This presentation presents some general and basic details of the Guanica State Dry Forest, Tamarindo Lagoon and the Elfin Forest of Guanica. These are ecosystems located in the Southwest area of Puerto Rico.

1. Carlos J. Cabello Valeria Laboy
Adriana Vera Andrea C. Vicenti
Laura V. Díaz Stephanie C Rodriguez
José E. Ríos Cristina M. Rivera
Joanly Rivera Gabriela Reyes
Claudia Colón Camila P. Santiago
The Guánica Dry Forest, Elfin
Forest and Tamarindo Lagoon

2. General information
 The Guánica State Dry Forest is a subtropical dry
forest located in the southwest of Puerto Rico.
 Appointed as a forest reserve in 1919 and a UN
Biosphere Reserve in 1981.

3. Scientifically important
 Due to its complexity, nature and scientific
diversity.
 Some 119 investigations (1990-present) have
been made there, studying various topics:
 Flora
 Fauna
 Archeology
 Ecology
 Fisheries and more…

4. Location and Climate
 Located in the most arid area of Puerto Rico, with
an annual rainfall of 30 inches a year.
 Temperatures vary from 75° F to 85° F, reaching up
to 110° F in the most exposed areas.

5. Monthly Precipitation in Guánica

6. Geography and Topography
 It covers the counties of Guánica, Guayanilla,
and Yauco; also having islets in Ponce and
Peñuelas.
 Considered as a undulant zone: mostly flat
land, while having a variety in the terrain level.

7. Soil properties
 Soil ranges from sandy to limestone, showing a
difference of these:
1. Floor composed of limestone and fine-grained
surface.
2. Abundant in fine and soft lime with small areas of
sand and clay.
3. Floor of sand and clay with a depth of 6” or more.

8. As an Ecosystem
 It is a xerophytic forest; driest place in Puerto Rico.
 Also considered as an inhospitable ecosystem:
 Lack of rainfall
 High temperatures
 Soils with little accumulation of organic material
 Absence of permanent rivers

9. Flora
 Around 550 species of plant; representing 85
families.
 Around 180 are trees (45 are endangered).
 The flora is adapted to extreme conditions:
 Wind
 Saltpeter
 Lack of water

10. Flora examples
• Eucalyptus
• Caoba (Mahogany)
• Cherry Cactus

11. Guajacán Centenario
 The symbol of the Guánica Dry Forest.
 Predicted to be from 700-1000 years old.
 The age can be estimated by the width of the
trunk since the diameter increases a millimeter per
year.
 The extract of its trunk posses medicinal properties.

13. Fauna
 Some136 species of birds had been recorded;
12 of them being native.
 Some 21 species of reptiles and 6 of amphibians
have been found; 8 species of lizards are
exclusive to Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands.
 Insects are an important community and exert
various functions from pollinating to
decomposing.

14. Reptiles
Anolis poncensis and Anolis cooki
(exclusive to the forest)

15. Endangered Fauna
 The federal agencies had denominated 16
endangered species:
 Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum)
 The bird (Agelaius xanthomus)
 Guabairo (Caparimulgus vociferus noctitherus)

16. Tamarindo Lagoon
 Found in the southern part of Puerto Rico in the
Refuge of the Guánica Dry Forest.
 It only fills with the passage of heavy rains. In
times of heat and drought the lagoon dries up
completely.
 It has served as stoppage between the coast
and firm land for migratory birds.

17. Tamarindo Lagoon
• When filled, shown in the sign and when dry

18. Flora
 The plant and tree diversity of the Lagoon has
adapted itself to be able to survive both
drought and flooding of the lagoon.
 These species can also be found in the Elfin
forest and the Tamarindo Bay.

19. Flora
Espesia populnea

20. Fauna
 Composed of aquatic and amphibious life.
 Reproductive place of Sapo Concho
(Pelthophryne lemur), an endangered species.
 In 1984 a population was recorded in the area
of Tamarindo within the forest.
 During dry weather they remain refuge. They
reproduce when the temporary lagoon
emerge.

21. Sapo Concho (Pelthophryne lemur)

22. Elfin Forest of Guánica
 It extends from Tamarindo
Lagoon to Punta Ventana.
 It is known as the “Elfin Forest”
due to the limited altitude and
growth of its vegetation.
 The ground has a formation of
sedimentary rocks.

23. Fauna’s problem
 Same species as in the Dry Forest, yet slightly
miniature and limited.
 Factors that limit vegetation growth:
Wind
Water limitation
Salt concentrations

24. Fauna
 Ipomea pres- caprae (Canavalia maritime)
 Coccoloba uvifera

25. Elfin Forest
 Cherry Cactus population on sedimentary soil.

26. Fauna
 They obtain water from pray and vegetation.
 They hiding in cavities, underground, in bushes or
ground.
 Puerto Rican Tody (Todus mexicanus)
 Puerto Rican Nightjar (Caprimulgus noctitherus)

27. Avifauna
 Mayor population consists of bird (132 )species
 (40 resident and 9 endemic species of birds)
 Elfin-woods Warbler (Setophaga angelae)
 Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo (Coccyzus vieilloti)
 Puerto Rican Flycatcher (Myiarchus antillarum)

28. References
Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico. 1981.
Documentation re-proposing Guanica Forest as
UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve. Area of Scientific
Research, Department of natural Resources San Juan
P.R. 13 p.
Cerame Vivas, M. 2001, Ecología de Puerto Rico.
Publicaciones Puertorriqueñas
Murphy P.G. 1990. Dry Forest of the Tropics and Subtropics
Guanica Forest in Context4(1-3):15- 24

29. References
Ortíz, C. G. Bosque Estatal de Guánica. PrFrogui.
Obtained from:
http://www.prfrogui.com/geocities/guanicabos
que.htm
Ricart Ph.D, C. M. (Narrador). (2014). Bosque Seco [Video
en línea]. Obtained from: Youtube.
Ramírez, Jennie (2009). Bosque Seco de Guánica.
Obtained from:
http://ponce.inter.edu/acad/cursos/ciencia/pa
ges/guanica.htm on June 28, 2015

30. References
Anonymus. (2007). Sapo concho puertorriqueño.
28 de junio de 2015, de CoaliciónPro Bosque
Seco Ventanas Verraco Website:
http://www.coalicionventanaverraco.org/index
.php?q=gallery&g2_view=slideshow.Slideshow&
g2_itemId=882

31. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION