Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests
Encyclopedia
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
. These forests have an outstanding richness of wildlife.
across the Indian states of Sikkim
and West Bengal
, Bhutan
, and the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh
.
This area has a wet climate with over 2000mm of rainfall per year from the May–September monsoon rains driven in from the Bay of Bengal
.
At lower elevations, the temperate broadleaf forests yield to the Himalayan subtropical pine forests
and Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests
. At higher elevations, the temperate broadleaf forests transition to the Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
.
s and rhododendron
s in particular) and many endemic species including plants of Indomalayan, Indochinese
, Himalayan, Eastern Asiatic
and even Gondwana
n origin.
The ecoregion has two broad forest types: evergreen and deciduous. Evergreen forests are characterized by oaks (Quercus spp.), chiefly Quercus lamellosa, together with Lithocarpus pachyphylla, Rhododendron arboreum
, Rhododendron falconeri, Rhododendron thomsonii, Michelia excelsa, Michelia cathcartii, Bucklandia populnea, Symplocos cochinchinensis, Magnolia
spp., Cinnamomum
spp., and Machilus
spp. The many rhododendron species include more than fifty in Sikkim and another sixty in Bhutan.
In the deciduous forests meanwhile the predominant tree species are Himalayan Maple (Acer campbellii), Juglans regia, Alnus nepalensis, Betula alnoides, Betula utilis
, and Echinocarpus dasycarpus.
Finally in Eastern Nepal there are wetter areas dominated by a mixture of Magnolia campbellii, Acer campbellii and Osmanthus suavis along with Himalayan Hazel Corylus ferox.
. A number of bird species especially pheasant
, tragopan
and hornbill
are easily threatened by changes to their habitat and those found here include the globally threatened Rufous-necked Hornbill
(Aceros nipalensis), Sclater's Monal
(Lophophorus sclateri), White-bellied Heron
(Ardea insignis), Blyth's Tragopan
(Tragopan blythii) and Ward's Trogon
(Harpactes wardi).
There are four endemic or near-endemic mammals including Gee's Golden Langur Trachypithecus geei which is found north of the Brahmaputra River
between the Sankosh and Manas River
s. Other endemic mammals are Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista magnificus, Namdapha flying squirrel Biswamoyopterus biswasi and Brahma White-bellied Rat Niviventer brahma, while endangered species
found here include a population of Bengal tiger
s adapted to higher mountain slopes and having a high conservation priority. Other endangered species include takin
(Budorcas taxicolor) and Himalayan Serow
(a subspecies of Capricornis sumatraensis) as well as the vulnerable
Mandelli's Mouse-eared Bat (Myotis sicarius), Assam Macaque
(Macaca assamensis), Stump-tailed Macaque
(Macaca arctoides), Dhole
(Cuon alpinus), Back-striped Weasel (Mustela strigidorsa), Clouded Leopard
(Neofelis nebulosa), and Irrawaddy Squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus). The area also includes patches of fir
forest with a bamboo undergrowth that are home to the endangered Red Panda
(Ailurus fulgens).
forests of the lower elevations are vulnerable to clearance, while the upper slopes are liable to be used for livestock grazing, especially in more densely populated Nepal. Protected areas include Namdapha National Park
and Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, Makalu Barun National Park in Nepal, and parts of Thrumshingla
, Jigme Dorji
, and Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park
s and Kulong Chu Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan. There are plans to create corridors of protection linking some of these areas in Bhutan and in India. The area around Namdapha National Park has been increasingly settled by Chakma
refugees from Bangladesh. Another threat is the plan to build a dam on the Dihing River
. One area of importance that is currently unprotected is Mount Phulchowki in the Kathmandu valley
.
Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests
Mixed forests are a temperate and humid biome. The typical structure of these forests includes four layers. The uppermost layer is the canopy composed of tall mature trees ranging from 33 to 66 m high. Below the canopy is the three-layered, shade-tolerant understory that is roughly 9 to...
ecoregion found in the middle elevations of the eastern Himalayas
Himalayas
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...
, including parts of Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, 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...
, and Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
. These forests have an outstanding richness of wildlife.
Setting
The ecoregion covers an area of 83100 sqkm, constituting a band of temperate broadleaf forest lying on steep mountain slopes of the Middle Himlayas between approximately 2000 and 3000 m (6,561.7 and 9,842.5 ft), extending from the Kali Gandaki River in NepalNepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
across the Indian states of Sikkim
Sikkim
Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
and West Bengal
West Bengal
West Bengal is a state in the eastern region of India and is the nation's fourth-most populous. It is also the seventh-most populous sub-national entity in the world, with over 91 million inhabitants. A major agricultural producer, West Bengal is the sixth-largest contributor to India's GDP...
, Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
, and the Indian state of 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...
.
This area has a wet climate with over 2000mm of rainfall per year from the May–September monsoon rains driven in from the Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
.
At lower elevations, the temperate broadleaf forests yield to the Himalayan subtropical pine forests
Himalayan subtropical pine forests
The Himalayan subtropical pine forests are a large subtropical coniferous forest ecoregion covering portions of Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan....
and Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests
Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests
The Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests is an ecoregion that extends from the middle hills of central Nepal through Darjeeling into Bhutan and also into the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh...
. At higher elevations, the temperate broadleaf forests transition to the Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
The Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion which is found in the middle and upper elevations of the eastern Middle Himalayas, in western Nepal, Bhutan and northern Indian states including Arunachal Pradesh....
.
Flora
The Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests are diverse and species-rich, with a great diversity (of oakOak
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 and rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s in particular) and many endemic species including plants of Indomalayan, Indochinese
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...
, Himalayan, Eastern Asiatic
Eastern Asiatic Region
The Eastern Asiatic Region is the richest floristic region within the Holarctic Kingdom and situated in temperate East Asia...
and even 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,...
n origin.
The ecoregion has two broad forest types: evergreen and deciduous. Evergreen forests are characterized by oaks (Quercus spp.), chiefly Quercus lamellosa, together with Lithocarpus pachyphylla, Rhododendron arboreum
Rhododendron arboreum
Rhododendron arboreum is an evergreen shrub or small tree with a showy display of bright red flowers. It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Rhododendron arboreum is also the national flower of Nepal.-Description:Its name means "tending to be woody or growing in a...
, Rhododendron falconeri, Rhododendron thomsonii, Michelia excelsa, Michelia cathcartii, Bucklandia populnea, Symplocos cochinchinensis, 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....
spp., Cinnamomum
Cinnamomum
Cinnamomum is a genus of evergreen aromatic trees and shrubs belonging to the Laurel family, Lauraceae. The species of Cinnamomum have aromatic oils in their leaves and bark. The genus contains over 300 species, distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of North America, Central America,...
spp., and Machilus
Machilus
Machilus is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Lauraceae. Is distributed in temperate, tropical and subtropical Asia. Machilus genus include currently more than 100 species, mostly in laurel forest habitat.-Overview:...
spp. The many rhododendron species include more than fifty in Sikkim and another sixty in Bhutan.
In the deciduous forests meanwhile the predominant tree species are Himalayan Maple (Acer campbellii), Juglans regia, Alnus nepalensis, Betula alnoides, Betula utilis
Betula utilis
Betula utilis is a Birch tree native to the Himalayas, growing at elevations up to . The specific epithet, utilis, refers to the many uses of the different parts of the tree. The white, paper-like bark of the tree was used in ancient times for writing Sanskrit scriptures and texts...
, and Echinocarpus dasycarpus.
Finally in Eastern Nepal there are wetter areas dominated by a mixture of Magnolia campbellii, Acer campbellii and Osmanthus suavis along with Himalayan Hazel Corylus ferox.
Fauna
The forests are home to over 500 species of bird some of which migrate to the higher Himalayas in the hot summer. There are twelve near-endemic bird species as well as the strictly endemic Rufous-throated Wren-babblerRufous-throated Wren-babbler
The Rufous-throated Wren-babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family. It is found in Bhutan, India, and Nepal.Its natural habitat is the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss....
. A number of bird species especially pheasant
Pheasant
Pheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
, tragopan
Tragopan
Tragopan is a genus of bird in the family Phasianidae. These birds are commonly called "horny pheasants" because of two brightly-colored, fleshy horns on their heads that they can erect during courtship displays...
and hornbill
Hornbill
Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...
are easily threatened by changes to their habitat and those found here include the globally threatened Rufous-necked Hornbill
Rufous-necked Hornbill
The Rufous-necked Hornbill is a species of hornbill found in broadleaved forests at altitudes of in Bhutan, north-eastern India, Burma, southern Yunnan, south-eastern Tibet, northern and western Thailand, northern Laos and northern Vietnam. Numbers have declined significantly due to habitat loss...
(Aceros nipalensis), Sclater's Monal
Sclater's Monal
Sclater's Monal, Lophophorus sclateri, also known as the Crestless Monal, is a large, approximately long, pheasant of the east Himalayan region. As other monals, the male is a colorful bird...
(Lophophorus sclateri), White-bellied Heron
White-bellied Heron
The White-bellied Heron is a species of large heron found in the foothills of the eastern Himalayas in India, northeastern Bangladesh, Burma and Bhutan. Records in the past have been from Nepal. It is mostly all dark grey with white throat and underparts. This heron is mostly solitary and is found...
(Ardea insignis), Blyth's Tragopan
Blyth's Tragopan
Blyth’s Tragopan or the Grey-bellied Tragopan is a pheasant that is a vulnerable species.-Distribution and Population:...
(Tragopan blythii) and Ward's Trogon
Ward's Trogon
The Ward's Trogon is a species of bird in the Trogonidae family.It is found in Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Vietnam.Its natural habitats are temperate forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
(Harpactes wardi).
There are four endemic or near-endemic mammals including Gee's Golden Langur Trachypithecus geei which is found north of the Brahmaputra River
Brahmaputra River
The Brahmaputra , also called Tsangpo-Brahmaputra, is a trans-boundary river and one of the major rivers of Asia. It is the only Indian river that is attributed the masculine gender and thus referred to as a in Indo-Aryan languages and languages with Indo-Aryan influence...
between the Sankosh and Manas River
Manas River
The Manas River is a transboundary river in the Himalayan foothills between southern Bhutan and India.It is named after Manasa, the serpent god in Hindu mythology.It is the largest river system of Bhutan, among its four major river systems; the other three are Amo Chu or Torsa, Wong Chu or Raidak,...
s. Other endemic mammals are Hodgson's Giant Flying Squirrel Petaurista magnificus, Namdapha flying squirrel Biswamoyopterus biswasi and Brahma White-bellied Rat Niviventer brahma, while endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
found here include a population of Bengal tiger
Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
s adapted to higher mountain slopes and having a high conservation priority. Other endangered species include 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) and Himalayan Serow
Himalayan Serow
The Himalayan Serow is a vulnerable goat-antelope, native to eastern and southeastern Bangladesh, the Himalayas , northeastern India, and probably western Burma. It has been considered a subspecies of C. sumatraensis....
(a subspecies of Capricornis sumatraensis) as well as the vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
Mandelli's Mouse-eared Bat (Myotis sicarius), Assam Macaque
Assam Macaque
The Assam macaque is a macaque of the Old World monkey family native to South and Southeast Asia. Since 2008, the species is listed as Near Threatened by IUCN, as it is experiencing significant declines due to hunting, habitat degradation and fragmentation.- Characteristics :The Assam macaque has...
(Macaca assamensis), 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), Dhole
Dhole
The dhole is a species of canid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the only extant member of the genus Cuon, which differs from Canis by the reduced number of molars and greater number of teats...
(Cuon alpinus), Back-striped Weasel (Mustela strigidorsa), 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...
(Neofelis nebulosa), and Irrawaddy Squirrel (Callosciurus pygerythrus). The area also includes patches of fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
forest with a bamboo undergrowth that are home to the endangered 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).
Conservation
Most of the forest is intact as these are steep inaccessible slopes, although the Quercus lanataQuercus lanata
Quercus lanata or Woolly-leaved Oak is a species of Quercus native to the Himalaya. Trees to 30 m tall, evergreen....
forests of the lower elevations are vulnerable to clearance, while the upper slopes are liable to be used for livestock grazing, especially in more densely populated Nepal. Protected areas include Namdapha National Park
Namdapha National Park
Namdapha National Park is the largest protected area in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot and is located in Arunachal Pradesh in Northeast India. It is also the largest national park in India in terms of area. It is located in the Eastern Himalayan sub-region and is recognized as one of the...
and Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh, Makalu Barun National Park in Nepal, and parts of Thrumshingla
Thrumshingla National Park
Thrumshingla National Park in central Bhutan covers just over across four districts, but primarily in Mongar. It is bisected by the Lateral Road, and contains the Thrumshing La pass.-Flora and fauna:...
, Jigme Dorji
Jigme Dorji National Park
The Jigme Dorji National Park, named after the late Jigme Dorji Wangchuk, is the second-largest National Park of Bhutan. It occupies almost the entire Gasa District, as well as the northern areas of Thimphu District, Paro District, Punakha, and Wangdue Phodrang Districts...
, and Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park
Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park
Jigme Singye Wangchuck National Park covers an area of in central Bhutan. The Park occupies most of Trongsa District, as well as parts of Sarpang, Tsirang, Wangdue Phodrang, and Zhemgang Districts. Jigme Singye abuts Royal Manas National Park to the southeast...
s and Kulong Chu Wildlife Sanctuary in Bhutan. There are plans to create corridors of protection linking some of these areas in Bhutan and in India. The area around Namdapha National Park has been increasingly settled by Chakma
Chakma people
The Chakmas , also known as the Changhma , are a community that inhabits the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh and the North-East India. The Chakmas are the largest ethnic group in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, making up more than half the tribal population. Chakmas are divided into 46 clans or...
refugees from Bangladesh. Another threat is the plan to build a dam on the Dihing River
Dihing River
Dihing or Burhi Dihing is a large tributary of the Brahmaputra in Upper Assam. The river originates in the Eastern Himalayas in Arunachal Pradesh and flows through Tinsukia and Dibrugarh Districts in Assam to its confluence with the Brahmaputra at Dihingmukh. The Dihing has created number of...
. One area of importance that is currently unprotected is Mount Phulchowki in the Kathmandu valley
Kathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley , located in Nepal, lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of Asia, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the Hindus and the Buddhists. There are seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites within this valley.-Etymology:The city of...
.
