ECOSYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND PLANT SUCCESSION ON LANDSLIDES IN THE CARIBBEAN

Landslides are common in mountainous regions of the Caribbean and are triggered by heavy rains and earthquakes, and often occur in associati on with human disturbances (e.g., roads). Spatially heterogeneous remo val of both substrate and vegetation is responsible for a variety of p atterns of ecosystem development and plant successional trajectories w ithin Caribbean landslides. Soil nutrient pools in exposed mineral soi ls reach levels comparable to mature forest soils within 55 yr bur soi l organic matter recovers more slowly. Plant colonization of landslide s depends on the availability of propagules and suitable sites for ger mination, soil stability, and the presence of residual or newly deposi ted soil organic matter and associated nutrients. Once initial coloniz ation occurs, the rate and trajectory of plane succession on landslide s is strongly affected by plant/plane interactions. We present two con ceptual models of landslide succession that summarize the major proces ses and pathways of ecosystem development and plant succession on land slides. Additional work is needed to characterize interactions between spacially heterogeneous zones, control over soil development, impacts of key plant species, and the role of animals on Caribbean landslides .