Neotropical
G
reater Antillean Moist Forests [37] – Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico (United States)
Geographic Location: Larger islands of the western and northern Caribbean Sea
T
Biodiversity Features: The moist forests of the Greater Antilles maintain an exceptionally distinctive insular flora and fauna, with many unique species, genera, and families. These large islands have long been isolated from surrounding continents and have retained several relict taxa in addition to evolving many unique groups. Many of the primitive and ancient lineages that still survive in the Greater Antilles are now extinct on nearby continents. Cuba, in particular, has a rich flora as well as a diverse land snail fauna. GLOBALLY HIGH ENDEMISM FOR TROPICAL INSULAR BIOTAS & MANY RELICT TAXA
Selected Species: Hundreds of endemic plants, including many single-island endemics, such as 275 endemics in Jamaica’s Blue and John Crow moutnains. Pilea, Lepanthes, Psychotria, and Eugenia are well represented by endemic species in this area. Animals include the critically endangered and threatened Hispaniolan hutias (Isolobodon portoricensis and Plagiodontia aedium), muskrat-sized rodents endemic to the island; the rare nez longue or solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus), a small insectivorous mammal also endemic to Hispaniola; Cuban tody (Todus multicolor), a member of the endemic Greater Antillean tody family Todidae; and the endemic and endangered Homerus swallowtail butterfly of Jamaica (Papilio homerus). Several birds are endemic to individual islands and their forests, such as arrow-headed warbler (Dendroica pharetra) and Jamaican woodpecker (Melanerpes radiolatus) on Jamaica; the grey-crowned palm tanager (Phaenicophilus poliocephalus), white winged warbler (Xenoligea montana), and Hispaniolan trogon (Priotelus roseigaster) on Hispaniola; Yellow-headed warbler (Teretistris fernandinae), and zapata sparrow (Torreornis inexpectata) on Cuba, plus Elfin-woods warbler (Dendroica angelae), Puerto Rican parrot (Amazona vittata) and Puerto Rican bullfinch (Loxigilla portoricensis) on Puerto Rico.
General Threats: Threats to the ecoregion include expansion of cacao, coffee, and tobacco production; logging; firewood gathering; grazing; fire; and exploitative hunting.
alamancan and Isthmian Pacific Forests [38] – Costa Rica, Panama
Geographic Location: Mountains and moist Pacific lowlands of Costa Rica and western Panama.
Biodiversity Features: This area represents a regional center of endemism for a wide range of plant and animal taxa. The habitats support representative species and genera characteristic of Central American moist lowland and montane forests. Many species maintain quite restricted ranges within this ecoregion. CONTINENTALLY DISTINCTIVE BIOTA (CENTRAL AMERICAN) DUE TO HIGH LEVELS OF REGIONAL ENDEMISM
Selected Species: Plant species include endemic oaks (Quercus copeyensis and Q. costaricensis), whereas important animals include resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno), considered one of the most beautiful birds in South America, crimson fronted parakeet (Aratinga finschi), endemic red-fronted parrotlet (Touit costaricensis), 10 endemic hummingbirds (Eupherusa nigriventris, Elvira chionura, E. cupreiceps, Lampornis hemileucus, L. cinereicauda, L. castaneoventris, Calliphlox bryantae, Selasphorus flammula, S. scintilla, S. ardens), three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculata), endemic black-crowned antpitta (Pittasoma michleri), threatened and endemic mountain squirrel (Syntheosciurus brochus), ocelot (Felis pardalis), and the most likely extinct golden toad (Bufo periglenes).
General Threats: Deforestation from logging and conversion of land for agriculture comprise the major threats.
C
hocó-Darién Moist Forests [39] – Colombia, Ecuador, Panama
Geographic Location: Coastal lowlands of northwestern South America and eastern Panama.
Biodiversity Features: Featuring some of the highest rainfall on the planet (16,000 mm annually in some places), the Chocó-Darién ecoregion also has one of the world's richest assemblages of lowland plants and animals, with exceptional richness and endemism in a wide range of taxa including plants, birds, reptiles and amphibians, and butterflies. The lowland forest biota in the Chocó has been isolated from the Amazon since the Andes rose, contributing to the distinctive nature of its plants and animals. GLOBALLY OUTSTANDING RICHNESS & ENDEMISM FOR TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
Selected Species: Megafauna include jaguar (Panthera onca) and Geoffroy’s tamarin (Saguinus geoffroy). Characteristic plants include sapa palm (Wettinia radiata) and the threatened cycads Chigua restrepoi and C. bernalii. A total vascular flora of 8000-9000 species is predicted. Birds include black-breasted puffbird (Notharchus pectoralis), and harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja). Endemic birds include several endangered species, such as plumbeous forest-falcon (Micrastur plumbeus), banded ground-cuckoo (Neomorphus radiolosus), and Baudó oropendola (Psarocolius cassini), the latter not recorded since 1945. Close to 100 species of reptiles reported, with 40 in the genus Eleutheodactylus alone.
General Threats: Implementation of shifting cultivation and the spread of human settlements threaten to increase deforestation in this ecoregion. Other threats include over-exploitation of certain forest species and unsustainable logging practices.
N
orthern Andean Montane Forests [40] –Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru
Geographic Location: Northwestern South America
Biodiversity Features: The exceptionally rich plant and animal life of the submontane and montane forests of the northern Andes includes many endemic species. The complex topography, climate, geology, and biogeographic history of the region have helped create many distinct habitats and biological communities. In fact, eastern and western slopes of some of the major valleys have substantially different plants and animals, and many species are restricted to single mountaintops or ranges. These are likely to be the richest tropical montane forests on Earth, with very high levels of regional and local endemism and beta diversity. GLOBALLY OUTSTANDING RICHNESS (FOR TROPICAL MONTANE FORESTS) & ENDEMISM
Selected Species: Spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), Andean palm (Ceroxylon quindiuense), sword-billed hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera), and Andean tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) are a few of the spectacular species found in this ecoregion.
General Threats: The region is under intense pressure from conversion for agriculture and pasture, mining operations, and logging.
C
oastal Venezuela Montane Forests [41] – Venezuela
Geographic Location: The northern coast of South America.
Biodiversity Features: The coastal mountains of Venezuela, long isolated from other lowland and montane moist forests of the region by drier surrounding lowlands, harbor many unique plant and animal species. Individual peaks and ranges support their own distinctive and restricted species. Many Neotropical migratory songbirds “winter” in these forests. TROPICAL MONTANE FORESTS WITH HIGH ENDEMISM & CONTINENTALLY DISTINCTIVE & ANCIENT TAXA
Selected Species: Palm species include macanilla (Bactris setulosa) and the narrowly distributed Palmito (Asterogyne spicata). Bird species include the endemic and threatened helmeted curassow (Pauxi pauxi) as well as the endemics black-throated spinetail (Synallaxis castanea) and fulvous-headed tanager (Thlypopsis fulviceps). Nearctic migrants include chestnut-sided warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica), and golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera). Mammals include wedge-capped or weeping capuchin monkey (Cebus olivaceus), oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), and red-tailed squirrel (Sciurus granatensis).
General Threats: The major pressures on these forests include agricultural expansion, logging, burning, and general pressures from human population growth.
G
uianan Moist Forests [42] – Brazil, French Guiana (France), Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela
Geographic Location: Northeastern South America
Biodiversity Features: Large expanses of relatively undisturbed forest support a tremendous diversity of plants and animals. The ecoregion exhibits high levels of species richness across a number of taxa, including birds, mammals, and plants. A number of these are found nowhere else in the world. LARGE BLOCKS OF INTACT MOIST FOREST EXHIBITING HIGH LEVELS OF RICHNESS WITH SOME ENDEMISM
Selected Species: The ecoregion supports a number of vulnerable, threatened, and endangered mammals, such as giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus), giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), dog-faced bat Molossops neglectus, giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla), bush dog (Speothos venaticus), plus the endemic water rat Nectomys parvipes. Other endemic mammals include Bonneted bat (Eumops maurus) and arboreal rice rat (Oecomys paricola). These forests provide habitat for a number of well-known carnivores as well, such as jaguar (Panthera onca) and oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus). Among herpetofauna found here are black caiman (Melanosuchus niger) and forest tortoise (Geochelone denticulata). Blue-cheeked parrot (Amazona dufresniana), fiery-tailed awlbill (Avocettula recurvirostris), bearded tachuri (Polystictus pectoralis), boat-billed tody-tyrant (Hemitriccus josephinae), and dotted tanager (Tangara varia) are but a few of the numerous bird species.
General Threats: Logging and mining activities are the primary threats to the integrity of this ecoregion. In particular, logging activities threaten to destroy and fragment the intactness and connectivity of habitats across the entire ecoregion.
N
apo Moist Forests [43] –Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Geographic Location: Northwestern and West-central South America along the foothills and lowlands adjacent to the Andes.
Biodiversity Features: The forests of the Western Arc of the Amazon are likely the richest plant and animal communities in the world. Over 16 species of primates have been observed in a single area, and exceptionally high diversities for many other taxa have been recorded. This diversity stems from the high and relatively aseasonal rainfall in parts of the ecoregion, the complex topography and soils, vast river systems that create a dynamic mosaic of habitats, and complex biogeographic histories. ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS ON EARTH WITH HIGH LEVELS OF REGIONAL & LOCAL ENDEMISM
Selected Species: Species include emperor tamarin (Sanguinus imperator), Ecuadoran cacique (Cacicus sclateri), white-lipped peccary (Tayasu pecari), Linnaeus’s false vampire bat (Vampyrum spectrum), emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus), ocelot (Felis pardalis), and jaguar (Panthera onca).
General Threats: Hydrocarbon extraction and associated road building have caused degradation and fragmentation, and have facilitated colonization. Road building has opened up large areas for intensive hunting and clearing for agriculture. Vast regions of the Western Arc have been ceded to oil companies for development, increasing the threat of oil spills. Planned roads over the Andes threaten to open access to multinational timber exploitation.
R
ío Negro- Juruá Moist Forests [44] –Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela
Geographic Location: Northern South America
Biodiversity Features: Although this relatively intact ecoregion contains a great complexity of forest types, much of the region is poorly known. Some areas support extremely high species richness and endemism that match globally outstanding levels of the adjacent Western Arc forests. These are some of the largest remote and intact expanses of tropical forest in the world. ONE OF THE RICHEST AND MOST INTACT LOWLAND FOREST ECOREGIONS ON EARTH WITH UNUSUAL PATTERNS OF LOCAL ENDEMISM
Selected Species: Species include Golden-mantle tamarin (Saguinus tripartitus), white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari), jaguar (Panthera onca), emerald tree boa (Corallus caninus), and the large carnivorous Linnaeus's false vampire bat (Vampyrum spectrum).
General Threats: Deforestation, overfishing, agricultural conversion, colonization, and road construction pose significant threats.
G
uayanan Highlands Forests [45] – Brazil, Colombia, Guayana, Suriname, Venezuela
Geographic Location: North-central South America, adjacent to the northern lowland forests of Amazon Basin.
Biodiversity Features: The Guayanan highlands are recognized as an evolutionary center for plants and animals found in both Amazonia and the Guayanan lowland forests. The forests are exceptionally diverse (the highest known parrot diversity, for example). Some of the world’s last remaining, large intact tropical watersheds occur in the region. The Guayanan Highlands contain all of South America’s tepuis, sandstone plateaus occurring in an east-west belt from Suriname to just east of the Andes. The biological communities of tepuis are notable for their numerous unique species (even on individual plateaus), examples of relict taxa, and for the many unusual adaptations of species to the nutrient-poor, cool, soggy environments typical of tepuis summits. GLOBALLY OUTSTANDING RICHNESS & ENDEMISM FOR A RANGE OF TAXA, ANCIENT COMMUNITIES, DISTINCTIVE FROM ADJACENT AMAZON AND GUIANAN FORESTS
Selected Species: Species include giant river otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), Guianan cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola rupicola), golden-handed or midas tamarin (Saguinus midas), harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja), and the red fan parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus).
General Threats: Extensive mining and mercury pollution, dams, and planned commercial logging are serious threats in some portions of the ecoregion. Heavy poaching and commercial exploitation of wildlife poses a serious threat in some areas, while high-impact tourism is a serious problem in other localities.
C
entral Andean Yungas [46] –Argentina, Bolivia, Peru
Geographic Location: The eastern slope of the Andes Mountains of northwestern and western South America.
Biodiversity Features: Yungas are a regional term used to describe tropical montane forests. As in the northern Andes, these forests support some of the world's richest montane forest ecosystems. Many species of plants, birds, invertebrates, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians are found only in yungas, and are often restricted to narrow altitudinal belts, particular watersheds, or ranges. GLOBALLY OUTSTANDING RICHNESS & ENDEMISM FOR TROPICAL MONTANE FORESTS
Selected Species: Threatened bird species found in the Andean Yungas are numerous and include the yellow-faced parrotlet (Forpus xanthops ), blue-capped puffleg (Eriocnemis glaucopoides), marvelous spatulatail (Loddigesia mirabilis), red-and-white antpitta (Grallaria erythroleuca), and golden-backed mountain tanager (Buthraupis aureodorsalis).
General Threats: Extensive land clearing, agricultural conversion, and logging—all magnified by road building and colonization—severely threaten the region.
S
outhwestern Amazonian Moist Forests [47] –Bolivia, Brazil, Peru
Geographic Location: Southwestern and south-central region of the Amazon Basin in central South America.
Biodiversity Features: This ecoregion supports a wide range of forest types, with transitional formations located in the south towards the Cerrado and Beni savannas. Some regions support highly diverse communities, particularly for butterflies and plants, with many endemic species. This area was selected because of its proximity to the Western Arc forests and preliminary biological inventories suggest that the region may harbor very diverse ecosystems. Ecoregions that lie towards the eastern portion of the Amazon Basin do not appear to be equivalent with the Western Arc Forests, in terms of richness or endemism, or with the forest ecoregions in the west-central and southwest portion of the basin. MAY HAVE BIODIVERSITY MATCHING THAT OF THE ADJACENT GLOBALLY OUTSTANDING WESTERN ARC FORESTS
Selected Species: Species include the southern two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus), pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea), saddleback tamarin (Saguinus fuscicollis), Goeldi’s monkey (Callimico goeldii), and short-eared dog (Atelocynus microtis).
General Threats: Deforestation related to agriculture and ranching, mining, road building, logging, wildlife exploitation, introduction of exotic species, mercury pollution, and hydroelectric projects are the major threats facing this region.
A
tlantic Forests [48] – Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay.
Geographic Location: Southeastern coast of South America
Biodiversity Features: Biological inventories suggest that the coastal and interior Atlantic forests are some of the richest tropical moist forests on Earth. Diversity levels for a variety of taxa are comparable to other tropical forests regions harboring extraordinary diversity including the Western Arc forests of the Amazon, the Chocó-Daríen, Peninsular Malaysia, and northern Borneo. Large proportions of the animals and plants are endemic to the Atlantic Forest ecoregion—long isolated from the Amazon Basin by the drier Cerrado. 50% of plants and 92% of amphibians, for example, are endemic. Furthermore, many species occur only in limited areas within the ecoregion (i.e., high local endemism and beta-diversity). GLOBALLY OUTSTANDING RICHNESS & ENDEMISM FOR TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM
Selected Species: Unique mammal species include muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides), golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia), golden-headed lion tamarin (L. chrysomelas), black lion tamarin (L. chrysopygus), black-faced lion tamarin (L. caissara), and maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus). Birds include red-necked tanager (Tangara cyanocephala), and many endemics, including red-billed currasow (Crax blumenbachii), seven-coloured tanager (Tanagara fastuosa), blue-bellied parrot (Triclaria malachitacea), and three-toed jacamar (Jacamaralcyon tridactyla).
General Threats: Urbanization, industrialization, logging, agricultural expansion, and associated road building threaten this globally important region of biological diversity. Habitat loss, hunting, and the wildlife trade threaten many species. Given the high levels of local richness and endemism and the extensive loss of natural habitat, over 95% in many areas, the probability of species extinctions is high for this ecoregion without intensive conservation efforts. Relatively extensive, but generally unprotected blocks of forest remain in the southern portion of the ecoregion, particularly in Argentina and Paraguay.
Oceania
S
outh Pacific Islands Forests [49] – American Samoa (United States), Cook Islands (New Zealand), Fiji, French Polynesia (France), Niue (New Zealand), Samoa, Tonga, Wallis and Futuna Islands (France)
Geographic Location: South Pacific
Biodiversity Features: The South Pacific islands of Fiji and Samoa were once clothed in tropical moist and dry forests, including rainforests on the higher islands. Species richness is low compared to continental moist forests, but long isolation has produced remarkable endemism, especially among plants, birds, lizards, frogs, and landsnails. Fiji, in particular, has unusual evolutionary patterns, with iguanas originally from the Neotropics and other highly disjunct patterns. Larger oceanic islands with distinctive patterns of endemism at the species, genera, and family levels, highly unusual biogeographic patterns for some taxa
Selected Species: Species include the endangered Fiji iguanas (Brachyolophus spp.), the orange dove (Ptilinopus victor), and the red shining parrot (Prosopeia tabuensis).
General Threats: Loss of habitat from agriculture and commercial logging and the introduction of predators by humans have resulted in a large number of species being threatened with extinction.
H
awai'i Moist Forests [50] – Hawaii (United States)
Geographic Location: Central North Pacific Ocean
Biodiversity Features: These moist forests have an extraordinary percentage of species found nowhere else, including 95% of their plants, 99% of their invertebrates, and all of the honeycreepers, an endemic group of birds that displays specialized adaptations to different foods and plants. the most isolated islands in the world with a highly endemic biota and very unusual evolutionary patterns
Selected Species: Unique species include Hawaiian honeycreepers (Drepanidae), Hawaiian land snails (many are already extinct), Hawaiian lobelias, Eupithecia moths (predatory caterpillars), the Hawaiian silversword alliance (Madiinae), and a number of beautiful tree ferns and palms.
General Threats: Lowland and foothill moist forests have been largely eliminated, and grazing has degraded the remaining relatively large blocks of montane forest. Introduced species, development, and recreational activities are also problematic. Several important areas of relatively intact tropical moist forests currently have no or incomplete protection.
Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
Interspersed throughout the tropical world—generally beyond 10 degrees latitude—are areas of Tropical and Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forest that experience relatively steady temperatures, but have pronounced periods without rainfall. These forests are similar in structure to their rain forest cousins, however, many more trees species here lose their leaves—an adaptation to avoid water loss during periods of low precipitation.
Afrotropical
M
adagascar Dry Forests [51] – Madagascar
Geographic Location: Western coast of Madagascar
Biodiversity Features: The dry deciduous forests of western Madagascar support hundreds of endemic plant and animal species. For example, seven species of baobab trees occur on Madagascar, compared to only one species in all of Africa. The region is also home to the angonoka tortoise (Geochelone yniphora), one of the world's most threatened reptiles. Some of the world’s richest tropical dry forests with very high island & local endemism at species, genera, and family levels, represent madagascar’s only dry forests, the seventh biogeographic continent
Selected Species: Species include the giant jumping rat (Hypogeomys antimena), Milne-Edwards’ sportive lemur (Lepilemur edwardsi), Van Dam vanga (Xenopirostris damii), Appert’s greenbul (Phyllastrephus apperti) and flat-tailed tortoise (Pyxis planicauda).
General Threats: Most of the forest has been cleared for slash-and-burn agriculture, pasture, firewood, or construction materials, and secondary grasslands now cover most of the region. Uncontrolled burning of surrounding degraded savannas eats away at remaining fragments of forest.
Australasia
N
usu Tenggara Dry Forests [52] - Indonesia
Geographic Location: Chain of islands to the east of Java in Southeast Asia
Biodiversity Features: Although the number of animal species is low, the number of marsupials and mammals, many of which are endemic, demonstrates the Asian and Australian influences on the area’s biota. very high endemism for asian dry forests and the richest in mammals within the southeast asian islands, conserves reptile-dominated ecosystems in komodo
Selected Species: Species include the world’s most restricted large carnivore, the threatened Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis). Numerous other species occur here, such as the Flores giant tree-rat (Papagomysarmandvillei), a pygmy shrew, (Suncus mertensi), a white-toothed shrew, (Crocidura neglecta), a flying fox (Pteropus lombocensis) and the sandalwood tree (Santalum album). Cinnamon-banded kingfisher (Todirhamphus australasia), white-rumped kingfisher (Caridonax fulgidus), bare-throated whistler (Pachycephala nudigula), golden-rumped flowerpecker (Dicaeum annae), crested white-eye (Lophozosterops dohertyi), thick-billed white-eye (Heleia crassirostris), scaly-crowned honeyeater (Lichmera lombokia), Sumba flycatcher (Ficedula harterti), apricot-breasted sunbird (Nectarinia buettikoferi), and yellow-spectacled white-eye (Zosterops wallacei) are among the numerous bird species found on these islands.
General Threats: Exploitation of the remaining forests on the islands is a problem. Remaining habitat blocks are threatened by accidental and deliberate fires to increase fodder for livestock. Consequently, cattle grazing is also a threat. Increasing population on the islands also poses a threat to remaining habitat.
N
ew Caledonia Dry Forests [53] – New Caledonia (France)
Geographic Location: Confined to Grande Terre (the main island of New Caledonia) about 1200 km northeast of Australia
Biodiversity Features: New Caledonian dry forests are one of the most unique dry forests on Earth, with extraordinary endemism and many rare and relictual groups. New Caledonia represents an ancient fragment of the supercontinent Gondwana; its long isolation has produced one of the Earth’s most unusual and highly distinctive biological communities, containing almost wholly endemic species as well as a number of endemic genera and families. Few fragments of this globally outstanding ecoregion remain. Globally distinctive dry forests, New Caledonia is considered to be distinctive at a Continental scale from a biogeographic perspective
Selected Species: This species is found in the New Caledonia Dry Forests, but is also found in New Caledonia Moist Forests; a variety of wild rice, Oryza neocalidonea, adapted to dry conditions; and the rare plant, Captaincookia margaratae.
General Threats: Major threats to the last patches of remaining habitat include clearing for expansion of pastures, uncontrolled burning, herbivory, and predation by introduced species.
Indo-Malayan
I
ndochina Dry Forests [54] – Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam
Geographic Location: Eastern Indochina
Biodiversity Features: Monsoon forests are far less abundant in Indochina than rainforests. These forests support varied and abundant wildlife, including a number of threatened species: Douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus and P. nigripes), crested gibbon (Hylobates concolor), and the only Javan rhinos (Rhinoceros sondaicus) still living on the Asian continent. The highly endangered wild cattle called kouprey (Bos sauveli) are believed to still exist in these forests. The most diverse monsoon and dry forests in asia for a range of taxa
Selected Species: Kouprey (Bos sauveli), Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus), douc langur (Pygathrix nemaeus), gaur (Bos gaurus), red-cheeked gibbon (Hylobates gabriellae), tiger (Panthera tigris), and Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) are among the mammals characteristic of these habitats. Green peafowl (Pavo muticus) and Siamese fireback (Lophura diardi) are two of the globally threatened bird species found in this ecoregion.
General Threats: Much of the original monsoon forest, particularly in Vietnam, has been degraded through logging, clearing for agriculture, and intensive hunting of wildlife. Some areas have been subjected to burning or conversion to teak plantations.
C
hhota-Nagpur Dry Forests [55] – India
Geographic Location: Eastern India
Biodiversity Features: Unlike the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats are not a mountain range or escarpment, but rather the broken and weathered relicts of the peninsular plateau, marked by a series of isolated hills. The area served as a refuge during the last Ice Age, and thus contains numerous rare and endemic species. Several important tiger reserves occur in this ecoregion and it also includes some of the last populations of Asiatic elephants. the most intact large vertebrate assemblages of dry forests of the indian subcontinent
Selected Species: The endemic cycad, Cycas beddomei, is a critically endangered species. These forests are dominated by teak: Tectona grandis, Shorea robusta, Anogeissus latifolia, Terminalia alata, Lagerstroemia parviflora, and at higher elevations, Phoenix robusta. Representative of the ecoregion’s intact large vertebrates assemblages are the endangered tiger (Panthera tigris), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), sloth bear (Ursus ursinus), leopard (Panthera pardus), blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), and chinkara (Gazella bennettii).
General Threats: Degradation of forests due to quarrying, mining, monocultures, and hydroelectric projects are of concern. Additionally, clearing of forests for cattle and subsequent overgrazing pose a problem.
Neotropical
M
exican Dry Forest [56] – Guatemala, Mexico
Geographic Location: Southern Mexico and southern Guatemala
Biodiversity Features: The tropical dry forests of Mexico and southern Guatemala are noted for high levels of regional and local endemism in a wide range of taxa. The richest tropical dry forests in the world with high levels of regional and local endemism
Selected Species: Species include red-knee tarantula spider (Brachypelma smithi), orange-breasted bunting (Passerina leclancherii), White-throated magpie jay (Calocitta formosa) and the West Mexican chachalaca (Ortalis poliocephala).
General Threats: Urbanization, increasing tourism, and exploitation of wildlife are high-intensity threats to the region, as are road construction, perennial plantations, and ranching.
T
umbesian-Andean Valleys Dry Forests [57] – Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Geographic Location: Northwestern South America
Biodiversity Features: The dry forests of the Pacific Coast of South America and the northern Inter-Andean valleys (e.g., Marañon, Patía, southern Cauca & Magdalena valleys) are known for high levels of both regional and local endemism. Some of the best examples of dry forests of northern south america with distinctive endemism
Selected Species: Species include such flowering plants as ébano (Zizyphus thyrisflora), charan blanco (Pithecelobium spp.) and cedrela (Cedrella spp.) in addition to birds, such as the Pacific parrotlet (Forpus coelestis) the endemic Watkins’ antpitta (Grallaria watkinsi), and the endemic velvet-fronted euphonia (Euphonia concinna).
General Threats: Logging, agricultural expansion, burning, and overgrazing present severe threats.
C
hiquitano Dry Forest [58] – Bolivia, Brazil
Geographic Location: Central South America just south of the Amazon Basin
Biodiversity Features: The dry forests of Bolivia and Brazil are among the richest dry forest ecosystems in the world. The plant and animal life of the ecoregion has affinities with Amazonia, the Chaco, and the Cerrado and contains many endemic species. One of the best examples of dry forest in southern South America, likely one of the richest dry forest communities on the continent (May rival Mexican dry forests), montane dry forests of the southern Andes are less rich
Selected Species: Species include barefaced currasow (Crax fasciolata), puma (Felis concolor), jaguar (Panthera onca), maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), and lianas (Bignoniaceae spp.).
General Threats: Road and pipeline development, agricultural expansion, burning, and grazing pose significant threats while increasing wildlife exploitation has the potential to extirpate several species in the short term. Pollution from agriculture and human settlements also may degrade the ecoregion.
A
tlantic Dry Forests [59] – Brazil
Geographic Location: Northeastern Brazil
Selection Criteria: A large ecological transition area between neigboring forests and grasslands, this ecoregion supports many unique assemblages of species. HIGH SPECIES RICHNESS AND MANY UNIQUE SPECIES ASSEMBLAGES CHARACTERIZE THIS ECOREGION.
Selected Species: Among the bird species that occur here are several endemics: the gilt-edged tanager (Tangara cyanoventris), great xenops (Megaxenops parnaguae), hooded visorbearer (Augastes lumachellus), caatinga nighthawk (Chordeiles vielliardi), pale-throated serra finch (Sporophila frontalis), and narrow-billed antwren (Formicivora iheringi).
General Threats: Logging and conversion to agricluture are among the chief threats present in this ecoregion.
Oceania
H
awai'i Dry Forests [60] – Hawaii (United States)
Geographic Location: Central north tropical Pacific
Biodiversity Features: These dry forests harbor a number of dry forest specialist species including native hibiscus trees and several rare endemics now represented by only a few extant individuals. Approximately 22 percent of native Hawaiian plant species occur within this ecoregion. The palila (Loxioides bailleui), an endangered finch-like bird, specializes on trees that occur only in dry forest habitats. the world’s most isolated islands with globally distinctive biota, including extremely high levels of endemism and unusual evolutionary patterns
Selected Species: Examples of the extraordinary plant species found in this ecoregion are members of the extremely rare and endemic Gouanaia genus as well as common species: Erythrina sandwicensis, Diospyros sandwicensis, Reynoldsia sandwicensis, and Nothocestrum spp.
General Threats: Tropical dry forests are globally threatened, and Hawaiian dry forests have been reduced by 90 percent. Clearing and burning of lowland dry forests began with the arrival of Polynesians and the last remnants are being destroyed today through continued development, expansion of agriculture and pasture, and burning.
Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests
G
Found predominantly in North and Central America, several smaller regions within the tropical world experience low levels of precipitation and moderate variability in temperature. Consequently, Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests are characterized by diverse species of conifers—trees whose needles are adapted to deal with the variable climatic conditions.
Nearctic
Share with your friends: |
