Northern Triangle temperate forests
Encyclopedia
The Northern Triangle temperate forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forest ecoregion
of thick forest covering the mountains of northern Myanmar
.
, and extend southeast along the Patkai Range on the border between Myanmar and India
, in Kachin State
and Sagaing Division
of Myanmar, an area that is part of the Golden Triangle
. The mountains run north to south towards the central plain of Myanmar and the forests lie between 1,830 and 2700 meters elevation. The Chindwin
, Mali, and N'Mai River
s all have their sources in these mountains and run south to join the Irrawaddy River.
The Northern Triangle subtropical forests lie to the south, while the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests
lie to the northwest across the Patkai Range. The Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
bound the ecoregion to north. The Northern Triangle temperate forests are similar to the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests
, which occupy the middle elevations of the Himalaya range in Eastern India, Bhutan, and eastern Nepal, and extend along the north slope of the Patkai range in Arunachal Pradesh
, the Indian subcontinent
and Indochina
and the temperate floras of the Himalayas and China and even some relict plants of the ancient continent of Gondwana
. Furthermore the Northern Triangle Temperate forests have been little explored by scientists since the work of Frank Kingdon-Ward
in the 1920s and 1930s and their biodiversity is likely underestimated.
The broadleaf forests lie between 1830 and 2100 meters elevation. Characteristic trees include Alnus nepalensis, Betula cylindrostachya, Castanopsis
spp., Schima
spp., Callophylus spp., Michelia
spp., and Bucklandia populnea.
The mixed forests lie above 2100 meters elevation, characterized by broadleaf trees of Quercus, Magnolia
, Acer, Prunus
, Ilex, and Rhododendron
, mixed with conifers Picea brachytyla
, Tsuga dumosa
, Larix griffithiana, and Taiwania flousiana.
Subalpine conifer forests lie between the temperate forests and the alpine meadows of the easternmost Himalaya.
(Panthera tigris), the large Takin
(Budorcas taxicolor), Clouded Leopard
(Pardofelis nebulosa), Red Panda
(Ailurus fulgens), Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus), Asiatic Black Bear
(Ursus thibetanus), Stump-tailed Macaque
(Macaca arctoides), Capped Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus pileatus), Red Goral
(Naemorhedus baileyi), Great Indian Civet (Viverra zibetha), Black-striped Weasel
(Mustela strigidorsa), Irrawaddy Squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus), and Particolored Flying Squirrel
(Hylopetes alboniger).
The ecoregion is home to a single endemic
mammal species, the Gongshan muntjac
(Muntiacus gongshanensis) possibly along with another muntjac deer, Fea's Muntjac
. The Rusty-bellied Shortwing
(Brachypteryx hyperythra) is the ecoregion's only known endemic bird species but the forests are important habitat to many other bird species while both birds and mammals have crucial migration routes up and down the mountains through different types of habitat including these temperate forests.
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 thick forest covering the mountains of northern Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
.
Setting
The Northern Triangle temperate forests occupy the southern slopes of the Namkiu Mountains, the easternmost extension of HimalayasHimalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, and extend southeast along the Patkai Range on the border between Myanmar and 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...
, in Kachin State
Kachin State
Kachin State , is the northernmost state of Burma. It is bordered by China to the north and east; Shan State to the south; and Sagaing Division and India to the west. It lies between north latitude 23° 27' and 28° 25' longitude 96° 0' and 98° 44'. The area of Kachin State is . The capital of the...
and Sagaing Division
Sagaing Division
Sagaing Region is an administrative region of Burma , located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and longitude 94° 97' east...
of Myanmar, an area that is part of the Golden Triangle
Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia)
The Golden Triangle is one of Asia's two main illicit opium-producing areas. It is an area of around that overlaps the mountains of four countries of Southeast Asia: Burma, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Along with Afghanistan in the Golden Crescent and Pakistan, it has been one of the most...
. The mountains run north to south towards the central plain of Myanmar and the forests lie between 1,830 and 2700 meters elevation. The Chindwin
Chindwin River
The Chindwin River is a river in Burma , and the largest tributary of the country's chief river the Ayeyarwady . It flows entirely within Burma and is known as Ning-thi to the Manipuris.-Source:...
, Mali, and N'Mai River
N'Mai River
The N'Mai River or May Kha River is a river in northern Myanmar .The N'Mai, runs parallel to the Mali River, and has its source in the Himalaya glaciers of Northern Myanmar at about 28° north latitude. It is not navigable because of strong currents...
s all have their sources in these mountains and run south to join the Irrawaddy River.
The Northern Triangle subtropical forests lie to the south, while the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests
Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests
The Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests is a temperate broadleaf forest ecoregion found in the middle elevations of the eastern Himalayas, including parts of Nepal, India, and Bhutan...
lie to the northwest across the Patkai Range. The Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
The Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal, which lies between the tree line and snow line in the eastern portion of the Himalaya Range.-Setting:...
bound the ecoregion to north. The Northern Triangle temperate forests are similar to the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests
Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests
The Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests is a temperate broadleaf forest ecoregion found in the middle elevations of the eastern Himalayas, including parts of Nepal, India, and Bhutan...
, which occupy the middle elevations of the Himalaya range in Eastern India, Bhutan, and eastern Nepal, and extend along the north slope of the Patkai range in Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh is a state of India, located in the far northeast. It borders the states of Assam and Nagaland to the south, and shares international borders with Burma in the east, Bhutan in the west, and the People's Republic of China in the north. The majority of the territory is claimed by...
Flora
The main plant communities of the Northern Triangle temperate forests are broadleaf forests and mixed forests. The forests are diverse, blending plants characteristic of the tropical floras of the Eastern Himalayas with those of AssamAssam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
and Indochina
Indochina
The Indochinese peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. It lies roughly southwest of China, and east of India. The name has its origins in the French, Indochine, as a combination of the names of "China" and "India", and was adopted when French colonizers in Vietnam began expanding their territory...
and the temperate floras of the Himalayas and China and even some relict plants of the ancient continent of Gondwana
Gondwana
In paleogeography, Gondwana , originally Gondwanaland, was the southernmost of two supercontinents that later became parts of the Pangaea supercontinent. It existed from approximately 510 to 180 million years ago . Gondwana is believed to have sutured between ca. 570 and 510 Mya,...
. Furthermore the Northern Triangle Temperate forests have been little explored by scientists since the work of Frank Kingdon-Ward
Frank Kingdon-Ward
Francis Kingdon-Ward, born Francis Kingdon Ward was an English botanist, explorer, plant collector and author. He published most of his books as Frank Kingdon-Ward and this hyphenated form of his name stuck, becoming the surname of his wives and two daughters...
in the 1920s and 1930s and their biodiversity is likely underestimated.
The broadleaf forests lie between 1830 and 2100 meters elevation. Characteristic trees include Alnus nepalensis, Betula cylindrostachya, Castanopsis
Castanopsis
Castanopsis is a genus of evergreen trees belonging to the beech family, Fagaceae. The genus contains about 120 species, which are today restricted to tropical and subtropical eastern Asia. A total of 58 species are native to China, with 30 endemic; the other species occur further south, through...
spp., Schima
Schima
[[Schima is a [[genus]] of evergreen trees belonging to the tea family, [[Theaceae]].The genus inhabits warm temperate to subtropical climates across southern and southeastern Asia, from the eastern [[Himalaya]] of [[Nepal]] and eastern [[India]] across [[Indochina]], southern [[China]],...
spp., Callophylus spp., Michelia
Michelia
Michelia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Magnolia family . The genus includes about 50 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, native to tropical and subtropical south and southeast Asia , including southern China.-Description:The Magnoliaceae are an ancient family; fossil plants...
spp., and Bucklandia populnea.
The mixed forests lie above 2100 meters elevation, characterized by broadleaf trees of Quercus, Magnolia
Magnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
, Acer, Prunus
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of trees and shrubs, which includes the plums, cherries, peaches, apricots and almonds. There are around 430 species spread throughout the northern temperate regions of the globe. Many members of the genus are widely cultivated for fruit and ornament.-Botany:Members of the genus...
, Ilex, and Rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
, mixed with conifers Picea brachytyla
Picea brachytyla
Picea brachytyla is a species of conifer in the Pinaceae family.It is found only in China.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Conifer Specialist Group 1998. . Downloaded on 10 July 2007....
, Tsuga dumosa
Tsuga dumosa
Tsuga dumosa, commonly called the Himalayan Hemlock or in Chinese, Yunnan Tieshan , is a species of conifer native to the eastern Himalayas. It occurs in parts of India, Burma, Vietnam, Tibet, and China. Within its native range the tree is used for construction as well as for furniture...
, Larix griffithiana, and Taiwania flousiana.
Subalpine conifer forests lie between the temperate forests and the alpine meadows of the easternmost Himalaya.
Fauna
The ecoregion is home to at least a hundred mammals (with the possibility of even more) including a number of threatened species such as the TigerTiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
(Panthera tigris), the large Takin
Takin
The Takin , also called cattle chamois or gnu goat, is a goat-antelope found in the Eastern Himalayas. There are four subspecies: B. taxicolor taxicolor, the Mishmi Takin; B. taxicolor bedfordi, the Shanxi or Golden Takin; B. taxicolor tibetana, the Tibetan or Sichuan Takin; and B. taxicolor...
(Budorcas taxicolor), Clouded Leopard
Clouded Leopard
The clouded leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN...
(Pardofelis nebulosa), Red Panda
Red Panda
The red panda , is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is the only species of the genus Ailurus. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs...
(Ailurus fulgens), Asiatic Wild Dog (Cuon alpinus), Asiatic Black Bear
Asiatic Black Bear
The Asian black bear , also known as the moon bear or white-chested bear is a medium-sized species of bear, largely adapted for arboreal life, which occurs through much of southern Asia, Korea, northeastern China, the Russian far east and Honshū and Shikoku islands of Japan...
(Ursus thibetanus), Stump-tailed Macaque
Stump-tailed Macaque
The stump-tailed macaque , also called the bear macaque, is a species of macaque found in Southern Asia. In India, it is found in south of the Brahmaputra river, in northeastern part of the country.Its range in India extends from Assam and Meghalaya to eastern Aruanchal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur,...
(Macaca arctoides), Capped Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus pileatus), Red Goral
Red Goral
The Red Goral is a species of even-toed ungulate in the Bovidae family. It is found in China, India, and Myanmar. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss.The red goral is a bright foxy-red...
(Naemorhedus baileyi), Great Indian Civet (Viverra zibetha), Black-striped Weasel
Black-striped Weasel
The Back-striped Weasel is one of the most enigmatic mammals in the north-east Oriental region, even though it occurs from Nepal east through north east India, Myanmar and southern China to Vietnam, and south to central Laos at altitudes from 1000m to 2500m.It is distinguished from all other...
(Mustela strigidorsa), Irrawaddy Squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus), and Particolored Flying Squirrel
Particolored Flying Squirrel
The Particolored Flying Squirrel is a species of rodent in the Sciuridae family. It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests. It is threatened by habitat loss....
(Hylopetes alboniger).
The ecoregion is home to a single endemic
Endemic (ecology)
Endemism is the ecological state of being unique to a defined geographic location, such as an island, nation or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. For example, all species of lemur are endemic to the...
mammal species, the Gongshan muntjac
Gongshan muntjac
The Gongshan muntjac was recently identified by Chinese scientists as a new species of muntjac, a type of deer, living in the Gongshan mountains in northwestern Yunnan, southeast Tibet and northern Myanmar...
(Muntiacus gongshanensis) possibly along with another muntjac deer, Fea's Muntjac
Fea's muntjac
The Fea's Muntjac or Tenasserim muntjac is a rare species of muntjac native to People's Republic of China, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam...
. The Rusty-bellied Shortwing
Rusty-bellied Shortwing
The Rusty-bellied Shortwing is a species of bird in the Turdidae family.It is found in China, India, and Myanmar....
(Brachypteryx hyperythra) is the ecoregion's only known endemic bird species but the forests are important habitat to many other bird species while both birds and mammals have crucial migration routes up and down the mountains through different types of habitat including these temperate forests.