The Mora Forests of Trinidad, British West Indies

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Abstract
In Trinidad, forest in which mora (Mora excelsa) is dominant occupies a number of separate well-defined areas, alternating with mixed Crappo-Guatecare (Carapa-Eschweilera) forest (Evergreen Seasonal Forest of the author). Data are given on the composition of Mora forest, in which the dominant is nearly twice as abundant as all the associated species together and forms over 95% of the canopy. All the associated species of mora forest also occur in the Crappo-Guatecare forest and the composition of the former varies locally in conformity with that of the latter. No environmental factors appear to account for the replacement of mixed forest by Mora forest in certain areas. Mora is believed to be a recent arrival in Trinidad and to be invading the mixed forest actively at the present day. Mora is thought to have reached Trinidad from Guiana (where it is of wide distribution and not always gregarious) by a land bridge in late Pleistocene to sub-recent times. The open character of the Evergreen Seasonal Forest as compared with typical rain forest may have enabled mora to become gregarious in Trinidad and the great height and reproductive power of the species have helped it to suppress competitors.