Atlantic Coast restingas
Encyclopedia
Atlantic Coast restingas are an ecoregion
of Brazil
, part of the Atlantic Forest region. Restinga
s are coastal forests which form on sandy, acidic, and nutrient-poor soils, and are characterized by medium sized tree
s and shrubs adapted to the dry and nutrient-poor conditions found there.
The northernmost enclave is in Rio Grande do Norte
state in northeastern Brazil. Other enclaves are north and south of the city of Salvador
and near the mouth of the Jequitinhonha River
in Bahia
state; north and south of the mouth of the Rio Paraíba do Sul in Rio de Janeiro state; and along the coast of southern Santa Catarina state and Rio Grande do Sul
state, as far as the Uruguay
an border.
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, part of the Atlantic Forest region. Restinga
Restinga
Restinga is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 was 6,188 and the area is 246.37 km². The elevation is 910 m....
s are coastal forests which form on sandy, acidic, and nutrient-poor soils, and are characterized by medium sized tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
s and shrubs adapted to the dry and nutrient-poor conditions found there.
Setting
The ecoregion covers an area of 7900 square kilometres (3,050.2 sq mi), and includes several well-defined enclaves that range along the Atlantic coast from Brazil's northeast to southeast, extending from the tropics to the subtropics.The northernmost enclave is in Rio Grande do Norte
Rio Grande do Norte
Rio Grande do Norte is one of the states of Brazil, located in the northeastern region of the country, occupying the northeasternmost tip of the South American continent. Because of its geographic position, Rio Grande do Norte has a strategic importance. The capital and largest city is Natal...
state in northeastern Brazil. Other enclaves are north and south of the city of Salvador
Salvador, Bahia
Salvador is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil's capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first...
and near the mouth of the Jequitinhonha River
Jequitinhonha River
thumb|Source of the river in [[Serro]]|rightThe Jequitinhonha River is a river that flows mainly through the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Its source lies near Diamantina in the Serra do Espinhaço at an elevation of 1,200 m, after which it flows northward and then east-northeastward across the...
in Bahia
Bahia
Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
state; north and south of the mouth of the Rio Paraíba do Sul in Rio de Janeiro state; and along the coast of southern Santa Catarina state and Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
state, as far as the Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
an border.