Diversidad y estructura de las especies forestales en Sarazin, Departamento Centro, Haití

Abstract

The present study carried out in secondary tropical forests of Sarazin, 2nd communal section of Mirebalais, Haiti aims to describethe diversity and structure of forest species to promote their conservation. A systematic sampling consisting of four transects of10,000 m long and 1,000 m wide was carried out, in each one five square plots were evaluated (20 plots). The diversity of forestspecies was characterized by calculating diversity indices. The structure of the forest species was described through the distributionof individuals by diameter class with a width of 10 cm and by height class with a width of 5 m. The surveys show that the studyarea has a partial specific richness of 40 species divided into 38 genera and 23 families. The Fabaceae family was the mostrepresentative with 11 species, and the most abundant species was Prosopis juliflora. Natural and human disturbances influence thediametrical and vertical structure. The structural analysis showed that, despite the existence of a reasonable number of species, inmost cases they are trees in minimal quantities, small and sporadically distributed. Despite disturbances correlated withanthropogenic activities and extreme weather events, Sarazin's tropical forests have shown some resilience.