The Araya and Paria xeric scrub (NT1301) is an ecoregion in Venezuela that stretches along the Caribbean coast to the west of Trinidad, and that includes Margarita Island and some smaller islands. The ecoregion includes dune herbs, dry thorn scrubs and deciduous forests. The mountains on Margarita Island hold montane forests similar to those in the mainland coastal range. The beaches are used for breeding by sea turtles. Some endemic bird species are threatened with extinction by illegal capture for the pet trade. Deforestation and over-grazing by goats are also problems.
The west of the ecoregion covers the Araya Peninsula and the coastal area around Cumaná to the south of the peninsula. The ecoregion covers the coastal area to the east of the Araya Peninsula, and extends over parts of the Paria Peninsula.[1] It excludes two mountain areas of the Paria peninsula, which are in the Cordillera de la Costa montane forests ecoregion.[2] To the north it includes the Margarita, Cubagua and Coche islands in the Caribbean. It has an area of 517,997 hectares (1,280,000 acres).[1]
The 934 square kilometres (361sqmi) Margarita Island is 38 kilometres (24mi) north of the Araya Peninsula. The larger, eastern part of the island is mountainous, with peaks that rise to the 910 metres (2,990ft)Cerro El Copey. The center of the island forms a coastal plain with sandy beaches and areas of dunes. This is connected by an isthmus to the western part, the Macanao Peninsula, which contains a line of mountains of which the 740 metres (2,430ft)Cerro Macanao is the highest.[2]
Interior of the Araya Peninsula
The rocky northern coast of the Araya-Paria Peninsula extends for 370 kilometres (230mi) from west to east. The west of the Araya Peninsula holds the Salina de Araya, a sandy plain that is often flooded by the sea. From here a line of hills extends to the east, with their highest point formed by the 1,104 metres (3,622ft) Cerro San José. East of the hills there is a region of low country that extends to the mountainous area of the Paria Peninsula. The Araya-Paria Peninsula is joined to the mainland by the Cariaco-Yaguaraparo isthmus. The ecoregion extends along the mainland coast over lower mountains to the Cumaná region.[2]
Climate
The climate varies considerably in different parts of the ecoregion. The Araya Peninsula is extremely dry, with annual rainfall of 200–300 millimetres (7.9–11.8in), with more rain towards the end of the year. On the Paria Peninsula annual rainfall is 900–2,000 millimetres (35–79in), falling throughout the year, with less rain on the coast. In the coastal region from the center of the Araya-Paria Peninsula to Cumaná there are wet seasons from June to August, and around year end. Rainfall is from 375 millimetres (14.8in) in the west to 900 millimetres (35in) in the east.[2]
At Carúpano, mid-way along the Araya-Paria Peninsula the Köppen climate classification is "Aw": equatorial, winter dry.[4] At this location the mean monthly temperature varies from 24.2°C (75.6°F) in January to 26.6°C (79.9°F) in September. Total annual rainfall is about 880 millimetres (35in). Monthly rainfall varies from 19.8 millimetres (0.78in) in March to 121.3 millimetres (4.78in) in July.[4] Margarita Island also has wet seasons from June to August, and around year end. On Margarita Island rainfall is from 250 millimetres (9.8in) in the plain to 1,000 millimetres (39in) in the mountains. Temperatures average 26–27°C (79–81°F), but may be higher in the arid lowlands and lower in the mountains.[2]
The Macanao Peninsula and the westernmost part of the Araya Peninsula are important areas for threatened neotropical birds, particularly the yellow-shouldered amazon (Amazona barbadensis), which is in demand for the pet trade. The subspecies Margarita blue-crowned parakeet (Thectocercus acuticaudatus neoxena) found in the mangroves around the La Restinga lagoon, is also threatened by pet trade. The lagoon complex around Cumaná, the Golf of Cariaco salina and the Araya peninsula lagoons provide refuges to many species of birds. The Chacopata Lagoon has the largest pelican colony in Venezuela, and is used by large groups of flamingos. Beaches on Margarita are used for breeding by the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) and green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). The north coast of the Paria Peninsula is the main nesting zone for the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) in Venezuela. Maragarita is home to subspecies of the eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus margaritae) and the Margaritan tufted capuchin (Sapajus apella margaritae).[2]
Status
The World Wildlife Fund gives the ecoregion the status of "Critical/Endangered".[2] Deforestation and exploitation of sand and gravel around streams in Macanao threatens the habitat of the Yellow-shouldered Amazon. The capture for trade of Yellow-shouldered Amazon and blue-crowned Parakeet threaten these species with extinction. All the dry vegetation in Araya and Macanao is at risk from overgrazing by goats. Adventure tourists drive vehicles along the protected beaches of La Restinga National Park and destroy turtle nests. The Cumaná lagoons are threatened by urbanization, pollution and introduction of exotic species.[2]
The Nueva Esparta State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. It comprises Margarita Island, Coche, and the largely uninhabited Cubagua.
The Sucre State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela. The state capital is Cumaná city. Sucre State covers a total surface area of 11,800 km2 (4,600 sq mi) and, as of the 2011 census, had a population of 896,921. The most important river in the state is the Manzanares River.
Margarita Island is the largest island in the Venezuelan state of Nueva Esparta, situated off the northeastern coast of the country, in the Caribbean Sea. The capital city of Nueva Esparta, La Asunción, is located on the island.
The Baja California desert is a desert ecoregion of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. This ecoregion occupies the western portion of the Baja California peninsula, and occupies most of the Mexican states of Baja California Sur and Baja California. It covers 77,700 square kilometers. The climate is dry, but its proximity of the Pacific Ocean provides humidity and moderates the temperature. The flora mostly consists of xeric shrubs and over 500 species of recorded vascular plants.
The Venezuelan Coastal Range, also known as Venezuelan Caribbean Mountain System, is a mountain range system and one of the eight natural regions of Venezuela, that runs along the central and eastern portions of Venezuela's northern coast. The range is a northeastern extension of the Andes, and is also known as the Maritime Andes. It covers around 48,866 km2, being the 4th largest natural region in Venezuela.
The Cordillera de la Costa montane forests is a montane ecoregion of the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome, in the Venezuelan Coastal Range on the Caribbean Sea in northern Venezuela.
The Macanao Peninsula is a geographic peninsula landform, that forms the western end of the Isla Margarita in the Caribbean Sea, in northern Venezuela.
Laguna de la Restinga is a national park on the Isla Margarita, Nueva Esparta state, Venezuela. The main part of the park is a large salt lagoon, rich in fish and birdlife. It is on the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance, and is classified as an Important Bird Area.
The Amazon–Orinoco–Southern Caribbean mangroves (NT1401) is an ecoregion along the coasts of Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil.
The Guianan mangroves (NT1411) is a coastal ecoregion of southeastern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil. The mangroves provide an important habitat for migrating birds that winter in the area. Large areas are intact, although they are threatened by destruction of the trees for timber and to make way for agriculture, and from upstream agricultural and industrial pollution.
The Orinoco Delta swamp forests (NT0147) is an ecoregion of eastern Venezuela and northern Guyana covering the large and shifting Orinoco Delta. The vegetation is mostly permanently flooded rainforest. The ecoregion is relatively intact apart from a large area that was damaged by a failed flood control program in the 1960s. It is inaccessible, so logging is difficult, and the soil is unsuitable for farming. The main threat comes from oil exploration, which would bring an influx of settlers into the delta.
The Pará mangroves (NT1427) is an ecoregion along the Atlantic coast of the state of Pará in Brazil. They constitute the western extension of the Maranhão mangroves ecoregion. The mangroves are relatively intact, although they are under some pressure from agriculture and logging.
The Maracaibo dry forests (NT0222) is an ecoregion in Venezuela around Lake Maracaibo. It contains the country's main oil fields. The habitat is criss-crossed by roads and is severely degraded by farming and livestock grazing.
The Paraguana xeric scrub (NT1313) is an ecoregion in Venezuela to the north and east of Lake Maracaibo and along the coast of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. The region holds flora and fauna adapted to the very dry conditions of the coastal dunes and inland areas of bush, scrub, briars and cacti. There are several endangered species of animals and birds. Efforts at protecting the environment have been ineffective. Most of the original trees have been cut down, dunes are being destabilized by loss of vegetation, scrub is replaced by farmland and vegetation is destroyed by grazing goats.
The La Costa xeric shrublands (NT1309) is an ecoregion in Venezuela that stretches along the Caribbean coast. The dry scrub and savanna has been subject to modification since the 16th century by European colonists who replaced it by a patchwork of farm fields and pasturage. Little of the original habitat remains.
The Paramaribo swamp forests (NT0149) is an ecoregion in the coastal plain of Suriname covering a strip of land that is almost always flooded by fresh waters. It transitions into saline mangrove swamps towards the coast, and into submontane forests towards the interior.
The Coastal Venezuelan mangroves ecoregion covers the salt-water mangrove forests along the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean coast of Venezuela, from Cocinetas Basin to the edge of the Caño Manamo River and the Orinoco Delta in the east. It is one of the largest mangrove ecoregions in South America, with an area of 5,698 km2, and stretching across over 400 km of Venezuelan coastline.
The Aruba-Curaçao-Bonaire cactus scrub ecoregion covers the dry land on the semi-arid islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire in the southern Caribbean Sea, about 80 km from the mainland of Venezuela. In low-lying coastal areas the islands also support mangrove wetlands. The landscape features a range of cactus species and acacia trees.
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