Alps conifer and mixed forests | |
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![]() Location of the Alps conifer and mixed forests | |
Ecology | |
Realm | Palearctic |
Biome | temperate coniferous forests |
Borders | |
Geography | |
Area | 149,872 km2 (57,866 sq mi) |
Countries | |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | Vulnerable |
Global 200 | European-Mediterranean montane mixed forest |
Protected | 40,470 km2 (27%) [1] |
The Alps conifer and mixed forests is a temperate coniferous forest ecoregion in central Europe. It extends along the Alps mountains through portions of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Alps to its peaks, which include Mont Blanc, at 4,809 m (15,778 ft) the highest peak in the Alps.
The Alps forests are at the transition between the Mediterranean climate regions of southern Europe and the more humid and temperate Euro-Siberian region of western, central, and northern Europe. [2]
The ecoregion's altitudinal range, and its central location between Europe's climatic regions, support a variety of plant communities and species. The ecoregion has 4,500 native vascular plant species, including 400 endemic species. [2]
The forests on the lower slopes are mostly deciduous broadleaf trees, including the oaks Quercus robur, Quercus petraea , Quercus pubescens . Broadleaf sclerophyllous evergreen trees are found in southern valleys adjacent to Mediterranean-climate regions. [2]
Montane forests include a mix of conifers Norway spruce (Picea abies), Silver fir (Abies alba), and mountain pine (Pinus mugo), with the broadleaf deciduous European beech (Fagus sylvatica), aspen (Populus tremula), silver birch (Betula pendula), downy birch (Betula pubescens), Acer pseudoplatanus , Malus sylvestris , Viburnum lantana , Fraxinus excelsior , Tilia cordata , Juglans regia , Prunus padus and Corylus avellana . In more continental-climate parts of the range, European larch (Larix decidua), arolla pine (Pinus cembra), Juniperus communis , Taxus baccata , and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) replace Pinus mugo. Scots pine and Pinus mugo can form a hybrid pine Pinus × rhaetica. Black pine (Pinus nigra) occurs on some south facing slopes in the eastern part of the range.
Subalpine and alpine plant communities including heath and alpine tundra occur above the timberline, and include many endemic species.
The Alps are home to 80 species of mammals. Large mammals include Eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos), Alpine ibex (Capra ibex), Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra), Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), wolf (Canis lupus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).
The Alps are home to 200 species of birds, including lammergeier (Gypaetus barbatus), western capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus crassirostris) and rock ptarmigan (Lagopus muta). [2]
40,470 km2, or 27%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. One-third of the unprotected area is still forested. [1] Protected areas include Ecrins National Park, Mercantour National Park, Vanoise National Park, and Queyras Regional Nature Park in France, Gran Paradiso National Park and Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park in Italy, Gruyère Pays-d'Enhault Regional Nature Park in Switzerland, Berchtesgaden National Park in Germany, and Kalkalpen National Park and Gesäuse National Park in Austria.
The Northern Anatolian conifer and deciduous forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion located in northern Anatolia, Turkey.
The Caucasus mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in the Caucasus Mountains, as well as the adjacent Lesser Caucasus range and the eastern end of the Pontic Mountains.
The Crimean Submediterranean forest complex is an ecoregion on the Black Sea coast of Russia and Ukraine. It is in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome.
The Taiwan subtropical evergreen forests is an ecoregion that covers most of the island of Taiwan, with the exception of the southern tip of the island, which constitutes the South Taiwan monsoon rain forests ecoregion. The island's concentrated steep mountains host a range of forest types, from subtropical forests in the lowlands to temperate and alpine or montane forests.
The Illyrian deciduous forests is a terrestrial ecoregion in southern Europe, which extends along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It belongs to the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, and is in the Palearctic realm.
The Elburz Range forest steppe ecoregion is an arid, mountainous 1,000-kilometer arc south of the Caspian Sea, stretching across northern Iran from the Azerbaijan border to near the Turkmenistan border. It covers 63,300 square kilometres (24,400 sq mi) and encompasses the southern and eastern slopes of the Alborz Mountains as well as their summits. The Caspian Hyrcanian mixed forests ecoregion's lush green mountainsides and plains receive moisture from the Caspian Sea from this ecoregion's northern border. The vast Central Persian desert basins ecoregion forms its southern border.
The Italian sclerophyllous and deciduous forests ecoregion, part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, is in Italy. The ecoregion covers most of the Italian Peninsula and includes both evergreen and deciduous forests.
The South Apennine mixed montane forests is an ecoregion in the southern Apennine Mountains of southern Italy and Sicily. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
The Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in southern Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia, and Malta.
The Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion of the middle and upper elevations of the western Middle Himalayas of Nepal, India, and Pakistan.
The Apennine deciduous montane forests are a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. The development of these forests is ensured by the high rainfall in the Apennines, combined with a temperate-cool climate. Because of climate change, the presence of silver fir, although still widespread, has been dramatically reduced in favour of beech.
The Buila-Vânturarița National Park is a protected area situated in Romania, in the central-northern part of Vâlcea County, in the administrative territory of the localities Costești, Bărbătești, and Băile Olănești.
The Anatolian conifer and deciduous mixed forests is an ecoregion located in southwestern Anatolia, Turkey. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is part of the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
The Carpathian montane conifer forests, also known as Carpathian montane forests, is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion in the Carpathian Mountains of the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, and Ukraine.
The Cantabrian mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It extends along the coastal Cantabrian Mountains and Galician Massif of Northern Spain, extending south into northern Portugal, and northwards through the westernmost Pyrenees to southwestern France. The ecoregion extends from the seacoast to the highest peaks of the Cantabrian Mountains. The highest peak is Torre Cerredo at 2,648 meters elevation.
The Iberian sclerophyllous and semi-deciduous forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the interior valleys and plateaus of the Iberian Peninsula. The ecoregion lies mostly in Spain, and includes some portions of eastern Portugal.
The Northeastern Spain and Southern France Mediterranean forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the Mediterranean coastal region of northeastern Spain, Southern France, the Balearic Islands and a small part of Italy.
The Iberian conifer forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It includes the mountain forests of southern and central Spain.
The Central Korean deciduous forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion on the Korean Peninsula, covering portions of South Korea and North Korea.
The Pyrenees conifer and mixed forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It extends along the Pyrenees mountains which run east and west along the border between France and Spain, and includes all Andorra. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Pyrenees to its highest peaks, which include Aneto, Posets, and Vignemale.