Talamancan montane forests
Encyclopedia
The Talamancan montane forests ecoregion
, in the tropical moist broadleaf forest
biome
, are in montane
Costa Rica
and Panama
in Central America
.
, Cordillera de Tilarán, Cordillera Central, and Cordillera de Talamanca
, from northwestern Costa Rica to western Panama, with outliers on the Azuero Peninsula
. The montane forests lie above 750 to 1500 meters elevation, up to approximately 3000 meters elevation, where they transition to the grasslands and shrublands of the Costa Rican Páramo
on the highest peaks.
The montane forests are surrounded at lower elevations by lowland forests, including the Isthmian-Atlantic moist forests on the Atlantic (Caribbean) slope, the Isthmian-Pacific moist forests to the south on the Pacific slope, and the Costa Rican seasonal moist forests to the northwest.
, Persea
, Nectandra
, and Phoebe
) of the Laurel family (Lauraceae
), and two endemic
oak
s, Quercus costaricensis
and Quercus copeyensis
.
In the Costa Rica's forest are 136 mammals species, in Panama 84. The typical mammals are jaguar
, cougar, tapir
, deer
, anteater
and several species of monkeys.
Talamanca forest have 450 species of birds (in Costa Rica, the Panama's forest have 225 birds species). The most endangered bird in the forest is the Harpy eagle, common on the Panama's forest.
, Braulio Carrillo National Park
, Volcán Poas National Park, Rincón de la Vieja National Park, and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.
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 tropical moist broadleaf forest
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
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...
, are in montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
Setting
The Talamancan montane forests cover a discontinuous area of 16300 square kilometres (6,293.5 sq mi) in Cordilleran mountains, including the Cordillera de GuanacasteCordillera de Guanacaste
The Cordillera de Guanacaste, also called Guanacaste Cordillera, are a volcanic mountain range in northern Costa Rica near the border with Nicaragua. The mountain range stretches 110 km from northwest to the southeast and contains mostly complex stratovolcanoes...
, Cordillera de Tilarán, Cordillera Central, and Cordillera de Talamanca
Cordillera de Talamanca
The Cordillera de Talamanca is a mountain range that lies on the border between Costa Rica and Panama. Much of the range and the area around it is included in the La Amistad International Park, which also is shared between the two countries....
, from northwestern Costa Rica to western Panama, with outliers on the Azuero Peninsula
Azuero Peninsula
Azuero Peninsula is a large peninsula in southern Panama. It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean in the south; the Pacific and Gulf of Montijo to the west, and by the Gulf of Panama in the east...
. The montane forests lie above 750 to 1500 meters elevation, up to approximately 3000 meters elevation, where they transition to the grasslands and shrublands of the Costa Rican Páramo
Costa Rican páramo
The Costa Rican páramo, also known as the Talamanca páramo, is a montane grassland and shrubland of Costa Rica and western Panama.-Setting:...
on the highest peaks.
The montane forests are surrounded at lower elevations by lowland forests, including the Isthmian-Atlantic moist forests on the Atlantic (Caribbean) slope, the Isthmian-Pacific moist forests to the south on the Pacific slope, and the Costa Rican seasonal moist forests to the northwest.
Flora
The forests are made up of evergreen trees, including many species (genera OcoteaOcotea
Ocotea is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Lauraceae. The genus includes over 200 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, distributed mostly in tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America, the West Indies, also with a few species in Africa and Madagascar, and...
, Persea
Persea
Persea is a genus of about 150 species of evergreen trees belonging to the laurel family, Lauraceae. The best-known member of the genus is the avocado, P. americana, widely cultivated in subtropical regions for its large, edible fruit.-Overview:...
, Nectandra
Nectandra
Nectandra is a genus of plant in family Lauraceae.-Overview:Plants from this genus have been used in the treatment of several clinical disorders in humans. It has been demonstrated that Nectandra plants have potential analgesic, antiinflammatory, febrifuge, energetic and hypotensive activities...
, and Phoebe
Phoebe (plant)
Phoebe is a genus of evergreen trees and shrubs belonging to the Laurel family, Lauraceae.-Overview:They are widespread in tropical and subtropical Asia and neotropical America region...
) of the Laurel family (Lauraceae
Lauraceae
The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The family contains about 55 genera and over 3500, perhaps as many as 4000, species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America...
), and two 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...
oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
s, Quercus costaricensis
Quercus costaricensis
Quercus costaricensis is a species of oak endemic to the Talamancan montane forests of Costa Rica and Panama. It is often found with Quercus copeyensis in the upper montane forests, to 3100 meters elevation.-External links:*IUCN Red List: *...
and Quercus copeyensis
Quercus copeyensis
Quercus copeyensis is a species of oak endemic to the Talamancan montane forests of Costa Rica and Panama. It is often found with Quercus costaricensis in the upper montane forests, to elevation.-External links:*...
.
Fauna
The forest of Talamanca is very rich in biodiversity. Scientist estimate between 3 and 4 percent of the biodiversity in the world found here.In the Costa Rica's forest are 136 mammals species, in Panama 84. The typical mammals are jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
, cougar, tapir
Tapir
A Tapir is a large browsing mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. There are four species of Tapirs: the Brazilian Tapir, the Malayan Tapir, Baird's Tapir and the Mountain...
, deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
, anteater
Anteater
Anteaters, also known as antbear, are the four mammal species of the suborder Vermilingua commonly known for eating ants and termites. Together with the sloths, they compose the order Pilosa...
and several species of monkeys.
Talamanca forest have 450 species of birds (in Costa Rica, the Panama's forest have 225 birds species). The most endangered bird in the forest is the Harpy eagle, common on the Panama's forest.
Conservation and threats
The Talamancan montane forests are one of Central America's most intact ecoregions, although the oak forests in particular have been cleared for pasture and charcoal making. Forty percent of the ecoregion is protected by national and international parks, including La Amistad Biosphere Reserve, Chirripó National ParkChirripó National Park
Chirripó National Park is located in the middle portion of the Talamanca Range of Costa Rica, approximately 30 km northeast from the city of San Isidro del General. It protects a number of important ecosystems on the Costa Rican Pacific slope and is notable for including the largest extension...
, Braulio Carrillo National Park
Braulio Carrillo National Park
Braulio Carrillo National Park is a National Park of the Volcanic Cordillera Conservation Area in Costa Rica located on the eastern edge of the central volcanic corridor between San José and Puerto Limón. It is accessible from the Limon Highway, which bisects the park running roughly east-west,...
, Volcán Poas National Park, Rincón de la Vieja National Park, and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve.