Forest fallows

Secondary Scrub

This is the community that develops on recently abandoned lands, which are quickly inhabited by fast-growing species that are effectively dispersed and often heliophytic. Many of the latter disappear as scrub is eventually replaced by secondary forest that shades out the understory plants. Characteristic trees include Hibiscus tiliaceus, Macaranga harveyana, Omalanthus nutans, Pipturus argenteus and Trema cannabina. Cleared montane areas on Savai'i and 'Upolu are sometimes dominated by the seeded banana Musa x paradisiaca var. seminifera.

Secondary Forest

This high forest is dominated by shade-intolerant trees that replaces secondary scrub. The dominant overstory tree species are Alphitonia zizyphoides, Elattostachys falcata and Rhus taitensis; they are rare in the understory, however, suggesting that unless a future disturbance event takes place, they will eventually be replaced in the forest by other species. Other common secondary forest species include Adenanthera pavonina, Bischofia javanica, Cananga odorata, Dendrocnide harveyi, Dysoxylum spp., Hibiscus tiliaceus, Kleinhovia hospita, Macaranga stipulosa and Neonauclea forsteri. On 'Upolu, Funtumia elastica, a weedy African rubber tree, has become a dominant subcanopy tree on the western half of the island.

last updated: Wednesday, October 6, 2004