Central American montane forests
Central American montane forests | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Neotropical |
Biome | tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests |
Borders | |
Geography | |
Area | 13,200 km2 (5,100 sq mi) |
Countries | |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | Vulnerable[2] |
Protected | 31.34%[1] |
The Central American montane forests are an
Geography
Central American montane forests consist of forest patches located at altitudes ranging from 1,800–4,000 metres (5,900–13,100 ft), on the summits and slopes of the highest mountains in Central America, including the Sierra Madre de Chiapas. It extends from Chiapas state in southeastern Mexico, through Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, to northern Nicaragua.
The montane forests ecoregion is surrounded at lower elevations by the Central American pine–oak forests, except for the enclaves in northern Guatemala, northern Honduras, and central Nicaragua, which are bounded by the Central American Atlantic moist forests.
The ecoregion covers an area of 13,200 square kilometres (5,100 sq mi)2.[2] The ecoregion has a temperate climate with relatively high precipitation levels.[2]
Climate
The climate is humid and montane. Average annual rainfall ranges from 2000 to 4000 millimeters, with many areas experiencing regular heavy cloud cover. At the highest elevations, regular nighttime frosts occur between December and March.[2]
Flora
Plant communities include lower montane wet forest, lower montane moist forest, montane forest, and subalpine grassland.[2]
The Guatemalan subalpine grassland plant community occurs above 3,050 m (10,000 ft) on the high volcanoes on the border between Guatemala and Mexico's
Fauna
The horned guan (Oreophasis derbianus) is an endemic bird.[2]
The narrow-nosed harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys tenuirostris) is endemic to the subalpine grasslands.[3]
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Holcosus undulatus in Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala
Protected areas
31.34% of the ecoregion is in protected areas.
References
- ^ a b c "Central American montane forests" DOPA Explorer. Accessed 19 December 2020. [1]
- ^ a b c d e f g "Central American montane forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 2013-08-20.
- ^ a b Brown, David E., and Markings, Elizabeth (2014). "A Guide to North American Grasslands" Desert Plants, Volume 29, Number 2, 2014.
External links
- "Central American montane forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- Central American montane forests (DOPA)
- Central American montane forests (Encyclopedia of Earth)
- World Wildlife Fund, ed. (2001). "Central American montane forests". WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08.