Fire and forest in the highlands of the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic : modern dynamics and long-term history

Abstract

This dissertation investigates past and present environments of the highlands of the Dominican Republic using paleoecological and modem ecological techniques. The relatively unstudied highlands (\u3e2000 m) of the Cordillera Central are blanketed by a mosaic of pine forests, open pine woodlands, and grasslands, with broadleaf trees joining the canopy in sheltered locations. My research on modem vegetation and fire ecology, and on long-time fire and vegetation history, helps fill gaps in the knowledge of Caribbean environments, and may assist land managers in conservation efforts in the Dominican highlands.