Changbai Mountains mixed forests

Last updated
Changbai Mountains mixed forests
Forests in Changbai Mountain.jpg
Forest in Changbai Mountain
Ecoregion PA0414.svg
Ecoregion territory (in purple)
Ecology
Realm Palearctic
Biome Temperate broadleaf and mixed forest
Geography
Area93,240 km2 (36,000 sq mi)
Countries China, North Korea
Coordinates 41°45′N127°45′E / 41.750°N 127.750°E / 41.750; 127.750

The Changbai Mountains mixed forests ecoregion (WWF ID: PA0414) covers the Changbai Mountains and surrounding foothills in China and North Korea. The region features extensive and naturally preserved deciduous and conifer forests. The region exhibits high biodiversity due to its relative isolation, temperate climate with high rainfall, and centrality to central Chinese, Siberian, and European floral communities. In 1979, a significant portion of the ecoregion was designated the Changbaishan Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Location and description

The Changbai Mountains area ranges across the foothills and higher elevations of a volcanic plateau on the north of the Korean peninsula, straddling the border between China and North Korea. The region is surrounded by the lower terrain of the Manchurian mixed forests ecoregion, but is centered on the volcanic crater of Paektu Mountain.

Climate

The climate of the Changbai ecoregion is Humid continental climate, warm summer (Köppen climate classification (Dwb)), with a dry winter. This climate is characterized by large seasonal temperature differentials and a warm summer (at least four months averaging over 10 °C (50 °F), but no month averaging over 22 °C (72 °F), and cold winters having monthly precipitation less than one-tenth of the wettest summer month. [4] [5] Annual precipitation is 500 to 1,000 mm at the lower and middle elevations, reaching 1,400 mm at the higher points.

Flora and fauna

Because the ecoregion includes altitudes from below 1,100 meters to above 2,600 meters, it features different floristic altitude zones. From the lower altitudes, deciduous trees mixed with conifers characterize the forest up to about the 1,100 meter level. A "dark conifer" belt runs from 1,100 meters to 1,900 meters, and alpine meadows and bare rock at the higher elevations. [1]

The mixed forests feature Korean pine ( Pinus koraiensis ), Manchurian fir ( Abies holophylla ), Manchuran lime ( Tilia ), and Mongolian oak ( Quercus mongolica ). The higher dark conifer forest features Yezo spruce ( Picea jezoensis ), Khingan fir ( Abies nephrolepis ), and Olgan larch ( Larix olgensis ). [3] [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Anatolian conifer and deciduous forests</span> Ecoregion in Northern Anatolia, Turkey

The Northern Anatolian conifer and deciduous forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion located in northern Anatolia, Turkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klamath Mountains (ecoregion)</span> Temperate coniferous forests ecoregion in northern California and southwestern Oregon

The Klamath Mountains ecoregion of Oregon and California lies inland and north of the Coast Range ecoregion, extending from the Umpqua River in the north to the Sacramento Valley in the south. It encompasses the highly dissected ridges, foothills, and valleys of the Klamath and Siskiyou Mountains. It corresponds to the Level III ecoregion designated by the Environmental Protection Agency and to the Klamath-Siskiyou forests ecoregion designated by the World Wide Fund for Nature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests</span> Ecoregion in Southern Anatolia, Turkey

The Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests ecoregion, in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, is in the eastern Mediterranean Basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anatolian conifer and deciduous mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Southwestern Anatolia, Turkey

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bastak Nature Reserve</span> Nature reserve in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast, Russia

Bastak Nature Reserve is a Russian 'zapovednik' located in the Amur River basin in the Russian Far East. The reserve's territory covers the south-eastern spurs Bureya Range and the northern outskirts of the Sredneamurskaya lowlands. The reserve is situated in about 10 km north of the city of Birobidzhan in the Birobidzhansky District, and is the only national reserve in the Jewish Autonomous Oblast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ussurisky Nature Reserve</span> Strict nature reserve in Primorsky Krai, Russia

Ussurisky Nature Reserve is a Russian 'zapovednik' that protects one of the remaining virgin mixed deciduous-conifer forests in the Primorsky (Maritime) region of the Russian Far East. The mountainous terrain is located on a southern spur of the Sikhote-Alin Mountains, in the upper reaches of the Komarovka River, about 50 km northeast of the city of Vladivostok. The reserve is named after Vladimir L. Komarov, an important early botanist and early explorer of the Primorsky region. The Ussursisky Reserve is situated in the Shkotovsky District of Primorsky Krai.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sokhondo Nature Reserve</span> Nature reserve in Chita Oblast, Russia

Sokhondo Nature Reserve is a Russian 'zapovednik' in the south of Eastern Siberia, 25 km north of the border with Mongolia. It is the farthest source of the Amur River, and is centered on the Sokhondo Mountain massif, in the highest sector of the Khentei-Chikoy Highlands in the Khentei Range mountain range. The Sokhondo massif has two peaks, and is an ancient volcano. Also within the borders are many lakes of glacial origin. In 1985, Sokhondo was named a UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve. The reserve is situated in the Chita district of Chita Oblast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Okhotsk–Manchurian taiga</span> Ecoregion in the Russian Far East

The Okhotsk-Manchurian taiga ecoregion is an area of coniferous forests in the Russian Far East, covering the Amur River delta, the west coast of the Okhotsk Sea, and the rugged extension of the northern Sikhote-Alin Mountains that run southwest-to-northeast through the Primorsky and Khabarovsk regions. It is the southernmost taiga forest in Eurasia. The ecoregion is distinguished from surrounding ecoregions by the slightly warmer climate due to the maritime influence and the shield of the mountains to the west, and by the mixing of flora and fauna species from Okhotsk-Kamchatka communities to the north and Manchurian species from the south. The forest at lower altitudes is "light taiga", and "dark taiga" at higher altitudes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Da Hinggan–Dzhagdy Mountains conifer forests</span> Ecoregion in the Khingan Mountains

The Da Hinggan-Dzhagdy Mountains conifer forests ecoregion covers the Greater Khingan Mountains of Northeast China, and across the border north into the Russian Far East where it follows the mountain ridge for another 500 km to the east. The mountain forests exhibit a floral community called "Daurian flora", a combination of the Siberian taiga to the north and the Manchurian floral types to the south. The eastern slopes are steep and drained by many rivers, the western slopes are gentler, and there are grasslands on some slopes. The ecoregion is in the Palearctic realm, with a subarctic climate. It covers 35,199,998 km2 (13,590,795 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sayan montane conifer forests</span> Coniferous forests in Russia and Mongolia

The Sayan montane conifer forests ecoregion covers the mid-elevation levels of the Sayan Mountains, the high mountain range between the taiga of Siberia, Russia to the north, and the steppes of Mongolia to the south. The slopes of the mountains at the mid-altitudes are covered by Temperate coniferous forest. The ecoregion is in the Palearctic realm, with a cold semi-arid climate. It covers 35,741,835 km2 (13,800,000 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helanshan montane conifer forests</span> Ecoregion in the Helan Mountains

The Helanshan montane conifer forests ecoregion covers an isolated, forested mountain range surrounded by desert and semi-arid basins. As such, it has been called a "mountain island in the sky", and supports endemic species of plants and animals. The region supports the endangered Helan Shan pika.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tian Shan montane conifer forests</span> Ecoregion in the Tian Shan Mountains

The Tian Shan montane conifer forests ecoregion covers the "forest belt" of the Tian Shan mountains - generally the north-facing slopes that get enough moisture, and are warm enough, for trees to grow. This conifer belt is found mostly between 1,500 and 2,700 meters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tian Shan montane steppe and meadows</span>

The Tian Shan montane steppe and meadows ecoregion covers a 2,000 km long stretch of grasslands of the isolated Tian Shan mountains of Central Asia. It is characterized by high-altitude flat and rolling grasslands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeast China Plain deciduous forests</span> Ecoregion in Northeast China

The Northeast China Plain deciduous forests ecoregion covers the flat interior Northeast China Plain and neighboring adjacent northwestern North Korea, in the region historically known as Manchuria. The plain is surrounded by mountains on the north and east, and supports some of China's largest forest tracts. There are also extensive low-lying wetlands, which support important bird populations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qilian Mountains subalpine meadows</span> Ecoregion in China

The Qilian Mountains subalpine meadows ecoregion covers the high meadows and shrubland of the Qilian Mountains, on the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau in central China. These mountains form a divide between the dry regions of the Gobi Desert to the north, and the Qaidam Basin and the Tibetan Plateau to the south. While the habitat supports populations of marmots, grouse and some rare mammal species, the grasslands of the region are under pressure from over-grazing by domestic livestock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Qin Ling Mountains deciduous forests</span> Ecoregion in Central China

The Qin Ling Mountains deciduous forests ecoregion covers the Qin Mountains, which run west-to-east across central China. The mountains effectively divide the biological regions of China into north and south. To the north is the Yellow River basin, a loess-soil region of temperate deciduous forests. To the south is the Yangtze River basic, a subtropical forest region. In between, the Qin Mountains support many rare and endemic species, including the Giant panda and the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manchurian mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Korea, China, and Russia

The Manchurian mixed forests ecoregion covers the forested hills surrounding the river plains of northern China, Russia, North Korea, and South Korea. The ecoregion supports a number of rare species due to the relative isolation, the diversity of habitat, with mixed forests of deciduous Mongolian oak and conifers of Korean pine. Because mountains rise above the region on three sides, with plains and wetlands below, the area supports high biodiversity as a transition zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Korean deciduous forests</span> Ecoregion in Korea

The Central Korea deciduous forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion on the Korean Peninsula, covering portions of South Korea and North Korea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hokkaidō montane conifer forests</span> Ecoregion in Hokkaidō, Japan

The Hokkaido montane conifer forests ecoregion covers the mountainous central regions of Hokkaido Island, the northernmost of Japan's main islands. Forests of spruce and fir thrive in the subalpine, cool climate. On the northeastern edge of the island, the conifer forests extend down to the sea under the influence of the cold Oyashio Current coming down from the north, although logging in recent years has put pressure on these stands.

Tokinsko-Stanovoy National Park is located at the mountainous headwaters of the Zeya River, in the Stanovoy Highlands of the Russian Far East. It was created in 2019 to protect important natural features - particularly the Siberian snow sheep, and also the cultural heritage of the reindeer-herding indigenous Evenki people. The park is located in the Zeysky District of Amur Oblast, at the meeting point of the borders of Amur Oblast, the Sakha Republic, and Khabarovsk Krai.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Changbai Mountains mixed forests". World Wildlife Federation (WWF). Retrieved December 28, 2019.
  2. "Map of Ecoregions 2017". Resolve, using WWF data. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Changbaishan Biosphere Reserve". UNESCO. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  4. Kottek, M.; Grieser, J.; Beck, C.; Rudolf, B.; Rubel, F. (2006). "World Map of Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification Updated" (PDF). Gebrüder Borntraeger 2006. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  5. "Dataset - Koppen climate classifications". World Bank. Retrieved September 14, 2019.