Hengduan Shan
Encyclopedia
The Hengduan Mountains is a large mountainous region in southwest China
(Latitude: 22°~32°05'N, Longitude: 97°~ 103°E), forming the south-eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and adjacent from the west to the Sichuan Basin
.
The mountainous region occupies most of the western part of the present-day Sichuan
province (the pre-1955 Xikang
), as well as the northwestern corner of Yunnan
province and the easternmost section of Tibet Autonomous Region
. This approximates the historical region known as Kham
.
Mountain ranges in the southern end of the Hengduan system form the border between Burma and China
.
The Hengduan Mountains subalpine conifer forests is a palaearctic ecoregion
, in the Temperate coniferous forests
Biome
.
and Qionglai
ranges, defining the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and the western rim of the Sichuan Basin
. Smaller ranges forming the eastern edge of the Hengduan system include the Daxiangling
and Xiaoxiangling
ranges.
In the southwestern part of the Hengduan Mountain region, three great rivers of China and Southeast Asia - Yangtze (Jinsha
), Mekong
(Lancang) and Salween (Nujiang) - run in deep parallel valleys separated by mountain ranges that are components of the Hengduan system. The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
is created to protect the environment of that region. A bit further to the southeast, the Yangtze changes direction several times, and passes through the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge
between the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
s and Haba Xueshan
.
and are largely covered in subalpine
conifer forest
. Elevations range from 1300 to 6000 m (4,265.1 to 19,685 ft). The dense, pristine forest, the relative isolation and the fact that most of the area remained free from glaciation during the ice age
s provides a very complex habitat with a high degree of biological diversity. This mountainous region is home to the rare and endangered Giant Panda
. Other species native to the mountains are the Chinese yew
(Taxus chinensis) and various other rare plants, deer, and primates.
Environmental groups have recognized this ecoregion
as being threatened by "a growing human population and the resulting demand for non-timber forests and wildlife products for medicinal and other uses".
Southwest China
Southwest China is a region of the People's Republic of China defined by governmental bureaus that includes the municipality of Chongqing, the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, and the Tibet Autonomous Region.-Provinces:-Municipalities:...
(Latitude: 22°~32°05'N, Longitude: 97°~ 103°E), forming the south-eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and adjacent from the west to the Sichuan Basin
Sichuan basin
The Sichuan Basin is a lowland region in southwestern China. Despite its historical name, it is not only synonymous to Sichuan province, comprising its central and eastern portions as well as part of Chongqing Municipality...
.
The mountainous region occupies most of the western part of the present-day Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
province (the pre-1955 Xikang
Xikang
Xikang or Sikang , is a defunct province of the Republic of China , comprising most of the Kham region of traditional Tibet, where Khampas, a subgroup of the Tibetan ethnicity, live. The area is also home to a small minority of Mongol ethnicity...
), as well as the northwestern corner of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
province and the easternmost section of Tibet Autonomous Region
Tibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
. This approximates the historical region known as Kham
Kham
Kham , is a historical region covering a land area largely divided between present-day Tibetan Autonomous Region and Sichuan province, with smaller portions located within Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan provinces of China. During the Republic of China's rule over mainland China , most of the region was...
.
Mountain ranges in the southern end of the Hengduan system form the border between Burma and China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
The Hengduan Mountains subalpine conifer forests is a palaearctic ecoregion
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...
, in the Temperate coniferous forests
Temperate coniferous forests
Temperate coniferous forest is a terrestrial biome found in temperate regions of the world with warm summers and cool winters and adequate rainfall to sustain a forest. In most temperate coniferous forests, evergreen conifers predominate, while some are a mix of conifers and broadleaf evergreen...
Biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
.
Geography
The Hengduan Mountains system consist of many mountain ranges, most of which run roughly north to south. Among them are the great DaxueDaxue Mountains
The Daxue Mountains are a great mountain range in the western part of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It is part of the Hengduan Mountains, a complicated system of mountain ranges of western Sichuan, which itself is adjacent to the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau.The Daxue Mountain Range...
and Qionglai
Qionglai Mountains
Qionglai Mountains is a mountain range in the Sichuan Province of China. It runs in the general north-south direction, and is located mostly within the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, in the north-central part of the province....
ranges, defining the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau and the western rim of the Sichuan Basin
Sichuan basin
The Sichuan Basin is a lowland region in southwestern China. Despite its historical name, it is not only synonymous to Sichuan province, comprising its central and eastern portions as well as part of Chongqing Municipality...
. Smaller ranges forming the eastern edge of the Hengduan system include the Daxiangling
Daxiangling
Daxiangling , or Daxiang Range is a fairly small mountain range in China's Sichuan Province. It runs in the general western and northwestern direction from the famous sacred Mount Emei, and is part of the western mountainous rim of the Sichuan Basin....
and Xiaoxiangling
Xiaoxiangling
Xiaoxiangling , or Xiaoxiang Range is a fairly small mountain range in China's Sichuan Province. It is part of the complicated system of mountains of south-central Sichuan, and runs in the general north-south direction, within the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture and the adjacent parts of Ya'an...
ranges.
In the southwestern part of the Hengduan Mountain region, three great rivers of China and Southeast Asia - Yangtze (Jinsha
Jinsha
Jinsha is an archaeological site in Sichuan, China. Located in the Qingyang District of Chengdu Prefecture, Along the Modi River Jinsha is an archaeological site in Sichuan, China. Located in the Qingyang District of Chengdu Prefecture, Along the Modi River Jinsha is an archaeological site in...
), Mekong
Mekong
The Mekong is a river that runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. It is the world's 10th-longest river and the 7th-longest in Asia. Its estimated length is , and it drains an area of , discharging of water annually....
(Lancang) and Salween (Nujiang) - run in deep parallel valleys separated by mountain ranges that are components of the Hengduan system. The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas
The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yunnan province, China.It lies within the drainage basins of the upper reaches of the Yangtze , Mekong and Salween rivers, in the Yunnanese section of the Hengduan Mountains.-Overview:-Geography:The protected...
is created to protect the environment of that region. A bit further to the southeast, the Yangtze changes direction several times, and passes through the famous Tiger Leaping Gorge
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Tiger Leaping Gorge is a canyon on the Yangtze River – locally called the Golden Sands River – located 60 km north of Lijiang City, Yunnan in southwestern China...
between the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Mount Satseto, known in Chinese as the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a mountain massif near Lijiang, in Yunnan province, southwestern China. Its highest peak is named Shanzidou...
s and Haba Xueshan
Haba Xueshan
Haba Xueshan is a mountain rising above the northwest side of Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan, China. It rises opposite the higher Yulong Xueshan, and towers 3,500 metres above the river.-See also:...
.
Plant and animal life
Part of the mountains are within the Nujiang Langcang Gorge alpine conifer and mixed forests ecoregionEcoregion
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...
and are largely covered in subalpine
Subalpine
The subalpine zone is the biotic zone immediately below tree line around the world. Species that occur in this zone depend on the location of the zone on the Earth, for example, Snow Gum in Australia, or Subalpine Larch, Mountain Hemlock and Subalpine Fir in western North America.Trees in the...
conifer forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
. Elevations range from 1300 to 6000 m (4,265.1 to 19,685 ft). The dense, pristine forest, the relative isolation and the fact that most of the area remained free from glaciation during the ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
s provides a very complex habitat with a high degree of biological diversity. This mountainous region is home to the rare and endangered Giant Panda
Giant Panda
The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
. Other species native to the mountains are the Chinese yew
Chinese yew
The common name Chinese yew refers to either of the following three yew species:*Taxus celebica*Taxus chinensis*Taxus sumatrana...
(Taxus chinensis) and various other rare plants, deer, and primates.
Environmental groups have recognized this ecoregion
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...
as being threatened by "a growing human population and the resulting demand for non-timber forests and wildlife products for medicinal and other uses".
External links
- Detailed description of area by David E Boufford, Peter Paul van Dijk and Lu Zhi of Biodiversity Science
- Biodiversity of the Hengduan Mountains and adjacent areas of south-central China - a research project at Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
- PBS NOVA's First Flower discusses botanical diversity in the Hengduan Shan
- The 26 mountains of Yunnan