If you have never stepped foot into a limestone forest on Guam, you have missed one of the most unique habitats in the world. Im not talking about that scraggly secondary growth full of tangantangan and other invasives; the substrate in a disturbed, confused state of rubble and red dirt. No, Im talking about a forest that grows straight out of uplifted limestone, with the pits and scars of elemental erosion, and crevices, or even crevasses that once hosted schools of fish and multitudes of marine invertebrates. Limestone, or karst, once formed a living coral reef, which is actually mostly dead calcium carbonate. So to think that a forest would dare to grow in such seemingly inhospitable ground is a wonder. I tell my students that the plants that grow in this environment must really want to live - with barely an inch of soil and no ready supply of water (except during the rainy season) - they persist and even thrive. The limestone forest is one of the most endangered forest habitats in the world. Development is mostly to blame for this status, and sadly, I think theres a lack of appreciation for this forest-type. Lets face it, its probably not a great place to go camping, it hurts a lot if you trip and fall, and the birds are gone. However, in seven years of exploring and becoming familiar with the plants and trees and what remains of wildlife, I am in love with our limestone forests. Sure, there are no birds, but the quietness calms me. I enjoy the rock-n-roll topography of the karst formations which are impressive in some areas. Ive named some of them: the classroom, the bowl, the crags, the fault wall. I learned about the limestone forest while I was on a quest to find a flower of the paipai tree, Guamia mariannae. For months I went into the forest behind GCC and looked for that flower. I finally found one after nearly a year - it was either that elusive, or, I just wasnt lucky enough. So, because of a flower, I learned the other plants. Even now, when I go into the forest, I still look for the paipai flower out of habit. I hope you get the chance to spend some time in a limestone forest and find it as beautiful as I do. But, beauty isnt everything. The forests provide valuable ecosystem services including microhabitats for small wildlife, cooling effects for surrounding areas, filtering water for our aquifer, and a carbon dioxide sink. Whats not to like about that?
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 15:12:31 +0000
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