Flora of Belize: Difference between revisions

The '''flora of Belize''' is highly diverse by regional standards, given the country's small geographical extent. Situated on the Caribbean coast of northern [[Central America]] the flora and vegetation have been intimately intertwined with Belize's history. The nation itself grew out of British timber extraction activities from the 17th century onwards, at first for [[logwood]] (''Haematoxylum campechianum'') and later for [[mahogany]] (''[[Swietenia macrophylla]]''), fondly called "red gold" because of its high cost and was much sought after by European aristocracy. Central America generally is thought to have gained much of it characteristic flora during the "[[Great American Interchange|Great American interchange]]" during which time South American elements migrated north after the geological closure of the [[isthmus of Panama]].<ref>Gentry, A.H. 1982. Neotropical floristic diversity: phytogeographical connections between Central and South America, Pleistocene climatic fluctuations, or an accident of the Andean orogeny? Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, 69, 557-593</ref> Few Amazonian elements penetrate as far north as Belize and in [[species composition]] the forests of [[Belize]] are most similar to the forests of the [[Petén Department|Petén]] ([[Guatemala]]) and the [[Yucatán]] ([[Mexico]]).<ref>Brewer, S. et al. 2003 J. Biogeography 30: 1669- 1688</ref>

The vegetation of Belize was first systematically surveyed in the 1930s.<ref>Standley, P.C. and Record, S.J. 1936. The forests and flora of British Honduras. Fieldiana, Bot. 12: 1-432</ref> Recent mapping projects have employed the following principal terrestrial and coastal categories of native vegetation:<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://biodiversity.bz/mapping/ |title=BERDS > Mapping<!-- Bot generated title -->] |access-date=2006-12-04 |archive-date=2006-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060624015156/http://www.biodiversity.bz/mapping/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Image:Acoeloraphe.JPG|thumb|right|''[[AcoelorrhapheAcoelorraphe wrightii]]'', savanna palmetto.]]

* '''lowland savanna'''. This is an important vegetation type in northern Belize, in which scattered trees occur in "short grass" (actually mainly sedges). Savanna is maintained as open vegetation by a combination of wet-season flooding, dry-season drought and fire. Typical trees include: ''[[AcoelorrhapheAcoelorraphe wrightii ]]'', ''[[Quercus oleoides]]'' and madre de cacao ''[[Gliricidia sepium]]''.

* '''lowland pine forest''' or pine savanna (open forest mainly composed of [[Pinus caribaea|''Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis'']] with shrubs such as the rough-leaved "sandpaper tree" (''Curatella americana'').

Although [[deforestation]] continues to be a threat to Belize's natural environment<ref name="Servir">Cherrington, E.A., Ek, E., Cho, P., Howell, B.F., Hernandez, B.E., Anderson, E.R., Flores, A.I., Garcia, B.C., Sempris, E., and D.E. Irwin. (2010) “[[Forest cover]] and Deforestation in Belize: 1980-2010.” Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean. Panama City, Panama. 42 pp. {{cite web|url=http://www.servir.net/servir_bz_forest_cover_1980-2010.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdateaccess-date=2011-04-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729135101/http://www.servir.net/servir_bz_forest_cover_1980-2010.pdf |archivedatearchive-date=2013-07-29 }}</ref> - and to the natural environment of almost all countries in Latin America - much of the native forest remains, facilitating a burgeoning [[ecotourism]] sector. [[NationalThe park system|National Parks System]] Act of 1981 declared numerous protected areas, and the Belizean Government has been working with a prominent non-governmental organization (NGO), the [[Belize Audubon Society]] (BAS) to promote nature conservation within the country. Founded in 1969, the BAS assists the Forest Department of the Government of Belize to manage several important forest areas including:

There are numerous conservation challenges in Belize. One is the extensive recent illegal cutting of the [[Understory|understorey]] palm's [[xate]] (''[[Chamaedorea]]'' spp.). This has a severe effect on the health and reproduction of these characteristic understorey components.<ref>[{{Cite web |url=http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/projects/xate/outputs/outputs.html |title=Xaté palms (Chamaedorea spp.) in Belize - Natural History Museum<!-- Bot generated title -->] |access-date=2006-12-04 |archive-date=2006-08-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060822094050/http://www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/projects/xate/outputs/outputs.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

A [[remote sensing]] study conducted by the [http://www.cathalac.org Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC)] and [http://www.nasa.gov NASA], in collaboration with the Forest Department and the Land Information Centre (LIC) of the Government of Belize's Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MNRE), and published in August 2010 revealed that Belize's forest cover in early 2010 was approximately 62.7%, down from 75.9% in late 1980.<ref name="Servir"/>

A similar study <ref>{{Cite web |title=Biodiversity in Belize - Deforestation |url=http://biological-diversity.info/deforestation.htm</ref> by|access-date=2022-03-04 [http://|website=biological-diversity.info}}</deforestation.htmref> by Belize Tropical Forest Studies] and Conservation International revealed similar trends in terms of Belize's forest cover. Both studies indicate that each year, 0.6% of Belize's forest cover is lost, translating to the clearing of an average of 24,835 acres (9,982 hectares) each year. The USAID-supported [http://www.servir.net SERVIR] study by CATHALAC, NASA, and the MNRE also showed that Belize's protected areas have been extremely effective in protecting the country's forests. While some 6.4% of forests inside of legally declared protected areas were cleared between 1980 and 2010, over a quarter of forests outside of protected areas had been lost between 1980 and 2010. As a country with a relatively high forest cover and a low deforestation rate, Belize has significant potential for participation in initiatives such as [[REDD]].

While many consider [[mangrove]] to be one of Belize's various [[forest]] classes, it is important to point out that in Belize, mangroves assume the form of not only [[forest]] (dominated by closed formations of mangroves of over 3m tall) but also [[scrubland|scrub]] (dominated by formations of dwarf mangroves below 3m in height), and [[savanna]] (areas with scattered mangroves).<ref>Murray, M.R., Zisman, S.A., Furley, P.A., Munro, D.M., Gibson, J., Ratter, J., Bridgewater, S., Mity, C.D., and C.J. Place. 2003. "The Mangroves of Belize: Part 1. Distribution, Composition and Classification." Forest Ecology and Management 174: 265–279</ref> Because of their importance for shoreline protection and maintenance of fisheries stocks, Belize's mangroves are legally protected under the ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20120313105434/http://www.belizelaw.org/lawadmin/PDF%20files/cap213s.pdf Forests Act]'' of the ''[http://www.belizelaw.org Laws of Belize]''.<ref>Government of Belize (GOB). 2003. "Forests Act Subsidiary Laws." Chapter 213 in: Substantive Laws of Belize. Revised Edition 2003. Government Printer: Belmopan, Belize. 137 pp. {{cite web|url=http://www.belizelaw.org/lawadmin/PDF%20files/cap213s.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdateaccess-date=2016-02-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313105434/http://www.belizelaw.org/lawadmin/PDF%20files/cap213s.pdf |archivedatearchive-date=2012-03-13 }}</ref>

A recent study by the [http://www.wri.org World Resources Institute (WRI)] indicates that Belize's mangrove ecosystems contribute '''US $174–249 million''' ''per year'' to the national economy.<ref>Cooper, E., Burke, L., and N. Bood. 2009. "Coastal Capital: Belize. The Contribution of Belize's Coral Reefs and Mangroves." WRI Working Paper. World Resources Institute, Washington, DC. 53 pp. http://pdf.wri.org/working_papers/coastal_capital_belize_wp.pdf</ref> The clearing of mangroves for development of coastal infrastructure has been recognized as a threat to Belize's mangroves and led to public perception that destruction of mangrove ecosystems was rampant, such as an investigative study in 2008 which indicated unauthorized clearings within the South Water Caye Marine Reserve,<ref>http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/art/Pelican_Review.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref> and which eventually led to the Belize Barrier Reef System's designation by [[UNESCO]] as an endangered [[World Heritage Site]].<ref>http{{Cite web | url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/530 | title=Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System and Colombia's los Katios National Park enter UNESCO's Danger List }}</ref>

With uncertainty regarding actual rates of clearing of Belize's mangrove ecosystems, a recent study<ref>Cherrington, E.A., Hernandez, B.E., Trejos, N.A., Smith, O.A., Anderson, E.R., Flores, A.I., and B.C. Garcia. 2010. "Identification of Threatened and Resilient Mangroves in the Belize Barrier Reef System." Technical report to the World Wildlife Fund. Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC) / Regional Visualization & Monitoring System (SERVIR). 28 pp. {{cite web|url=http://maps.cathalac.org/Downloads/data/bz/bz_mangroves_1980-2010_highres.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdateaccess-date=2011-07-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731035556/http://maps.cathalac.org/Downloads/data/bz/bz_mangroves_1980-2010_highres.pdf |archivedatearchive-date=2013-07-31 }}</ref> funded by the [http://www.wwf.org World Wildlife Fund (WWF)] has clarified the situation, making use of [[Landsat]] [[satellite imagery]] to comprehensively examine Belize's mangrove cover. That study, which spanned the thirty years from 1980–2010 and was based on the earlier work of mangrove researcher Simon Zisman,<ref>Zisman, S.A. 1998. "Sustainability or Status Quo: Elite Influence and the Political Ecology of Mangrove Exploitation in Belize." Doctoral dissertation, Department of Geography, University of Edinburgh. Edinburgh, Scotland</ref> was conducted by the [http://www.cathalac.org Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC)] and found that in 2010, mangroves covered some 184,548 acres (74,684 hectares) or 3.4% of Belize's territory. By contrast, it is estimated that in 1980 mangrove cover stood at 188,417 acres (76,250 hectares) - also 3.4% of Belize's territory. Based on Zisman, it is also estimated that Belize's mangrove cover in 1980 represented 98.7% of the pre-colonial extent of those ecosystems. Belize's mangrove cover in 2010 was thus estimated to represent 96.7% of the pre-colonial cover. Where the 2010 update of the [http://www.earthscan.co.uk/Products/9781844076574/tabid/34104/Default.aspx World Mangrove Atlas] also indicated that a fifth of the world's mangrove ecosystems have been lost since 1980,<ref>The Nature Conservancy (TNC). 2010a. ""World Atlas of Mangroves" Highlights the Importance of and Threats to Mangroves: Mangroves among World's Most Valuable Ecosystems." Press release. Arlington, Virginia. http://www.nature.org/pressroom/press/press4573.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717013054/http://www.nature.org/pressroom/press/press4573.html |date=2010-07-17 }}</ref> the case of Belize's mangroves thus stands in stark contrast to the global picture.

Belize's relative mangrove cover declined by 2% from 1980–2010, and in that period, under 4,000 acres of mangroves had been cleared, although clearing of mangroves near Belize's main coastal settlements (e.g. [[Belize City]] and San Pedro) was relatively high. The rate of loss of Belize's mangroves - at 0.07% per year between 1980 and 2010 - was much lower than Belize's overall rate of forest clearing (0.6% per year between 1980 and 2010).<ref>Cherrington, E.A., Ek, E., Cho, P., Howell, B.F., Hernandez, B.E., Anderson, E.R., Flores, A.I., Garcia, B.C., Sempris, E., and D.E. Irwin. 2010. "Forest Cover and Deforestation in Belize: 1980-2010." Water Center for the Humid Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean. Panama City, Panama. 42 pp. {{cite web|url=http://www.servir.net/servir_bz_forest_cover_1980-2010.pdf |title=Archived copy |accessdateaccess-date=2011-04-29 |url-status=dead |archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729135101/http://www.servir.net/servir_bz_forest_cover_1980-2010.pdf |archivedatearchive-date=2013-07-29 }}</ref>

== Trees ==

Belize has a rich array (some 300 species) of native orchids<ref>{{Cite web |last=Green |first=Kim |date=10 February 2012 |title=Belize Flora (and fauna) |url=https://aviatrixkim.com/2012/02/10/belize-flora-and-fauna/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925193806/https://aviatrixkim.com/2012/02/10/belize-flora-and-fauna/ |archive-date=25 September 2020 |access-date=15 November 2023 |website=The Greenery}}</ref> including [[Encyclia cochleata|''Encyclia cochleata var. cochleata'']], the so-called "black orchid".<ref>Williams, L.O. (1956). An enumeration of the Orchidaceae of Central America, British Honduras, and Panama. Ceiba 5: 1-256</ref> This is the national flower of Belize.<ref>[{{Cite web |title=Biodiversity in Belize - Orchids |url=http://biological-diversity.info/native_orchids.htm Biodiversity in Belize |access- Orchids<!date=2022-03-04 Bot generated title |website=biological-->]diversity.info}}</ref>

Belizean vegetation is characterized by numerous species of [[Arecaceae|palms]] including the palmettos of the savanna, [[silver palmetto]] (''[[Schippia concolor]]''), palmetto (''[[AcoelorrhapheAcoelorraphe wrightii]]'') and the common coconut palm ([[Coconut|''Cocos nucifera'']]) found in coastal areas. Other important palms include the cohune palms, cohune (''[[Attalea cohune]]'') and warree cohune (''[[Astrocaryum mexicanum]]''), as well as the [[give and take palm]] (''[[Chrysophila argentea]]''), [[xate]] palms (''[[Chamaedorea elegans]]'' and ''[[Chamaedorea oblongata]]''), [[pokenoboy]] (''[[Bactris major]]''), [[basket tie-tie]] (''[[Desmoncus|Desmoncus schippii]]'') and [[royal palm]] (''[[Roystonea oleracea]]'').

*{{cite book|last=Hodel|first=D|year=1992|title=Chamaedorea palms|publisher=Allen Press, Lawrence, Kansas|id = |pages=}}

* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20130729135101/http://www.servir.net/servir_bz_forest_cover_1980-2010.pdf Forest Cover and Deforestation in Belize: 1980-2010]'' [https://web.archive.org/web/19991125164145/http://www.cathalac.org/ CATHALAC] / [http://www.nasa.gov NASA] / [https://web.archive.org/web/20130219074658/http://www.mnrei.gov.bz/ Belize Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment] / [http://www.servir.net SERVIR]. August 2010.

* ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20130731035556/http://maps.cathalac.org/Downloads/data/bz/bz_mangroves_1980-2010_highres.pdf Identification of Threatened and Resilient Mangroves in the Belize Barrier Reef System]'' [http://www.cathalac.org CATHALAC] / [httphttps://wwwweb.archive.org/web/19961226055606/http://wwf.org/ WWF] / [http://www.nasa.gov NASA] / [http://www.servir.net SERVIR]. October 2010.