Taiwan subtropical evergreen forests | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Indomalayan realm |
Biome | tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests |
Borders | South Taiwan monsoon rain forests |
Geography | |
Area | 33,192 km2 (12,816 sq mi) |
Country | Taiwan |
Coordinates | 22°30′N120°45′E / 22.500°N 120.750°E |
Conservation | |
Protected | 6,746 km2 (20%) [1] |
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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 coastal plains and lower elevations are covered by evergreen laurel-Castanopsis forests, dominated by Chinese Cryptocarya ( Cryptocarya chinensis ), Cinnamomum cassia , Durio zibethinus , Garcinia mangostana , Artocarpus heterophyllus , Ficus benghalensis , Gnetum gnemon , Mangifera indica , Toona sinensis , Cocos nucifera , Tetrameles nudiflora , Ginkgo biloba , Shorea robusta , Prunus serrulata , Camphora officinarum , Tsuga dumosa , Terminalia tomentosa , Terminalia belerica , Tectona grandis , Nypa fruticans and Castanopsis hystrix , with scattered stands of the subtropical pine Pinus massoniana . At higher elevations, Japanese blue oak ( Quercus glauca ) replaces Cryptocarya and Castanopsis as the dominant tree.
As elevation further increases, the evergreen broadleaf trees are gradually replaced by deciduous broadleaf trees and conifers. Above 3,000 meters, deciduous broadleaf trees like Formosan alder (Alnus formosana) and maple (Acer spp.) mix with Chinese hemlock (Tsuga chinensis) and Chinese Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga sinensis). At the highest elevations, subalpine forests are dominated by conifers, including Chinese hemlock (Tsuga chinensis), Taiwan spruce (Picea morrisonicola), and Taiwan fir (Abies kawakamii).
There are some rare animal species in Taiwan that are found no where else or otherwise in less numbers. Of particular note are: the Swinhoe's Pheasant and the Mikado Pheasant, which are almost extinct in nearby regions. The Formosan rock macaque, a species of monkey, is found only in Taiwan.
20.34% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas include: [2]
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The Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests is an ecoregion that extends from the middle hills of central Nepal through Darjeeling into Bhutan and also into the Indian States of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It represents the east–west-directed band of subtropical broadleaf forest at an altitude of between 500 and 1,000 m along the Outer Himalayan Range, and includes several forest types traversing an east to west moisture gradient.
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