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The progress of plant succession on the Soufriere of St. Vincent: Observations in 1972

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Summary

The Soufrier volcano of St. Vincent, West Indies, erupted in 1902 destroying the plant cover. Sands (1912) and Beard (1945) subsequently reported on the recolonisation by plants. The present paper results from a further examination in 1972. Relatively little change in 30 years was found.Prestoea montana has invaded significantly between 425 m and 600 m. Vegetation zones have migrated upward about 30 m vertically with the virtual extinction of a moss and lichen community found around the crater rim in 1942.

Zusammenfassung

Der Vulkan Soufriere, von St. Vincent, West Indien, brach im Jahre 1902 aus, und zerstörte die Pflanzendecke. Sands (1912) und Beard (1945) berichteten über die Wieder-Ansiedlung der Pflanzen. Der jetztige Bericht stammt von weiteren Untersuchungen die im 1972 durchgeführt wurden. Verhältnismäszig kleine Unterschiede wurden in diesen 30 Jahren gefunden.

Prestoea montana hat sich bedeutend angesiedelt zwischen 425 und 600 m. Die Vegetationszonen haben sich um 30 m nach oben verschoben, mit der tatsächlichen Verschwindung der Moos- und Flechten-Gesellschaft die in 1942 um den Kraterrand gefunden wurde.

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References

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Author notes

  1. J. S. Beard

    Present address: , 6 Fraser Road, Applecross, Western Australia

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    1. J. S. Beard
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    Additional information

    Nomenclature follows the species list in Beard (1949).

    The writer's renewed study of the Soufriere in 1972 was made possible by a grant from the National, Geographic Society of Washington, D.C. which is gratefully acknowledged. Great assistance while on the island was received from officers of the Department of Agriculture, especially from Mr. C. N. de Freitas, Acting Superintendent of Agriculture.

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    Beard, J.S. The progress of plant succession on the Soufriere of St. Vincent: Observations in 1972. Plant Ecol 31, 69–77 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02342548

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02342548

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