ATOLL RESEARCH BULLETIN No. 138
THEVERTEBRATEFAUNAANDTHEVEGETATIONOFEASTPLANACAY,BAHAMA ISLANDS
by G a r r e t t C. Clough and George Fulk
I s s u e d by
THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Washington, D. C . , U. S. A . February 16, 1971
THE VERTEBRATE FAUNA AND THE VEGETATION OF EAST PLANA CAY, BAHAMA ISLANDS
1 / 2/
by Garrett C. Clough- and George Fulk-
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Three expeditions have been made t o East Plana Cay, Bahama Islands, between 1966 and 1968. The primary purpose of these t r i p s was t o study t h e biology of t h e Bahaman h u t i a , Geocapromys ingrahami, a hystricomorph rodent which e x i s t s only on t h i s i s l a n d . This paper r e p o r t s on
observations and c o l l e c t i o n s o f t h e l i z a r d s , b i r d s and p l a n t s and gives a general account of t h i s i s l a n d together with a b r i e f note on West Plana Cay. Accounts of t h e ecology and behavior of t h e rodent
population w i l l appear elsewhere (Clough, 1969 and ms. i n p r e p a r a t i o n ) . The dates and p a r t i c i p a n t s of t h e t h r e e t r i p s were: 1) March 20-24, 1966, G.C. Clough; 2 ) October 22-28, 1967, G . C . Clough, G . Fulk and Joseph Laterra; 3) March 29-April 4, 1968, G.C. Clough, Robert Howe and John Songdahl.
Acknowledgements
The f i r s t t r i p was made p o s s i b l e by a grant from t h e D i r e c t o r ' s Fund of t h e American Museum of Natural History, New York. Transportation was supplied by t h e Lerner Marine Laboratory, Bimini. The 1967 and 1968 t r i p s were supported by National Science Foundation research grant No.
GB-7065 t o G . C . Clough. A i r t r a n s p o r t a t i o n was provided by Chalk's Flying Service, Miami, Florida. The Bahama Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries kindly granted permission t o make t h i s study. We thank t h e following s p e c i a l i s t s who determined many of t h e specimens: D r . E . Williams and M r . B . Shreve, Harvard University, D r . F. R. Fosberg and D r . M.-H. Sachet, Smithsonian I n s t i t u t i o n and D r . R . Hauke, Department of Botany, University of Rhode I s l a n d .
Present addresses:
1/ Until August 1970. Zoological Laboratory, University of Oslo, - Blindern, Oslo, Norway.
2/ Department of Zoology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode - Island 02881, U. S. A.
C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of t h e Island
East Plana Cay i s located a t 22' 23' N. Lat. and 73'30' W. Long.
The name French Cays i s sometimes used f o r t h i s i s l a n d and i t s neighbor, West Plana Cay, about two miles t o t h e west. The Plana Cays l i e 82 miles north of Great Inagua, about 26 miles northwest of Mayaguana and
1 2 miles e a s t of Acklin's Island, near t h e southeast end of t h e Bahama Islands.
The i s l a n d i s 1100 acres (465 hectares) i n s i z e . I t i s long and narrow i n shape, about 4.75 miles long and 0.5 mile wide a t i t s widest p a r t , and i s placed mainly i n a southeasterly-northwesterly d i r e c t i o n . The southern shore is t h e leeward shore. I t has a gently sloping beach
leading t o a 2,000 foot-wide shallow c o r a l r e e f . The northern shore receives t h e main wave a c t i o n . On t h a t s i d e t h e c o r a l r e e f i s
narrower and drops o f f more s t e e p l y .
The i s l a n d i s composed of c o r a l rock. In a few places e x f o l i a t i n g r e e f rock extends i n t o t h e sea, and i n a few places 30 t o 40 foot
b l u f f s of eroded c o r a l rock drop s t e e p l y t o t h e beach ( P l a t e 1 ) . In most places, however, t h e i s l a n d i s surrounded by a sand beach which slopes gently from t h e rocky i n t e r i o r . The topography i s generally f l a t with gentle slopes reaching a maximum of 60 t o 80 f e e t high.
Exposed and sharply eroded c o r a l rock forms about h a l f of t h e surface.
In places t h i s i s a l e v e l pavement with some loose s l a b s of rock ( P l a t e 2). Cracks, crevices and holes up t o t h r e e f e e t i n diameter a r e
numerous ( P l a t e 3 ) . On t h e h i l l s i d e s i t e s t h e r e a r e loose blocks of rock and shallow accumulations of s o i l . The western end i s composed of sand dunes.
In a few places behind t h e beach where t h e rock b l u f f s a r e located t h e r e a r e open caves. One of these, near t h e middle of t h e south shore, was large enough f o r us t o e n t e r . We could move about 50 f e e t i n from t h e entrance, through two rooms about 15 f e e t high and p a s t many small s i d e passages. In a few places i n t h e i n t e r i o r of the i s l a n d t h e r e a r e round depressions from 10 t o 15 f e e t deep and 20 t o 30 f e e t i n diameter.
One of these could be seen on t h e a e r i a l photographs t o be f i l l e d with water. On t h e north s i d e of t h e i s l a n d , j u s t behind t h e sand beach c r e s t , t h e holes and crevices i n t h e rock pavement were f i l l e d with c l e a r sea water, which rose and f e l l with t h e t i d e .
During our t h r e e v i s i t s t o t h e i s l a n d , which included extensive exploration, we found f r e s h water only once. That was i n a stagnant puddle t h r e e inches deep and a few f e e t across located i n a depression
i n t h e rock surface.
Climate
The climate i n general i s warm and dry. The maximum and minimum temperatures we recorded from October 2 2 t o 28, 1967 were 94OF (34.4OC)
and 71°F (21°C). The n e a r e s t s t a t i o n f o r which we found any meteor- o l o g i c a l records was Great Inagua. Howard and Dunbar (1964) examined r a i n f a l l records kept by t h e s a l t company t h e r e and found t h e average annual r a i n f a l l was 25 t o 35 inches (635 t o 890 mm). They s t a t e t h a t
"there i s no regular wet or dry season although somewhat more r a i n i s recorded f o r September, October and November". During our t h r e e v i s i t s t h e r e were only a few passing t r a c e s of p r e c i p i t a t i o n .
O f f i c i a l weather s t a t i o n s a r e located a t Nassau, 295 miles t o t h e northwest and a t Grand Turk Island, 170 miles t o t h e southeast. Data from Walter and Lieth (1967) f o r t h e s e s t a t i o n s are: Nassau, mean annual temperature of 25OC (77'F) over 47 years and mean annual sum of p r e c i p i t a t i o n of 1181 nm (47 inches) with a wet season from May through October. Grand Turk Island, mean annual temperature of 26.3"C
(79.3'F) over 27 years and mean annual sum of p r e c i p i t a t i o n of 750 nun (29.5 inches) with a period of high r a i n f a l l i n October and November.
LIZARDS
Three l i z a r d species were c o l l e c t e d . These were i d e n t i f i e d by D r . Ernst Williams and Mr. B. Shreve of t h e Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. The name and catalogue numbers of specimens a r e l i s t e d below.
Leiocephalus greenwayi Barbour & Shreve MCZ 111416-19
Anolis c a r o l i n e n s i s brunneus Cope MCZ 111420
Sphaerodactylus c o r t i c o l a aporrox Schwartz MCZ 111421
The Leiocephalus, round-tailed l i z a r d , was very abundant i n both the rocky and sandy a r e a s . They were d i u r n a l i n a c t i v i t y . The Anolis were seen only occasionally i n t h e daytime. They inhabited t h e palm t r e e s a t t h e west end of t h e i s l a n d . One Sphaerodactylus, gecko, was seen. I t was collected a t n i g h t from s o i l i n open shrub vegetation.
BIRDS
Observations of b i r d s were made during October 1967 by G . Fulk and during March-April 1968 by G. C . Clough. An annotated l i s t containing 37 species follows.
4
P r o c e l l a r i i d a e Puffinus lherminieri, Audubon's Shearwater
March. Two o r t h r e e a d u l t s seen each n i g h t s i t t i n g a t cave entrances o r f l y i n g near caves. Birds heard c a l l i n g i n f l i g h t over land and water. One a d u l t found 50 f e e t i n s i d e l a r g e cave i n daytime.
Phaethontidae Phaethon lepturus, White-tailed Tropicbird
October. A s i n g l e individual seen once.
March. Groups of 10-15 seen every day f l y i n g over r e e f s . Sulidae
Sula leucogaster, Brown Booby
-
March. One immature b i r d f l y i n g by t h e i s l a n d , one-quarter mile out from beach.Ardeidae Ardea herodias, Great Blue Heron
October. Two b i r d s seen together once.
Butorides virescens, Green Heron
March. One seen perched on dead buttonwood t r e e . Dichromanassa rufescens, Reddish Egret
March. Two b i r d s together a t brackish pond a t e a s t end.
Nyctanassa violacea, Yellow-crowned Night Heron
October. One individual seen a t n i g h t i n shrubs along shore.
Pandionidae Pandion h a l i a e t u s , Osprey
October. Adult ospreys seen near t h r e e n e s t s , a fourth n e s t was abandoned. One n e s t on rocky b l u f f , another i n top of a buttonwood t r e e , another a t top of old s t e e l tower.
March. Ospreys seen d a i l y . Five b i r d s seen together i n v i c i n i t y of n e s t a t northwest end.
Falconidae Falco sp.
-0ctober. One large falcon seen f l y i n g over i s l a n d . One small falcon seen t h r e e times.
Rallidae Rallus l o n g i r o s t r i s , Clapper Rail
March. One individual seen and captured a t night on north beach t e r r a c e . One seen a t dusk walking'through shrub t h i c k e t .
Haematopodidae Haematopus ostralegus, Oystercatcher
October. Single individuals seen twice - i n mixed flocks of shorebirds.
March. Two p a i r s seen along beach.
Charadriidae
Charadrius wilsonia, Wilson's o r Thick-billed Plover March. One seen.
Charadrius h i a t i c u l a , Northern Ring-billed Plover
October. Five seen together with Oystercatcher and Black-bellied - Plovers.
Squatarola squatarola, Black-bellied Plover October. Five b i r d s seen i n one flock.
Scolopacidae Arenaria i n t e r p r e s , Ruddy Turnstone
October. Seen d a i l y i n small flocks of t h r e e t o s i x . Crocethia alba, Sanderling
October. Seen i n small flocks of two t o four.
Columbidae Columbigallina passerina, Ground Dove
October. Individuals o r p a i r s seen frequently along beach t e r r a c e and i n open rocky areas.
March. Individuals, p a i r s o r groups of four seen along beach t e r r a c e .
Cuculidae Coccyzus americanus, Yellow-billed Cuckoo October. One seen i n shrub t h i c k e t .
Trochilidae Unidentified Hummingbirds
October. One seen d a i l y i n shrub t h i c k e t . One had green head and back, white b e l l y and t h r o a t , r u s t y red s i d e s beneath wings,
s t r a i g h t b i l l , no c r e s t . Another had b r i l l i a n t rkd chin and t h r o a t .
March. One hummingbird seen a t brackish pond.
Alcedinidae Cer l e alcyon, Belted Kingfisher
-11-bctober. Single b i r d seen twice along beach.
March. One seen perched on t r e e a t beach edge.
Picidae Sphyrapicus varius, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
March. One seen i n buttonwood t r e e , was chased by Mockingbird.
Mimidae Mimus gundlachii, Bahama Mockingbird
October. Three s i n g l e b i r d s seen i n low shrub t h i c k e t s i n d i f f e r e n t p a r t s of t h e i s l a n d .
March. A few males singing from elevated perches i n shrub t h i c k e t s . Dumetella carolinensis, Catbird
October. A few b i r d s seen i n shrubs and buttonwood t r e e s Coerebidae
Coereba f laveola, Bananaquit
October. Three b i r d s seen i n buttonwood t r e e .
March. Three d i f f e r e n t males singing i n o r near buttonwood t r e e s . Parulidae
Parula americana, Parula Warbler
October. Single b i r d s seen s e v e r a l times i n buttonwood t r e e s . Dendroica petechia, Yellow Warbler
October. Single males seen near t r e e s .
March. One male seen foraging i n l i t t e r below buttonwood t r e e . Dendroica magnolia, Magnolia Warbler
October. Seen twice, feeding i n low shrubs.
Dendroica caerulescens, Black-throated Blue Warbler
October. Single b i r d s seen twice i n buttonwood t r e e . Dendroica coronata, Myrtle Warbler
October. Seen d a i l y , i n groups of up t o f i v e b i r d s , foraging i n Ambrosia on beach t e r r a c e and i n low shrubs. Attracted t o f r e s h water a t our camp.
Dendroica s t r i a t a , Blackpoll Warbler
October. One seen foraging i n shrub t h i c k e t . Dendroica palmarum, Palm Warbler
October. A few seen i n Ambrosia on beach t e r r a c e .
March. A few groups of s i x t o e i g h t b i r d s seen along beach and i n t e r i o r .
Seiurus aurocapillus, Ovenbird
October. Single b i r d s seen twice.
Wilsonia c i t r i n a , Hooded Warbler
October. One b i r d seen under buttonwood t r e e . Very tame.
Setophaga r u t i c i l l a , Redstart
October. Seen four times i n buttonwood t r e e s and shrubs.
F r i n g i l l i d a e T i a r i s b i c o l o r , Black-faced Grassquit
October. One p a i r seen.
March. A few males singing from perches o r on t h e ground.
Ammodramus savannarum, Grasshopper Sparrow October. Seen once along beach.
VEGETATION
Plant Communities
Most of t h e i s l a n d i s covered with a continuous shrub l a y e r of an even height of t h r e e t o four f e e t . The g r e a t e s t v a r i a t i o n i n t h e vegetation i s found along t h e beach with i t s zones of changing slope
and moisture c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s . Eight p l a n t communities could be
recognized as containing one o r more dominant species growing on s i t e s distinguishable by s o i l type and topography.
1. Beach slope
This i s t h e o u t e r zone of vegetation on t h e sloping sand beach.
I t c o n s i s t s of Tournefortia p a halodes growing a s widely spaced bushes about two t o four f e e t -&IT-' ( P l a t e 4 ) .
2. Beach c r e s t
This community grows on t h e top of t h e beach slope. I t occurs i n only a few areas and then i s a few f e e t wide. I t c o n s i s t s of sparse growths of Cakile lanceolata and Sophora tomentosa.
3. Sand t e r r a c e
This i s t h e f l a t sandy a r e a located behind t h e beach c r e s t . I t i s up t o 40 f e e t wide i n some places and absent i n o t h e r p l a c e s . I t
contains Ambrosia h i s i d a p r i m a r i l y with Capraria b i f l o r a i n a few places (Plates 4 an -7- 5 )
4. Shrub t h i c k e t on rock
O n r u m p f i a maritima grows i n pure stands. This i s mainly on t h e higher ground o r s t e e p slopes where a l l s o i l i s absent.
5. Shrub t h i c k e t on sand s o i l
Where t h e r e i s s o i l , mixed communities of shrubs a r e found. These c o n s i s t m i m a r i l v o f four suecies. Phvllanthus eoiohvllanthus.
.
, - , - - --,F o r e s t i e r a segregata, Croton lucidus and Croton l i n e a r i s . This -lends i n t o t h e Strumpfia community where t h e s u b s t r a t e i s p a r t sand and p a r t rock ( P l a t e 6 ) .
Croton t h i c k e t s were c l a s s i f i e d by Beard (1949) as a subclimax community of t h e Windward and Leeward Islands of t h e southeast Caribbean region. These t h i c k e t s , composed of various species o f Croton, Beard s a i d were "the most impoverished" of any of t h e p l a n t communities, found on only t h e " d r i e s t , poorest and most degraded s i t e s " .
6 . Tree grove
In a few places small clumps of buttonwood t r e e s , Conocarpus e r e c t u s grew. These a r e found a t t h e edge of t h e Sand t e r r a c e o r Brackish water border communities and i n t h e i s l a n d i n t e r i o r around exposed rock pavements ( P l a t e 2 ) . The t r e e s vary from a few f e e t t o about 15 f e e t high. A few t a l l e r dead t r e e trunks stood along t h e south shore a t t h e beach c r e s t .
7. Palm grove
One grove of s i l v e r t h a t c h palm t r e e s grows near t h e west end of t h e i s l a n d on sandy s o i l . These a r e about 20 t o 30 f e e t t a l l
( P l a t e 7 ) .
8. Brackish water border
A t t h e edges of t h e brackish ponds a t t h e west end t h e r e a r e stands of saltwort, Batis maritima.
Brief descriptions of East Plana Cay's vegetation made by D.P.
Ingraham i n 1891 (Allen 1891) and by Rabb and Hayden (1957) during
t h e i r v i s i t i n 1953 a r e n e a r l y i d e n t i c a l with those made i n 1966 t o 1968.
A s t h e only difference Ingraham mentions t h e presence of a few paw-paw t r e e s , Carica, and says t h e h u t i a "seemed very fond of t h e f r u i t of t h e paw-paw, and even of t h e body of t h e t r e e i t s e l f , as I have seen t h e trunk of t h i s t r e e , n e a r l y as l a r g e as my body, eaten s o n e a r l y o f f t h a t they could not s u s t a i n t h e i r own weight." We found four paw-paw t r e e s , a l l of which were about four t o s i x inches i n diameter. Perhaps t h i s species has been nearly eliminated from t h e i s l a n d by t h e h u t i a
population. I t was impossible t o discover what o t h e r e f f e c t s t h e very high rodent population has exerted on t h e vegetation over a long
period of time.
Vascular Flora
Plants were collected on t h e second and t h i r d t r i p s by G. C . Clough.
The i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s were made by D r . F. R. Fosberg and Dr. M.-H. Sachet of the Smithsonian I n s t i t u t i o n . D r . R. Hauke, University of Rhode Island, a s s i s t e d i n t h e determinations. One s e t of specimens i s on f i l e with t h e Smithsonian and another s e t with t h e Fairchild Tropical Garden, M i a m i , Florida.
In addition t o t h e 29 species l i s t e d below t h e r e were a t l e a s t two grass species which were not c o l l e c t e d o r i d e n t i f i e d . One grass species was observed as a dense patch about 12 f e e t i n diameter i n t h e i n t e r i o r on sand s o i l and t h e other grass grew i n a few places i n t h e Beach c r e s t community. The s i x species of p l a n t s known t o be eaten by t h e h u t i a s a r e indicated below. Hutia food h a b i t s were determined by observations o f animal a c t i v i t y , examination of p l a n t s f o r signs o f grazing and browsing, and food preference t e s t s of captive animals performed on t h e i s l a n d .
Palmae Coccothrinax a r g e n t a t a (Jacq.) Bailey
Palm c a l l e d t h e s i l v e r thatch palm by Rabb and Hayden (1957). These were located near t h e west end. i n t h e same h lace where they mew i n
.
"1891 ( i d e n t i f i e d from photo by R. W. Read).
Amaryllidaceae Hymenocallis l i t t o r a l i s (Jacq.) S a l i s b .
A few clumps growing i n Sand t e r r a c e community.
Ulmaceae Trema lamarckiana (R. and S.) B 1 .
Two t o four f e e t high, flowering i n March. Common i n Shrub t h i c k e t s on sand s o i l .
Moraceae Ficus aurea Nutt.
--
Rare, i n t e r i o r of i s l a n d . F r u i t i n October.Batidaceae Batis maritima L.
A t edges o f brackish ponds growing i n mud.
Portulacaceae Portulaca haeos erma Urb.
One in- exposed, bare rocks.
Cruciferae Cakile lanceolata (Willd.) Schulz
In Beach c r e s t community. Flowering i n October and March.
Leguminosae Sophora tomentosa L.
In Beach c r e s t community.
Simarubaceae Suriana maritima L .
Rare, on Beach c r e s t . P r o s t r a t e form, two t o t h r e e f e e t high, flowering i n March.
Euphorbiaceae Phyllanthus epiphyllanthus L.
Common, two t o f i v e f e e t t a l l . Hutia food.
Croton l i n e a r i s Jacq.
A b u n d a n t , flowering i n October and March.
Croton lucidus L.
A b u n d a n t ,
flowering i n March. Hutia food, low preference.Euphorbia mesembryanthemifolia Jacq.
In Sand t e r r a c e community.
Caricaceae Carica papaya L.
Rare, a few individuals on t h e i s l a n d . Ten t o twelve f e e t high.
Cact aceae Cephalocereus sp.
Uncommon, four f e e t t a l l . Melocactus i n t o r t u s (Mill.) Urb.
Uncommon, i s o l a t e d i n d i v i d u a l s on rocky s u b s t r a t e , i n bloom.
Opuntia sp.
Uncommon, on Sand t e r r a c e .
Combretaceae Conocarpus e r e c t u s
Common, up t o L .
15 f e e t high, t a l l e r dead Oleaceae
trunks. Hutia food.
F o r e s t i e r a segregata (Jacq .) Krug and Urb
.
Abundant. Heavy f r u i t crop i n March 1968. Hutia food.
Asclepiadaceae Metastelma sp.
A vine, growing over Opuntia. Flowering i n October.
Convolvulaceae Evolvulus squamosus B r i t t o n
Uncommon, on sand s o i l of Shrub t h i c k e t community.
Ipomoea repanda Jacq.
Vine creeping on ground. Flowers i n October.
Boraginaceae Tournefortia gnaphalodes R. B r .
Common on Beach slope. Flowering i n March. Hutia food, low preference.
Verbenaceae Lantana involucrata L .
Uncommon, shrub one t o t h r e e f e e t t a l l . A few on Sand t e r r a c e . Flowering i n March.
Labiatae S a l v i a s e r o t i n a L.
Uncommon. I n openings of Shrub t h i c k e t s on sandy s o i l . Six t o ten inches t a l l .
Scrophulariaceae Capraria b i f l o r a L.
Uncommon. In Sand t e r r a c e March, most i n seed then.
Antirrhoea m y r t i f o l i a (Griseb.) Uncommon. In Sand t e r r a c e inches t a l l . Flowering i n
community. A few flowers l e f t i n Six t o t e n inches t a l l .
Rubiaceae Urb
.
community. I s o l a t e d p l a n t s s i x October and March.
Strumpfia maritima Jacq.
Abundant. Flowering i n October. Hutia food, top preference.
Compositae Ambrosia h i s p i d a Pursh
Abundant i n Sand t e r r a c e community.
NOTES ON WEST PLANA CAY
In March 1966 G. C. Clough v i s i t e d West Plana Cay, going ashore a t t h r e e d i f f e r e n t points on t h e west and northwest s i d e s . A t o t a l of t h r e e hours were spent on shore observation t o u r s . In 1967 and 1968 a e r i a l observations were made by expedition members as they passed over t h e i s l a n d i n a low-flying a i r p l a n e .
West Plana Cay i s q u i t e d i f f e r e n t from i t s neighbor. In shape i t i s more nearly round; i n s i z e it i s nearly t h e same. There appears t o be very l i t t l e exposed c o r a l rock on t h e island and much more s o i l . The vegetation is t h i c k e r and higher i n many places. Grasses a r e common. A t t h e northwest point t h e remains of an old v i l l a g e made of stone h u t s a r e found. Nearby i s a new v i l l a g e of wood and thatch homes which a r e used temporarily every summer by r e s i d e n t s of Acklin's and Crooked Islands. Coconut palm t r e e s and garden p l o t s were present around t h e old and new v i l l a g e s . Two shallow wells which contained some f r e s h water had been dug near t h e new v i l l a g e . One o b j e c t which might possibly have been a very o l d f e c a l p e l l e t of a h u t i a was found along t h e beach. Otherwise, a b s o l u t e l y no signs of h u t i a s were found on West Plana Cay.
REFERENCES
Allen, J . A. 1891. Description of a new species of Capromys from t h e Plana Cays, Bahamas. Bull. h e r . MLIS. Nat. H i s t . 3: 329-336.
Beard, J . S. 1949. The n a t u r a l vegetation of t h e Windward and Leeward Islands. Oxford Forestry Memoirs. No. 21.
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i n m s . High rodent p r o d u c t i v i t y i n a semi-arid, t r o p i c a l i s l a n d ecosystem, and, Ecology and behaviour of t h e Bahaman h u t i a , Geocapromys ingrahami.Howard, R. A. and Dunbar, H. 1964. Additions t o t h e f l o r a of Inagua, t h e Bahamas. Rhodora 66: 6-15.
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I P l a t e 1. East Plana Cay. Bluff on northern s i d e with osprey n e s t on top of rock a t l e f t .
P l a t e 2 . East Plana Cay. F l a t rock pavement with broken s l a b s and crevices. Low Conocarpus t r e e s and Phyllanthus shrubs.
P l a t e 3 . East Plana Cay. Eroded h o l e i n rocky i n t e r i o r which served a s d i u r n a l s h e l t e r f o r t h e r o d e n t s , Geocapromys ingrahami.
Phyllanthus s h r u b s .
P l a t e 4. East Plana Cay. South shore with t h e Beach s l o p e community of T o u r n e f o r t i a i n c e n t e r . The Sand t e r r a c e community with
. < Ambrosia begins a t t h e r i g h t . One clump o f Conocarpus i n
. . c e n t e r .
P l a t e 5 . E a s t Plana Cay. A e r i a l photo of south s h o r e . Beginning from t h e shore t h r e e p l a n t communities a r e v i s i b l e : Beach s l o p e , Sand t e r r a c e and Shmb t h i c k e t on sand s o i l . The Beach c r e s t community i s t o o narrow t o b e v i s i b l e .
P l a t e 6. E a s t Plana Cay. I n t e r i o r view of Shrub t h i c k e t on sand s o i l which c o n t a i n s t h e f o u r main s p e c i e s . Strumpfia e n t e r s i n t h e background.
P l a t e 7 . East Plana Cay, n e a r western t i p . The grove of s i l v e r t h a t c h palms.
