Cuba: Camagüey, Sierra de Cubitas - The Field Museum

REPORT AT A GLANCE
Dates of fieldwork 16–19 September 2002
Region Reserva Ecológica Limones-Tuabaquey (Limones-Tuabaquey Ecological Reserve)
and adjacent areas in the Sierra de Cubitas and the Sabana de Camagüey (also
known as the Sabana de Cubitas or the Sabana de Lesca), in central-eastern
Cuba, approximately 20–25 km northeast of the city of Camagüey. Together,
the Sierra and Savanna occupy approximately 1,000 km2 of Camagüey Province
(Fig. 2A). The Reserve, 22.8 km2 in size, was proposed for protection in 1998
by the Consejo de la Administración del Poder Popular Provincial. At present,
its approval as a Reserva Ecológica at the national level is under review by the
Consejo de Ministros (Cuban Council of Ministers).
Sites surveyed The inventory team visited various localities in the Sierra de Cubitas, before and
during the inventory: Cerro Pelado, Cerro Tuabaquey, Cerro Mirador de Limones,
Paso de Lesca, Paso de Los Paredones, Paso de La Vigueta, Cueva de María
Teresa, and Hoyo de Bonet. The inventory team also devoted much attention
to accessible savanna habitats on the plain with serpentine soils immediately
south of the Sierra.
Organisms studied Vascular plants, mollusks, cockroaches, butterflies, ants, amphibians,
reptiles, birds, and mammals. Our collaborators provided additional data, from
previous studies in the area, relevant to relief, geology, soils, climate, vegetation,
non-vascular plants, mammals, history of indigenous peoples, and current
human communities.
Highlights of results Vegetation: The region is a mosaic of vegetation types. The Sierra de Cubitas
mainly contains two types: a complex of cliff and rock wall vegetation
(farallones vegetation) and semideciduous forest on limestone. Farallones
vegetation is generally open, with xerophytic shrubs, and is found on the
steepest and most eroded limestone slopes (Fig. 2B). Semideciduous forest
occupies various elevations, slopes, and flat areas (Fig. 3A); in parts of the
Sierra it has been degraded by intensive and selective cutting of trees. Also
of note are evergreen forest, gallery forest, and three types of vegetation that
originate from human activities (degraded scrub, human-generated savanna,
and cultural vegetation.) On the ophiolitic plain to the south of the Sierra,
another type of vegetation, cuabal (spiny xeromorphic scrub) has developed
on serpentine soils. The plain is dominated by this type of scrub, and degraded
scrub, with abundant palms and low vegetation (Fig. 2C, and inside cover).
64 RAPID BIOLOGICAL INVENTORIES INFORME/REPORT NO. 08