Chin Hills–Arakan Yoma montane forests

Last updated
Chin Hills–Arakan Yoma montane forests
Voklak Village, Chin State, Myanmar (27914930905).jpg
Village in Chin State, Myanmar
Ecoregion IM0109.png
Ecoregion territory (in purple)
Ecology
Realm Indomalayan
Biome tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Borders
Geography
Area29,615 km2 (11,434 sq mi)
Country Myanmar
States and regions
Conservation
Conservation status critical/endangered [1]
Protected1,763 km2 (6%) [2]

The Chin Hills-Arakan Yoma montane forests is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in western Myanmar (Burma). Surrounded at lower elevations by moist tropical forests, this ecoregion is home a diverse range of subtropical and temperate species, including many species characteristic of the Himalayas, as well as many endemic species.

Contents

Setting

The ecoregion covers an area of 29,700 square kilometers (11,500 sq mi), encompassing the montane forests of the Arakan Mountains. The Chin Hills, which cover most of Burma's Chin State, and extend south along the ridge of the Arakan Mountains forms the boundary between Rakhine State on the west and Magway Region, Bago Region, and Ayeyarwady Region to the east. [3]

The ecoregion is bounded by the Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests to the west, north, and northeast, and the Irrawaddy moist deciduous forests to the east. Two enclaves of Northeast India–Myanmar pine forests lie immediately to the north. [4]

The ecoregion includes Nat Ma Taung (Mount Victoria) in southern Chin State, which rises to 3,109 metres (10,200 ft) above sea level. [5]

Flora

The plant communities in the ecoregion vary with elevation.

Lower montane forests occur below 1000 meters elevation. Dominant canopy trees include Bauhinia variegata, Lagerstroemia speciosa, Derris robusta , and species of Ficus, Hibiscus , and Strobilanthes . Lianas drape the mature forests, especially Congea tomentosa and Mucuna pruriens . [1]

Mixed evergreen broadleaf forest is predominant between 1000 and 2100 meters elevation. Species of oak (Quercus), Castanopsis, Eugenia, Saurauia, Eriobotrya , and Schima are the dominant canopy trees. [1]

Montane cloud forests occur above 2000 meters elevation. In the transition zone to the lower-elevation mixed broadleaf evergreen forests, the predominant tree species are typical of the Himalayas, including Alnus nepalensis, Betula alnoides , and species of Carpinus, Prunus, Pyrus , and Torreya . At higher elevations, species of Castanea, Cornus, Eriobotrya, Laurus , and Taxus become more common. Epiphytes grow abundantly on the trees in the montane cloud forests, and common epiphytes include species of Aeschynanthus and Agapetes, Rhododendron cuffeanum , aroids, and the orchids Dendrobium and Pleione . The tree Lithocarpus xylocarpus is common between 2,400 and 2,750 meters elevation. Rhododendron arboreum and Quercus semecarpifolia are dominant above 2,750 meters elevation. [1]

Above 3000 meters elevation on Nat Ma Taung, shrub forests of Hypericum patulum and Rhododendron burmanicum occur, with herbaceous plants including species of Aconitum, Lactuca, Pedicularis , and Veronica . Some summit ridges are covered in a temperate shrub savanna, with shrub species of Rhododendron, Buddleja, Daphne, Leycesteria , and Lonicera interspersed among tall grasses and herbs including species of Aconitum, Delphinium, Geranium , and Thalictrum . [1]

Fauna

The ecoregion is home to several threatened and endangered mammals, including the hoolock gibbon (Hylobates hoolock), tiger (Panthera tigris), leopard (Panthera pardus), clouded leopard (Pardofelis nebulosa), sun bear (Ursus malayanus), Eld's deer or thamin (Cervus eldii), and gaur (Bos gaurus). There are no endemic mammals. [1]

Three bird species are endemic to the ecoregion – the striped laughingthrush (Trochalopteron virgatus), brown-capped laughingthrush (Trochalopteron austeni), and white-browed nuthatch (Sitta victoriae). [1]

Conservation

A 2017 assessment found that 1,763 square kilometres (681 sq mi), or 6%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. [2] Protected areas include Bwe Par Taung National Park and Natmataung National Park. [6] Another 84% of the ecoregion is forested but outside protected areas. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laurel forest</span> Type of subtropical forest

Laurel forest, also called laurisilva or laurissilva, is a type of subtropical forest found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable, mild temperatures. The forest is characterized by broadleaf tree species with evergreen, glossy and elongated leaves, known as "laurophyll" or "lauroid". Plants from the laurel family (Lauraceae) may or may not be present, depending on the location.

The term Malabar rainforests refers to one or more distinct ecoregions recognized by biogeographers:

  1. the Malabar Coast moist forests formerly occupied the coastal zone to the 250 metre elevation
  2. the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests grow at intermediate elevations
  3. the South Western Ghats montane rain forests cover the areas above 1000 metres elevation
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeast India–Myanmar pine forests</span> Ecoregion in Myanmar and India

The Northeast India-Myanmar pine forests is a montane subtropical coniferous forest ecoregion in the mountains of Northeastern India and adjacent portions of Myanmar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nat Ma Taung</span> Mountain in Myanmar

Nat Ma Taung, also known as Mount Victoria, is the highest mountain in the Chin State of western Myanmar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Indochina subtropical forests</span> Ecoregion in Southeast Asia

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Triangle temperate forests</span>

The Northern Triangle temperate forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion of thick forest covering the mountains of northern Myanmar.

Yoma (יומא) is the fifth tractate of Seder Moed of the Mishnah and of the Talmud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests</span> Ecoregion in Indochina

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borneo montane rain forests</span> Ecoregion in Borneo

The Borneo montane rain forests is an ecoregion on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It includes montane tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, also known as a cloud forests. The ecoregion is partly in East Malaysia and Indonesia (Kalimantan).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tenasserim–South Thailand semi-evergreen rain forests</span> Ecoregion on Mainland Southeast Asia

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 ecology of the Himalayas varies with climate, rainfall, altitude, and soils. The climate ranges from tropical at the base of the mountains to permanent ice and snow at the highest elevations. The amount of yearly rainfall increases from west to east along the southern front of the range. This diversity of climate, altitude, rainfall and soil conditions supports a variety of distinct plant and animal species, such as the Nepal gray langur

Khonoma Nature Conservation and Tragopan Sanctuary or KNCTS is a conservation reserve and a protected area in the Kohima District of the state of Nagaland in India. It is about 18 kilometres (11 mi) west of the capital of Nagaland, Kohima. The total area notified under this park is around 25 square kilometres (9.7 sq mi); some of villages and hamlets are adjacent to this park: Khonoma, Mezoma and Dzüleke. The sanctuary is home to several endangered mammal species, including the clouded leopard, Asiatic black bear, and hoolock gibbon, as well as over 300 avian species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peninsular Malaysian montane rain forests</span> Ecoregion on the Malay Peninsula

The Peninsular Malaysian montane rain forests is an ecoregion on the Malay Peninsula. It occupies the mountainous spine of the peninsula in Malaysia and southernmost Thailand. It is in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irrawaddy moist deciduous forests</span> Ecoregion in Myanmar

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myanmar coastal rain forests</span> Ecoregion on Mainland Southeast Asia

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Annamites montane rain forests</span> Ecoregion in the Annamites range

The Southern Annamites montane rain forests ecoregion covers a region of high biodiversity in the central and southern mountains of the Annamite Range in Vietnam. Terrain ranges from wet lowland forest to evergreen hardwood and conifer montane rain forest. There is a short dry season centered on January–February, but fog and dew are common throughout the year and support a lush forest character.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veracruz montane forests</span> Tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in Mexico

The Veracruz montane forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in eastern Mexico. It includes a belt of montane tropical forest on the eastern slope of the southern Sierra Madre Oriental and eastern Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt ranges. These forests lie between the lowland Veracruz moist forests and the pine-oak forests of the higher mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sierra Madre de Chiapas moist forests</span> Ecoregion in Mexico and Guatemala

The Sierra Madre de Chiapas moist forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in southern Mexico and southern Guatemala, extending into the northwestern corner of El Salvador.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Chin Hills-Arakan Yoma montane forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
  2. 1 2 3 Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b.
  3. "Location Map of Burma" (PDF). University at Albany. 1982.
  4. "Ecoregions 2017 ©". ecoregions.appspot.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  5. "Chin Hills | Myanmar, India & Bangladesh | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  6. "Chin Hills-Arakan Yoma montane forests". DOPA Explorer. Accessed 9 May 2022.