Vegetation classification and floristics of the savannas and associated wetlands of the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, Belize

Abstract

A floristic inventory and preliminary vegetation classification were made for the tracts of savanna and associated wetland vegetation in the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area (RBCMA) in Belize. A total of 258 species were recorded, representing c.7% of the Belizean flora. Of these, 148 species are characteristic of the drier savanna systems, while 47 show a preference for hydrologic savanna and wetland areas. Only 57 species (22% of RBCMA savanna flora) are woody, with the savanna tree flora comprising 15 species. The flora of the RBCMA was found to be fairly typical of the savannas of the Central American and Caribbean region. Savanna systems are generally poorly represented in conservation areas in Central America, and due to the diverse range of structural and ecological formations of this vegetation type found within the RBCMA, and its relatively diverse flora, this reserve constitutes an important protected area.