FIELD
REPORT - AUGUST, 2000 TRIP TO EVERGREEN
STUDY BASE
LOCATION:
Red Water Creek, Yarowkabra, Region 4 DATE:
August 26, 2000 DURATION:
06:00 - 12:20 hours WEATHER:
Sunny NO
OF PERSONS PRESENT: Five(5) WAY
OF TRANSPORT: Road
INTRODUCTION
Lowland
rain forests are characterized by a multistoried structure usually
comprising three or
four storeys. The highest trees reach 45-55m and in exceptional cases
60m
and more. These large trees do not form a closed canopy, instead
tending to
stand alone or in clusters and are referred to as "emergent trees". The
next-lower
storey is more or less closed and is formed by trees between 30-35m
tall.
Depending on the degree of light penetration into the lower canopy
areas,
there is a third and frequently a fourth storey below this. The
brushwood
and herbaceous layers are usually poorly developed due to the lack of
light
near the forest floor. Botanically speaking, the typical features of
the
rain forest are many trees with plank butresses, smooth, usually thin
bark,
often large but usually medium-sized, entire leaves, numerous lianas
(climbing
and twining plants) and epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants for
only
mechanical support) and the phenomenon of cauliflory (flowers that grow
directly
on the main stem or limb of a tree). The evergreen lowland rain forests
are
characterized by enormous diversity, with 60 to 80 and sometimes even
more
than 300 species per hectare.
Zoologically
speaking, the forest lends itself a home to various animal species. To
date, within the area, over 20 fish species, 17 frogs, 30 snakes, 4
turtles, 2 crabs, 10
lizards, 2 caimans, 200 birds 20 mammals have been recorded by tropical
conservation
biologists.
The
soils of the location are excessively drained acid sandy soils (sands
and sandy loams) low in natural fertility. They become droughty under
clean cultivation and
are very prone to erosion. They have little organic matter in the first
2
cm of soil and low moisture and nutrient holding capacity because of
the
soil particle size, movement of water and nutrient down the profile in
very
rapid. Complete fertilizers must therefore be applied for successful
crop
growth in the forest. Most crops grow well at pH values about 5.5 hence
it
may be necessary to amend the soil pH value to that above 5.5. The use
of
dolmitic limestone is recommended, where this action is necessary, as
this
soil ameliorant also provides magnesium which is in short supply in
these
soils.
Crops
traditionally grown are citrus (Citrus sp.),
pineapple (Ananas comosus), eddoe
(Colocasia esculenta), cashew nut (Anacardium
occidentale) and
more recently, mixed vegetables.
The
travelling distance
from Georgetown to Evergreen Study Base is 48km (30 miles).
OBJECTIVE
To study the soil type and
diversity of plant species
of the tropical white sand rain forest.
To assess the venture of
agro-forestry.
To speed up the rate of
selective clearing.
RATING OF
TRIP:
Excellent
Very
Good
Good
Satisfactory
Unsatisfactory
