Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests
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The Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests is a subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of India, Nepal, and Bhutan.
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[edit] Setting
The ecoregions covers an area of 38,200 square kilometers (14,700 square miles), which runs in a narrow band across the central Himalaya range, lying between 500 and 1000 meters elevation. At lower elevations, the subtropical broadleaf forests are bounded by the Terai-Duar savannas and grasslands. Above 1000 meters, the broadleaf forests yield to the Himalayan subtropical pine forests.
[edit] Flora
The ecoregion hosts a broad range of plant communities, based on its complex topography, differing soils, and variations in rainfall from the drier west to the more humid east. Its location on the south slope of the Himalaya allows the intermingling of plants and animals from the Indomalayan and Palearctic ecozones. The main forest types include Dodonaea scrub, subtropical dry evergreen forests of Olea cuspidata, northern dry mixed deciduous forests, dry Siwalik sal (Shorea robusta) forests, moist mixed deciduous forests, subtropical broadleaf wet hill forests, northern tropical semi-evergreen forests, and northern tropical wet evergreen forests.
[edit] Fauna
Several mammal native to the ecoregion are threatened, including the tiger (Panthera tigris), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), Smooth-coated Otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), Clouded Leopard (Pardofelis nebulosa), Gaur (Bos gaurus), Mainland Serow (Nemorhaedus sumatraensis), Irrawaddy Squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus), and Particoloured Flying Squirrel (Hylopetes alboniger). The rare Golden Langur monkey (Trachypithecus geei) lives in the eastern part of the ecoregion, with its range extending into the adjacent Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests.
340 species of birds inhabit the ecoregion, with one endemic species, the Chestnut-breasted Partridge (Arborophila mandellii).
[edit] Conservation
Approximately 7% of the ecoregion lies within protected areas. The eight protected areas that cover part of the ecoregion are Sohagabarwa and Valmikinagar in India, Parsa Wildlife Reserve, Royal Chitwan National Park, Royal Bardia National Park, and Royal Manas National Park in Nepal, and Khaling/Neoli Wildlife Sanctuary and Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan.
[edit] External link
Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests (World Wildlife Fund)
