among the estimated 15 that […]