Borneo montane rain forests
Encyclopedia
The Borneo montane rain forests are an ecoregion
, of Cloud forest
, within the Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Biome
, of the island of Borneo
in south-east Asia .
. In the higher elevations, above 1000m, in the centre of Borneo with sections in Malaysia, Indonesia
, and Brunei
-owned territories of the island. These cooler and moister slopes stick up out of the carpet of thick rainforest that covers the warmer lowlands below, and as well as additional rainfall also derive moisture from low cloud. Soils are poorer and more acidic than the lowlands.
pitcher plants (>15 species), rhododendron
s, and orchids. This ecoregion also contains important areas of forest on limestone upland, especially Mount Api
which has clear altitudinal zones of differing vegetation. Long Pasia in the Meligan Range and the Usun Apau plateau have important areas of high-altitude wetland.
s (such as the rare Hose's Civet
Diplogale hosei, endemic
to these montane forests), tree shrews, squirrels, and rats and primates such as orangutan
(Pongo pygmaeus), gibbon
s, and langurs. Although most of these primates prefer lower elevations there are especially good numbers of the large macaque
monkeys and as the forests are less-disturbed at higher elevations larger animals such as oranguntans and Sumatran rhinoceros
(Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) have retreated here from the lowlands.
Although there are fewer birds in the Bornean mountains than in the lowlands there is a higher proportion of endemic species, indeed most of Borneo's unique birds live in the montane forests e.g. on Mount Mulu
in Sarawak
there are 171 different birds in the lowlands and only 12 species at 1300m.
, which is home to communities of indigenous people but is threatened by commercial logging and road building. This park and others such as Betung Kerihun National Park
are important refuges for wildlife as lowland habitats are being systematically removed.
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 Cloud forest
Cloud forest
A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
, within the Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
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...
, of the island of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
in south-east Asia .
Location and description
This ecoregion consists of tropical Mountain Cloud forest and laurel forestLaurel forest
Laurel forest is a subtropical or mild temperate forest, found in areas with high humidity and relatively stable and mild temperatures. They are characterized by tree species with evergreen, glossy, enlongated leaves, known as laurophyll or lauroide...
. In the higher elevations, above 1000m, in the centre of Borneo with sections in Malaysia, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
-owned territories of the island. These cooler and moister slopes stick up out of the carpet of thick rainforest that covers the warmer lowlands below, and as well as additional rainfall also derive moisture from low cloud. Soils are poorer and more acidic than the lowlands.
Flora
The isolated higher and cooler forests of the island are home to a rich and distinctive set of plants of both Asian and Australian origin. There are especially large numbers of NepenthesNepenthes
The Nepenthes , popularly known as tropical pitcher plants or monkey cups, are a genus of carnivorous plants in the monotypic family Nepenthaceae. The genus comprises roughly 130 species, numerous natural and many cultivated hybrids...
pitcher plants (>15 species), rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s, and orchids. This ecoregion also contains important areas of forest on limestone upland, especially Mount Api
Mount Api
Mount Api is a limestone mountain located in Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, Malaysia. Neighbouring Mount Benarat and Mount Buda are part of the same formation...
which has clear altitudinal zones of differing vegetation. Long Pasia in the Meligan Range and the Usun Apau plateau have important areas of high-altitude wetland.
Fauna
The montane forests are home to a distinct fauna including large numbers of mammals such as civetCivet
The family Viverridae is made up of around 30 species of medium-sized mammal, including all of the genets, the binturong, most of the civets, and the two African linsangs....
s (such as the rare Hose's Civet
Hose's Palm Civet
The Hose's palm civet , also known as the Hose's civet , is a civet found in Borneo. It is named after zoologist Charles Hose and is a member of the family Viverridae...
Diplogale hosei, 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...
to these montane forests), tree shrews, squirrels, and rats and primates such as orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
(Pongo pygmaeus), gibbon
Gibbon
Gibbons are apes in the family Hylobatidae . The family is divided into four genera based on their diploid chromosome number: Hylobates , Hoolock , Nomascus , and Symphalangus . The extinct Bunopithecus sericus is a gibbon or gibbon-like ape which, until recently, was thought to be closely related...
s, and langurs. Although most of these primates prefer lower elevations there are especially good numbers of the large macaque
Macaque
The macaques constitute a genus of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. - Description :Aside from humans , the macaques are the most widespread primate genus, ranging from Japan to Afghanistan and, in the case of the barbary macaque, to North Africa...
monkeys and as the forests are less-disturbed at higher elevations larger animals such as oranguntans and Sumatran rhinoceros
Sumatran Rhinoceros
The Sumatran Rhinoceros is a member of the family Rhinocerotidae and one of five extant rhinoceroses. It is the only extant species of the genus Dicerorhinus. It is the smallest rhinoceros, although is still a large mammal. This rhino stands high at the shoulder, with a head-and-body length of ...
(Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) have retreated here from the lowlands.
Although there are fewer birds in the Bornean mountains than in the lowlands there is a higher proportion of endemic species, indeed most of Borneo's unique birds live in the montane forests e.g. on Mount Mulu
Mount Mulu
Mount Mulu is a sandstone and shale mountain. At 2376 m, it is the second highest mountain in the state of Sarawak, after Mount Murud. It is located within the boundaries of Gunung Mulu National Park, which is named after it....
in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
there are 171 different birds in the lowlands and only 12 species at 1300m.
Threats and preservation
The higher elevations of Borneo are inaccessible and therefore over 90% of original habitat remains intact, even since the forest fires of 1997-8 that damamged so much of Borneo's lowland forst. About 25% is in protected areas including a very large block in Kayan Mentarang National ParkKayan Mentarang National Park
Kayan Mentarang National Park is a densely forested national park in East Kalimantan province, Borneo Island, Indonesia. The national park is named after a great dispersed Mentarang mountain trails plateau of Apau Kayan which covers the entire park from Datadian area in south region to Apau Ping...
, which is home to communities of indigenous people but is threatened by commercial logging and road building. This park and others such as Betung Kerihun National Park
Betung Kerihun National Park
Betung Kerihun National Park is a national park in the province of West Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. It is located inland, along the Malaysian border...
are important refuges for wildlife as lowland habitats are being systematically removed.