Dinaric Mountains mixed forests
Dinaric Mountains mixed forests | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Palearctic |
Biome | temperate broadleaf and mixed forests |
Borders | |
Geography | |
Area | 58,275 km2 (22,500 sq mi) |
Countries | |
Conservation | |
European-Mediterranean montane mixed forest | |
Protected | 35,989 km² (5%)[1] |
The Dinaric Mountains mixed forests are a terrestrial
Geography
The Dinaric Mountains mixed forests compose the montane forest region of the Dinaric Alps. This mountain range stretches along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea and occupy 58,200 km² (22,500 mi²) in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, northeastern Kosovo, northern Albania, and northeastern Italy.
With high precipitation ranges and an abundance of limestones, karst relief is prominent.
Climate
The climate of the ecoregion is wet and extremely humid. Precipitation ranges are generally above 1500 mm and ranges between 2000 and 3500 mm are common. Maximums measured in the hinterland of the Bay of Kotor surpass annual averages beyond 4500 mm (Crkvice), the highest precipitation ranges in Europe and one of the highest of the Northern Hemisphere. It is part of Köppen's temperate type with humid summers (Cfs) and mountain snow climates (Dfs). Due to snow abundance and avalanching, alpine biotopes are common for all high mountains. Several small glaciers still persist in the Durmitor and Accursed Mountains ranges, the Dinaric Alps' highest massifs.
Flora
The wide altitudinal range of this ecoregion hosts a range of plant communities. The highest elevations (above 1,500 m) are covered with conifer forests, with a mixed broadleaf vegetation and occurring at lower elevations.
The conifer zone is dominated by the
Protected areas
35,989 km², or 5%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Another 1% of the ecoregion's area has relatively intact but unprotected forests.[2]
Protected areas in the ecoregion include
External links
- "Dinaric Mountains mixed forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
References
- ^ 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. [1]
- ^ 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. [2]