imported>Tom Radulovich: conservation status

2020-11-17T20:14:09Z

conservation status

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{{Infobox ecoregion
| name = Northeastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
| image = Basum Lake 01.jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = conifer forests at [[Pagsum Lake]]
| map = Ecoregion PA0514.png
| map_size =
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Location of the ecoregion
| biogeographic_realm = [[Palearctic realm|Palearctic]]
| biome = [[temperate coniferous forests]]
| border = [[Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows]]
| border1 = [[Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests]]
| border2 = [[Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests]]
| border3 = [[Southeast Tibet shrub and meadows]]
| bird_species = 430<ref name = "Atlas">
{{cite book |last1 = Hoekstra |first1 = J. M. |last2 = Molnar |first2 = J. L. |last3 = Jennings |first3 = M. |last4 = Revenga |first4 = C. |last5 = Spalding |first5 = M. D. |last6 = Boucher |first6 = T. M. |last7 = Robertson |first7 = J. C. |last8 = Heibel |first8 = T. J. |last9 = Ellison |first9 = K. |title = The Atlas of Global Conservation: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities to Make a Difference |publisher = [[University of California Press]] |editor1-last = Molnar |editor1-first = J. L. |year = 2010 |isbn = 978-0-520-26256-0 |url = https://archive.org/details/atlasofglobalcon0000unse |url-access = registration }}</ref>
| mammal_species = 88<ref name = "Atlas"/>

| area = 46300
| country = [[Bhutan]]
| country1 = [[China]]
| country2 = [[India]]
| conservation = Vulnerable<ref name = wwf>{{WWF ecoregion|name=Northeastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests|id=pa0514}}</ref>
| habitat_loss = 4.26
| habitat_loss_ref = <ref name = "Atlas"/>
| protected = 16.7
| protected_ref=<ref name = "Atlas"/>
}}

[[File:King Cypress Tree.jpg|thumb|King Cypress Tree, a large [[Cupressus gigantea]] in the ecoregion]]
The '''Northeastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests''' are a [[temperate coniferous forests]] [[terrestrial ecoregion|ecoregion]] of the middle to upper elevations of the eastern [[Himalayas]] and southeast [[Tibetan Plateau]]. The ecoregion occurs in southeastern [[Tibet Autonomous Region]], [[China]], in northern and eastern [[Arunachal Pradesh]], [[India]], and extreme eastern [[Bhutan]].

==Setting==
Northeastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests cover {{convert|46300|sqkm|mi2}} in the southeast Tibetan Plateau, occurring between {{convert|2500|and|4200|m|ft}}. The forests are mostly in the [[Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon]], where the [[Yarlung Tsangpo|Yarlung Tsangpo River]] wraps around the eastern edge of the [[Himalayas]] and descends from the Tibetan Plateau. Tributary valleys of the Yarlung Tsangpo, including those of the [[Nyang River]] and [[Parlung Tsangpo]], host connected portions of the Northeast Himalayan subalpine conifer forests. Isolated pockets of this ecoregion also occur in the [[Zayü River]] valley and [[Tawang District|Tawang Valley]]. Many of these forests are found in so-called "inner valleys", which are valleys that are shielded from the [[South Asian monsoon]] by mountain ridges but still receive enough precipitation to support thriving forests.

In higher elevations, this ecoregion grades into [[Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows]] and [[Southeast Tibet shrub and meadows]]. In lower elevations it grades into [[Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests]].

==Flora==
The dominant trees are ''[[Tsuga dumosa]], [[Picea smithiana]]'', and ''[[Abies]]'' spp. Less common are ''[[Larix griffithiana]], [[Larix potaninii]], [[Pinus wallichiana]]'', and ''[[Taxus baccata]]''. Near timberline are found various [[Juniperus|juniper]]s: ''[[Juniperus indica]], [[Juniperus recurva]]'', and ''[[Juniperus squamata]]''. ''[[Betula utilis]]'' is often found with the conifers. Other broadleaf plants include ''[[Acer (genus)|Acer]]'' spp., ''[[Magnolia]]'' spp., ''[[Sorbus]]'' spp., ''[[Viburnum]]'' spp., [[Lauraceae]], and [[Aralliaceae]]. [[Rhododendron]]s reach their pinnacle in this ecoregion. The number of rhododendron species seems to increase above {{convert|2000|m|ft}}, and the [[Yarlung Tsangpo River]] gorge alone may harbor over 60 of them.

The highest forest in the world is found in this ecoregion, with [[Tibetan juniper]] reaching heights of {{cvt|4900|m|ft}} in [[Baxoi County]], [[Tibet Autonomous Region]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Miehe|first1=Georg|last2=Miehe|first2=Sabine|last3=Vogel|first3=Jonas|last4=Co|first4=Sonam|last5=La|first5=Duo|title=Highest Treeline in the Northern Hemisphere Found in Southern Tibet|journal=Mountain Research and Development|date=2007|volume=27|issue=2|pages=169–173|url=http://www.bioone.org/doi/pdf/10.1659/mrd.0792|accessdate=30 August 2017|doi=10.1659/mrd.0792|hdl=1956/2482|hdl-access=free}}</ref>

==Fauna==
Important mammals in this ecoregion include the [[Ailurus fulgens|red panda]], [[Budorcas taxicolor|takin]], [[Moschus moschiferus|musk deer]], [[Naemorhedus baileyi|red goral]], [[Asiatic black bear]], and [[Panthera pardus|leopard]].

Significant birds include the [[Crossoptilon harmani|Tibetan eared-pheasant]], [[Crossoptilon crossoptilon|white-eared pheasant]], and the [[Babax waddelli|giant babax]].

==Conservation==
This ecoregion tends to be found on steep, inaccessible terrain and thus has avoided significant human settlement.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{WWF ecoregion|name=Northeastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests|id=pa0514}}
{{-}}

[[Category:Temperate coniferous forests]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of the Himalayas]]
[[Category:Himalayan forests]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of India]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of China]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of Bhutan]]
[[Category:Biota of Bhutan]]
[[Category:Biota of India]]
[[Category:Palearctic ecoregions]]
[[Category:Northeast India]]
[[Category:Montane forests]]

Northeastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests - Revision history

imported>Tom Radulovich: conservation status