Kathiarbar-Gir dry deciduous forests
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The Kathiawar-Gir dry deciduous forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion of western India.
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[edit] Setting
The Kathiawar-Gir forests have a disjunct distribution. The main part of the ecoregion comprises the Aravalli Range and the eastern half of Rajasthan state, extending into eastern Gujarat and the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. A small enclave of the ecoregion covers the peak of Girnar on the Kathiawar peninsula of western Gujarat. The drier Northwestern thorn scrub forests ecoregion lies to the west, covering the remainder of the Kathiawar Peninsula and the strip of western Rajasthan between the Aravalli Range and the Thar Desert. To the northwest the Kathiawar-Gir dry deciduous forests transition to the Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests. To the southeast lies the Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests ecoregion, which covers the Vindhya Range and Narmada River valley. The ecoregion also borders on the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests in southeastern Gujarat.
The ecoregion has tropical monsoon climate, with most of the rainfall during the southwest monsoon (June-September), and arid for the remaining months of the year. Rainfall averages 550 to 700 mm/year. Temperatures often exceed 40 ºC. Higher elevations of the Aravallis stay cooler, and the windward slopes (generally southeast-facing) receive higher rainfall.
[edit] Flora
The composition of the ecoregion's forests varies with moisture and soils. Wetter areas are home to three-storied forests dominated by teak (Tectona grandis) in association with Agele marmelos, Boswellia serrata, Ougeinia oojeinensis, Diospyros spp., Bombax ceiba, Sterculia urens, Emblica officinalis, Dalbergia paniculata, and Terminalia tomentosa. These forests have a three-storied structure, with the top story reaching from 15 to 25 meters. Anogeissus pendula, growing in almost pure stands or in association with Acacia catechu is predominant in drier areas, especially on the quartzite ridges and gneiss hillocks of the Aravalli Range. Thorn scrub forests, characterized by Euphorbia caducifolia, Maytenus emarginata, Acacia senegal, Commiphora mukul, Wrightia tinctoria, Securinega leucopyrus, Grewia tenax, and Grewia villosa, occur on rocky hillsides and in degraded areas. The highest elevations of Mount Abu are covered with conifer forests.
[edit] Fauna
Top predators include the Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica), Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Leopard (Panthera pardus), and Indian Wolf (canis lupus pallipes). Other mammal fauna include the Hyena (Hyena hyena), Chousingha (Tetracerus quadricornis), Blackbuck, (Antilope cervicapra), and Chinkara (Gazella bennettii). Bird species include the endangered Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), and Lesser Florican (Eupodotis indica), and the near-endemic White-naped tit.
[edit] Conservation
Reserves in the ecoregion include Gir National Park in Gujarat, which is only remaining habitat of the Asiatic Lion; Ranthambore National Park and Sariska National Park, which are important Project Tiger sanctuaries; and the wildlife sanctuaries at Jaisamand, Kumbhalgarh, and Mount Abu.
