Chao Phraya lowland moist deciduous forests | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Indomalayan realm |
Biome | tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests |
Borders | |
Geography | |
Area | 20,164 km2 (7,785 sq mi) |
Countries | Thailand |
Provinces | |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | Critical/endangered |
Protected | 2,756 km² (14%) [1] |
The Chao Phraya lowland moist deciduous forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in Thailand. The ecoregion occupies the coastal lowlands along the Gulf of Thailand lying east and west of the Chao Phraya River.
The Chao Phraya lowlands moist deciduous forests occupy two separate areas along the Gulf of Thailand. The western and larger portion lies between the Dawna Range and Tenasserim Hills on the west and the lower Chao Phraya River to the east. The ecoregion extends to the northwest along the valley of the Khwae Noi River, which separates the Dawna Range from the Bilauktaung sub-range of the Tenasserim Hills.
The eastern portion lies west of the Cardamom Mountains in eastern Thailand and Cambodia. The Chao Phraya lowlands that separate them are part of the Chao Phraya freshwater swamp forests ecoregion, although the swamp forests have mostly been converted to rice paddies and farm fields. Both the eastern and western portions are bounded on the north by the Central Indochina dry forests ecoregion. [2]
The climate is tropical, and rainfall totals 1,000-1,100 mm annually in the west, and 1,300 mm or more in the east. Rainfall is strongly seasonal; 80% of the annual rainfall is during the May-to-October southwest monsoon.
The forests are characterized by dry-season-deciduous dipterocarps, Cinnamomum cassia , Durio zibethinus , Garcinia mangostana , Artocarpus heterophyllus , Ficus benghalensis , Gnetum gnemon , Mangifera indica , Toona ciliata , Toona sinensis , Cocos nucifera , Tetrameles nudiflora , Ginkgo biloba , Shorea robusta , Prunus serrulata , Camphora officinarum , Tsuga dumosa , Ulmus lanceifolia , Tectona grandis , Terminalia elliptica , Terminalia bellirica , and Quercus acutissima trees. Much of the forest has been cleared, and much of what remains has been degraded or reduced to small patches. [3]
Many rare and endangered species live in this ecoregion, which is incredibly biodiverse. Species include mammals such as the banteng, reptiles such as the nearly extinct Siamese crocodile, and birds like the Indochinese magpie, Siamese fireback, green imperial pigeon, and scary-crowned babbler. [4]
A 2017 assessment found that 2,756 km2, or 14%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. [5] Protected areas include Khao Laem National Park and Sai Yok National Park in the Khwae Noi River valley.
The Malabar Coast moist forests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southwestern India.
The South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests is an ecoregion in the Western Ghats of southern India with tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests. This biome covers the Nilgiri Hills between elevation of 250 and 1,000 m in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states.
The North Western Ghats montane rain forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southwestern Indian peninsula. It covers an area of 30,900 square kilometers (11,900 sq mi), extending down the spine of the Western Ghauts range, from southernmost Gujarat through Damaon, Maharashtra, Goa & Karnataka. The montane rain forests are found above 1000 meters elevation, and are surrounded at lower elevations by the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests.
The South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests is a tropical dry forest ecoregion in southern India. The ecoregion lies in the southernmost portion of the Deccan Plateau, and includes the southernmost portion of the Eastern Ghats.
The Northern dry deciduous forests, presently known as the North Deccan dry deciduous forests, is a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion of east-central India.
The Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests are a tropical dry forest ecoregion of central India. The ecoregion lies mostly in Madhya Pradesh state, but extends into portions of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh states.
The Northern Indochina subtropical forests are a subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of northern Indochina, covering portions of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and China's Yunnan Province.
The Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests is a subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion which occupies the lower hillsides of the mountainous border region joining Bangladesh, China's Yunnan Province, India, and Myanmar. The ecoregion covers an area of 135,600 square kilometres (52,400 sq mi). Located where the biotas of the Indian Subcontinent and the Indochinese Peninsula meet, and in the transition between subtropical and tropical regions of Asia, the Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests are home to great biodiversity. The WWF rates the ecoregion as "Globally Outstanding" in biological distinctiveness.
The Halmahera rain forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in Indonesia. The ecoregion includes the island of Halmahera and neighboring islands, including Bacan, Morotai, the Obi Islands, Ternate, Tidore, Gebe, and many smaller islands.
The Timor and Wetar deciduous forests is a tropical dry forest ecoregion in Indonesia and East Timor. The ecoregion includes the islands of Timor, Wetar, Rote, Savu, and adjacent smaller islands.
The Irrawaddy dry forests is a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion in central Myanmar. The ecoregion occupies portions of the Irrawaddy, Sittaung, and Salween river basins, in areas with less than 800 mm of annual rainfall.
The Cardamom Mountains rain forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in Southeast Asia, as identified by the WWF. The ecoregion covers the Cardamom Mountains and Elephant Mountains and the adjacent coastal lowlands in eastern Thailand and southwestern Cambodia, as well as the Vietnamese island of Dao Phu Quoc.
The Tenasserim–South Thailand semi-evergreen rain forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion on Mainland Southeast Asia. The ecoregion extends north–south along the Kra Isthmus. It includes lowland forests along the coasts, and montane forests on the Tenasserim Hills and Bilauktaung range, which form the mountainous spine of the isthmus.
The Peninsular Malaysian rain forests is an ecoregion on the Malay Peninsula and adjacent islands. It is in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome.
The Irrawaddy moist deciduous forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in central Myanmar. The ecoregion occupies the central basin of the Irrawaddy River and the lower basin of the Salween River. The ecoregion is characterized by forests of tall trees which drop their leaves in the dry season. Most of the ecoregion's forests have been converted to agriculture.
The Kayah–Karen montane rain forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion on Mainland Southeast Asia. The montane rain forests cover several connected mountain ranges, including the Daen Lao Range, the Dawna Range, the Karen Hills, the Khun Tan Range, and the Thanon Thong Chai Range.
The Myanmar coastal rain forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion on Mainland Southeast Asia. The ecoregion occupies Myanmar's coastal lowlands along the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
The Southern New Guinea lowland rain forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in southeastern New Guinea. The ecoregion covers portions of New Guinea's southern lowlands.
The Southern New Guinea freshwater swamp forests is a tropical moist forest ecoregion in southern New Guinea. The ecoregion includes the extensive swamp forests of southern and western New Guinea.
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