Northern Indochina subtropical forests | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Indomalayan |
Biome | tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests |
Borders | List
|
Bird species | 707 [1] |
Mammal species | 183 [1] |
Geography | |
Area | 677,350 km2 (261,530 sq mi) |
Countries | |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | vulnerable |
Protected | 30,724 km² (7%) [2] |
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. [3] [1]
The Northern Indochina subtropical forests occupy the highlands of northern Indochina, extending from northeastern Vietnam, where they cover the upper portion of the Red River watershed and the northern Annamite Range, across northern Laos, northernmost Thailand, and southeastern Yunnan to Shan State in eastern Myanmar. The ecoregion includes Fan Si Pan (3,147 metres (10,325 ft)), Vietnam's highest mountain.
The Northern Indochina subtropical forests are a transition between the tropical forests of Indochina and the subtropical and temperate forests of China and the Tibetan Plateau. [4]
The ecoregion has a subtropical monsoon climate. Rainfall is highly seasonal, falling mostly with the summer monsoon from the Bay of Bengal and South China Sea between April and October. From November to March westerly winds from continental Asia create cooler and dry conditions. January is the coldest month, and pre-monsoon spring temperatures are generally the hottest. Mean temperatures are generally lower as elevation increases, and infrequent frosts occur at higher elevations. [1]
The predominant plant community is subtropical broadleaf evergreen forest. These forests include a mix of subtropical plants common to the Himalayas and southern China, along with tropical lowland forest species. Mature forests form a three-layered canopy up to 30 metres (98 ft) high. Trees from the plant families Theaceae ( Schima spp.), Magnoliaceae ( Michelia spp., Magnolia spp.), and Fagaceae ( Quercus spp., Castanopsis spp., and Lithocarpus spp.) are predominant. Several kinds of trees from Dipterocarpaceae can also be found in this area, for example Parashorea chinensis, Dipterocarpus retusus and Hopea mollissima. Other tree families represented are Betulaceae, Hamamelidaceae, Lauraceae, Sapotaceae, and Elaeocarpaceae. [1]
Montane broadleaf evergreen forests occur from 600 to 800 metres (2,000 to 2,600 ft) elevation up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) elevation. The subtropical montane species are predominant, and the tropical lowland species are absent. Deciduous broadleaf trees and conifers are found at higher elevations. Montane deciduous forests are found on the Shan Plateau of northern Myanmar. [1]
On Fan Si Pan in northern Vietnam, a distinct fir-hemlock forest grows above 2,000 m (6,600 ft) elevation, and is found nowhere else in Southeast Asia. The characteristic trees are the conifers Tsuga dumosa and Abies delavayi var. nukiangensis. The firs and hemlocks are accompanied by broadleaf trees of families Aceraceae, Hippocastanaceae, Fagaceae, Magnoliaceae, and Lauraceae, and conifers of Cupressaceae, Podocarpaceae, and Taxaceae. [1]
Forests growing on limestone substrates have a distinct composition, with the trees Tetrameles nudiflora, Antiaris toxicaria, Celtis timorensis, C. philippensis, Cleistanthus sumatranus, Garuga floribunda, Pterospermum menglunense, Ulmus lanceifolia, and Xantolis stenosepala. [1]
The ecoregion is home to over 183 species of mammals. They include the Asian elephant (Elephas maxiumus), tiger (Panthera tigris), Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus), gaur (Bos gaurus), mainland serow (Capricornis sumatraensis milneedwardsii), banteng (Bos javanicus), clouded leopard (Pardofelis nebulosa), red panda (Ailurus fulgens), particoloured flying squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger), pygmy loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus), northern pig-tailed macaque (Macaca leonina), Assam macaque (Macaca assamensis), stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides), dhole (Cuon alpinus), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), back-striped weasel (Mustela strigidorsa), and inornate squirrel (Callosciurus inornatus). [1]
The Tonkin snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus avunculus), Roosevelt's muntjac (Muntiacus rooseveltorum), and Pu Hoat muntjac (Muntiacus puhoatensis) are mammals endemic to the ecoregion. Fea's muntjac (Muntiacus feae), Anderson's squirrel (Callosciurus quinquestriatus), Owston's palm civet (Chrotogale owstoni), the red-throated squirrel (Dremomys gularis), northern white-cheeked gibbon (Hylobates leucogenys), and Chaotung vole (Eothenomys olitor) are near-endemic mammals, native to the ecoregion and one or more adjacent ecoregions. [1]
The ecoregion has 707 species of birds. [1]
A 2017 assessment estimated that 30,724 km², or 7%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Another 34% of ecoregion's area is forested but outside of protected areas. [2] A 1997 assessment found a total of 15,948 km² protected in 19 protected areas. [4]
Protected areas include Doi Phachang Wildlife Sanctuary, Cuc Phuong National Park, Ba Vi National Park, Hoang Lien National Park, Xuan Son National Park, Ben En National Park, Mae Phang National Park, Phu Sang National Park, and Nam Et-Phou Louey National Park. [5]
The South Western Ghats montane rain forests is an ecoregion in South India, covering the southern portion of the Western Ghats in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu at elevations from 1,000 to 2,695 m. Annual rainfall in this ecoregion exceeds 2,800 mm (110 in).
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.
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:
The Northeast India-Myanmar pine forests is a montane subtropical coniferous forest ecoregion in the mountains of Northeastern India and adjacent portions of Myanmar.
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 Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests is a temperate broadleaf forest ecoregion found in the middle elevations of the eastern Himalayas, including parts of Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar and China. These forests have an outstanding richness of wildlife.
The Northern Triangle temperate forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion of thick forest covering the mountains of northern Myanmar.
Mediterranean conifer and mixed forests is an ecoregion, in the temperate coniferous forest biome, which occupies the high mountain ranges of North Africa. The term is also a botanically recognized plant association in the African and Mediterranean literature.
The Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests is a subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion which occupies the lower hillsides of the mountainous border region joining India, Bangladesh, and Burma (Myanmar) and China's Yunnan Province. The ecoregion covers an area of 135,600 square kilometres (52,400 sq mi). Located where the biotas of the Indian Subcontinent and Indochina 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 Taiheiyo evergreen forests is a temperate broadleaf forest ecoregion of Japan.
Hkakaborazi National Park is a national park in northern Myanmar with an area of 1,472 sq mi (3,810 km2). It was established in 1998. It surrounds Hkakabo Razi, the highest mountain in the country. It ranges in elevation from 2,950 to 18,730 ft comprising evergreen forest and mixed deciduous forests in Nogmung Township, Kachin State. It is managed by the Nature and Wildlife Conservation Division. It is contiguous with Bumhpa Bum Wildlife Sanctuary and Hukaung Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. These protected areas together with Hponkanrazi Wildlife Sanctuary comprise the largest continuous expanse of natural forest called the Northern Forest Complex stretching over an area of 11,624 sq mi (30,110 km2). Its objective is to conserve the biodiversity of the Ayeyarwady and Chindwin river basins.
The 'Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion which is found in the middle and upper elevations of the eastern Middle Himalayas, in western Nepal, Bhutan, northern Indian states including Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim and adjacent Myanmar and China.
The Luzon tropical pine forests are a tropical coniferous forest ecoregion of the Philippines in the western Pacific Ocean. These pine forests are home to a large number of the island's endemic plants and animals.
The Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests ecoregion, in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, is in the eastern Mediterranean Basin.
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 Kayah–Karen montane rain forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion in Myanmar and Thailand. The montane rain forests cover several connected mountain ranges, including the Dawna Range, Karen Hills, Thanon Thong Chai Range, Daen Lao Range, and Khun Tan Range.
The Luang Prabang montane rain forests ecoregion covers elevations over 800 meters in the Luang Prabang mountains that straddle the border between northern Thailand and north-central Laos, and the highlands that stretch eastward across north-central Laos. While much of the forest cover has been degraded, there are still large areas of relatively untouched forest.
The Northern Annamites rain forests ecoregion covers the rugged and relatively unexplored northern Annamite Mountains of central Laos and Vietnam. There are high numbers of endemic plant species, and the relative remoteness and isolation of the area supports many rare and endangered animals. Rainfall is somewhat less than the lowland rainforest of the lower elevations in Vietnam, and the temperatures slightly cooler due to the higher elevation.
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.