North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
Encyclopedia
The North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion
of southwestern India
. It lies between 250 and 1000 meters elevation in the northern portion of the Western Ghats
range, from their northern end in Maharashtra
state, through Karnataka
to the transitional forests of Wayanad in Kerala
. It surrounds the North Western Ghats montane rain forests
ecoregion, which lies above 1000 meters elevation. The ecoregion has an area of 48200 square kilometres (18,610.1 sq mi). It is bounded on the west by the Malabar Coast moist forests
ecoregion, which lies between the 250 meter elevation and the Malabar Coast
. At the northern end of the Western Ghats range in southeastern Gujarat, the ecoregion borders the Kathiawar-Gir dry deciduous forests to the west and the Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests
to the northeast. The Wayanad forests at the southern end of the ecoregion mark the transition to the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
to the south. To the east, in the rain shadow
of the Ghats, lies the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
ecoregion, whose tropical dry forests
cover the Ghats' eastern foothills.
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 southwestern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It lies between 250 and 1000 meters elevation in the northern portion of the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
range, from their northern end in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
state, through Karnataka
Karnataka
Karnataka , the land of the Kannadigas, is a state in South West India. It was created on 1 November 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act and this day is annually celebrated as Karnataka Rajyotsava...
to the transitional forests of Wayanad in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. It surrounds the North Western Ghats montane rain forests
North Western Ghats montane rain forests
The North Western Ghats montane rain forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southwestern India. It covers an area of , extending down the spine of the Western Ghats range, from Maharashtra state in the north through Karnataka to Kerala state in the south...
ecoregion, which lies above 1000 meters elevation. The ecoregion has an area of 48200 square kilometres (18,610.1 sq mi). It is bounded on the west by the Malabar Coast moist forests
Malabar Coast moist forests
The Malabar Coast moist forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southwestern India. It lies along India's Konkan and Malabar coasts, in a narrow strip between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats range, which runs parallel to the coast...
ecoregion, which lies between the 250 meter elevation and the Malabar Coast
Malabar Coast
The Malabar Coast is a long and narrow coastline on the south-western shore line of the mainland Indian subcontinent. Geographically, it comprises the wettest regions of southern India, as the Western Ghats intercept the moisture-laden monsoon rains, especially on their westward-facing mountain...
. At the northern end of the Western Ghats range in southeastern Gujarat, the ecoregion borders the Kathiawar-Gir dry deciduous forests to the west and the Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests
Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests
The Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests are a tropical dry forest ecoregion of central India. The ecoregion lies mostly in Madhya Pradesh state, but extends into portions of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh states.-Setting:...
to the northeast. The Wayanad forests at the southern end of the ecoregion mark the transition to the South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
The South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southern India. It covers the southern portion of the Western Ghats range and the Nilgiri Hills between 250 and 1000 meters elevation in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states.-Setting:The ecoregion...
to the south. To the east, in the rain shadow
Rain shadow
A rain shadow is a dry area on the lee side of a mountainous area. The mountains block the passage of rain-producing weather systems, casting a "shadow" of dryness behind them. As shown by the diagram to the right, the warm moist air is "pulled" by the prevailing winds over a mountain...
of the Ghats, lies the South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
The South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests is a dry broadleaf forest ecoregion of southern India. The ecoregion lies in the southern Deccan Plateau, within the Western Ghats' rain shadow. It receives of rain annually, much less than the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests and South...
ecoregion, whose tropical dry forests
Tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests
The tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest biome, also known as tropical dry forest, is located at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Though these forests occur in climates that are warm year-round, and may receive several hundred centimeters of rain per year, they have long dry seasons...
cover the Ghats' eastern foothills.