Natural Regeneration of Indigenous Species under Plantation Forests of Mahoganis (Swietenia macrophylla and Swietenia xaubrevilleana): The Case of Martinique

Abstract

In many geographic areas influenced by tropical and temperate climates, natural forest ecosystems have been destroyed in favour of plantations of alloch-thonous trees which are economically profitable for different aspects of the timber industry. Some of these mature plantations degrade the soils and inhibit natural regeneration of the local flora; others, due to the physical constraints they impose, can contribute to the installation and the development of autochthonous taxa. The plantations of Swietenia macrophylla and Swiete-nia xaubrevilleana (Mahoganys) in the Lesser Antilles are part of these processes. To study the natural regeneration process of forest plant species native to Martinique under plantations of Mahoganys, we carried out surveys in thirteen transects (stations) under humid and subhumid bioclimates. The results showed that groups of indigenous species typical of various stages of plant succession colonise the plots of mature Mahoganys. This study suggests that mature plantations of not very competitive introduced forest species may favor the succession of plant communities. It would be therefore possible to use these introduced species (Swietenia macrophylla and Swietenia xaubre-villeana) in reforestation programs of Lesser Antilles biotopes with sylvicul-tural potential degraded by anthropisation.