Peruvian Yungas
Encyclopedia
The Peruvian Yungas is a tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion
in the Yungas
of Peru
.
. They form a transition zone between the Southwest Amazon moist forests
and Ucayali moist forests at lower elevations to the east and the Central Andean puna
and wet puna
at higher elevations to the west.
in the to a subtropical highland climate
in the south. Precipitation ranges from 500 to 2000 mm (19.7 to 78.7 in) per year.
include Epidendrum
and Maxillaria
. Tree ferns (Cyathea
) and bamboo (Chusquea
) are common. Below 2700 metres (8,858.3 ft), the forest includes species such as cedar (Cedrela
), trumpet tree (Tabebuia
), and relatives of papaya (Carica
). Above 3500 metres (11,482.9 ft), there are scrublands and wet rocky thickets with shrubs and land orchids as well as forests of Podocarpus
conifers.
s. The gallito de las rocas (Rupicola peruviana) is endemic.
Notable mammals include the shrew opossums (Caenolestes
) and Kalinowski's Agouti (Dasyprocta kalinowskii), as well as the northern pudú (Pudu mephistophiles) and the hairy long-nosed armadillo (Dasypus pilosus).
Notable species with limited distributions found here includ the horned curassow (Pauxi unicornis), hummingbirds (Metallura theresiae, Heliangelus regalis), the long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi) and the Marañón poison frog (Dendrobates mysteriosus).
Endangered and threatened species include the yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Oreonax flavicauda), jaguar (Panthera onca), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis), colocolo (Oncifelis colocolo), Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruviana) and cinchona (Cinchona
sp.).
This ecoregions also has endemic species of butterflies from the genera Dismopha, Callithea, Paridos, and Morpho.
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 Yungas
Yungas
The Yungas is a stretch of forest along the eastern slope of the Andes Mountains from southeastern Peru through central Bolivia. It is a transitional zone between the Andean highlands and the eastern forests. Like the surrounding areas, it has characteristics of the Neotropic ecozone...
of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
.
Setting
The Peruvian Yungas occur on the eastern slopes and valleys of the Peruvian AndesAndes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
. They form a transition zone between the Southwest Amazon moist forests
Southwest Amazon moist forests
Southwest Amazon moist forests are an ecoregion located in the Upper Amazon Basin. The region is characterized by a relatively flat landscape with alluvial plains dissected by undulating hills or high terraces. The biota of the southwest Amazon moist forest is very rich because of these dramatic...
and Ucayali moist forests at lower elevations to the east and the Central Andean puna
Central Andean puna
The Central Andean puna is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion in the Andes of southern Peru, Bolivia, and northern Argentina.-Setting:...
and wet puna
Central Andean wet puna
The Central Andean wet puna is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia.-Setting:This ecoregion occurs above and consists of high-elevation, wet, montane grasslands amid lakes, plateaus, valleys, and high mountains. It is bordered on the west by the Sechura...
at higher elevations to the west.
Climate
The climate in this ecoregion varies from a tropical rainforest climateTropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, also known as an equatorial climate, is a tropical climate usually found along the equator...
in the to a subtropical highland climate
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
in the south. Precipitation ranges from 500 to 2000 mm (19.7 to 78.7 in) per year.
Flora
This ecoregion contains over 3,000 species of plants, including 200 species of orchids. Orchid generaGenera
Genera is a commercial operating system and development environment for Lisp machines developed by Symbolics. It is essentially a fork of an earlier operating system originating on the MIT AI Lab's Lisp machines which Symbolics had used in common with LMI and Texas Instruments...
include Epidendrum
Epidendrum
Epidendrum , abbreviated Epi in horticultural trade, is a large neotropical genus of the orchid family. With more than 1,100 species, some authors describe it as a mega-genus. The genus name refers to its epiphytic growth habit...
and Maxillaria
Maxillaria
Maxillaria, abbreviated as Max in horticultural trade, is a large genus of orchids . This is a diverse genus, with very different morphological forms. Their characteristics can vary widely....
. Tree ferns (Cyathea
Cyathea
Cyathea is a genus of tree ferns, the type genus of the fern order Cyatheales. They are mostly terrestrial ferns, usually with a single tall stem. Rarely, the trunk may be branched or creeping. Many species also develop a fibrous mass of roots at the base of the trunk. The genus has a pantropical...
) and bamboo (Chusquea
Chusquea
Chusquea is a genus of bamboo with about 150 species. Most of them are mountain clumping bamboos native from southern Mexico to southern Chile and Argentina. They are sometimes referred to as South American mountain bamboos. Unlike most other bamboos, the stems of these species are solid, not hollow...
) are common. Below 2700 metres (8,858.3 ft), the forest includes species such as cedar (Cedrela
Cedrela
Cedrela is a genus of seven species in the mahogany family Meliaceae. They are evergreen or dry-season deciduous trees with pinnate leaves, native to the tropical and subtropical New World, from southern Mexico south to northern Argentina. The name is derived from a diminutive form of Cedrus...
), trumpet tree (Tabebuia
Tabebuia
Tabebuia is a neotropical genus of about 100 species in the tribe Tecomeae of the family Bignoniaceae. The species range from northern Mexico and southern Florida south to northern Argentina, including the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola and Cuba...
), and relatives of papaya (Carica
Carica
Carica is a genus of Jerry Trainor in the family Caricaceae including one species, Carica papaya, the papaya Carica is a genus of Jerry Trainor in the family Caricaceae including one species, Carica papaya, the papaya Carica is a genus of Jerry Trainor in the family Caricaceae including one...
). Above 3500 metres (11,482.9 ft), there are scrublands and wet rocky thickets with shrubs and land orchids as well as forests of Podocarpus
Podocarpus
Podocarpus is a genus of conifers, the most numerous and widely distributed of the podocarp family Podocarpaceae. The 105 species of Podocarpus are evergreen shrubs or trees from 1-25 m in height...
conifers.
Fauna
This ecoregion contains over 200 species of vertebrateVertebrate
Vertebrates are animals that are members of the subphylum Vertebrata . Vertebrates are the largest group of chordates, with currently about 58,000 species described. Vertebrates include the jawless fishes, bony fishes, sharks and rays, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds...
s. The gallito de las rocas (Rupicola peruviana) is endemic.
Notable mammals include the shrew opossums (Caenolestes
Caenolestes
The common shrew opossums , are members of the Caenolestidae family....
) and Kalinowski's Agouti (Dasyprocta kalinowskii), as well as the northern pudú (Pudu mephistophiles) and the hairy long-nosed armadillo (Dasypus pilosus).
Notable species with limited distributions found here includ the horned curassow (Pauxi unicornis), hummingbirds (Metallura theresiae, Heliangelus regalis), the long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi) and the Marañón poison frog (Dendrobates mysteriosus).
Endangered and threatened species include the yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Oreonax flavicauda), jaguar (Panthera onca), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), neotropical otter (Lontra longicaudis), colocolo (Oncifelis colocolo), Andean cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola peruviana) and cinchona (Cinchona
Cinchona
Cinchona or Quina is a genus of about 38 species in the family Rubiaceae, native to tropical South America. They are large shrubs or small trees growing 5–15 metres in height with evergreen foliage. The leaves are opposite, rounded to lanceolate and 10–40 cm long. The flowers are white, pink...
sp.).
This ecoregions also has endemic species of butterflies from the genera Dismopha, Callithea, Paridos, and Morpho.
Natural areas
- Bahuaja-Sonene National ParkBahuaja-Sonene National ParkThe Bahuaja-Sonene National Park is located in south-eastern Peru. It contains the tropical forests and tropical foothills of Puno, dwarf forests, and the Heath Pampas. It was created in July 1996 out of the Tambopata-Candamo Reserved Zone and expanded on Sept...
- Amarakaeri Communal ReserveAmarakaeri Communal ReserveThe Amarakaeri Communal Reserve is a protected area in Peru located in the Madre de Dios Region, Manú Province. It protects parts of the Southwest Amazon moist forests and Peruvian Yungas ecoregions.- External links :*...
- Megantoni National SanctuaryMegantoni National SanctuaryMegantoni National Sanctuary is a protected area in Peru situated in the Cusco Region, La Convención Province, Echarate District. It protects a part of the Peruvian Yungas ecoregion.- External links :*...
- Manú National ParkManú National ParkManú National Park is a biosphere reserve located in Madre de Dios and Paucartambo, Cusco. Before becoming an area protected by the Peruvian government, the Manú National Park was conserved thanks to its inaccessibility. The park remains fairly inaccessible by road to this day. In 1977, UNESCO...
- Otishi National ParkOtishi National ParkThe Otishi National Park is a protected area in Peru located in the Junín Region , Junín Province and Satipo Province, Río Tambo District and in the Cusco Region , La Convención Province, Echarate District. It protects Southwest Amazon moist forests at lower elevations and Peruvian Yungas at...
- Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape ReserveNor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape ReserveThe Nor Yauyos-Cochas Landscape Reserve is a protected area in Peru located in the Lima Region, Yauyos Province and in the Junín Region, Jauja Province. It lies with the Peruvian Yungas and Central Andean wet puna ecoregions.- External links :*...
- San Matías–San Carlos Protection ForestSan Matías–San Carlos Protection ForestThe San Matías–San Carlos Protection Forest ' is a national forest situated in Pasco Region, Peru. It is a forest set aside to preserve the soils and to protect infrastructure, towns, and agricultural grounds against the effects of the water erosion, huaycos, streams or floods...
- Yanachaga–Chemillén National ParkYanachaga–Chemillen National ParkThe Yanachaga–Chemillén National Park is located in the Pasco Region in Peru. It preserves part of the Peruvian Yungas and Ucayali moist forests ecoregions. The Palcazu river, Huancabamba river, Pozuzo river and their affluents flow through this National Park. Some native communities still live in...
- Rio Abiseo National ParkRio Abiseo National ParkThe Rio Abiseo National Park is located in the San Martín department of Peru. UNESCO pronounced it as Natural and Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 1990. The park is home to a large number of species of flora and fauna, as well as the location of over 30 pre-Columbian archaeological sites...
- Alto Mayo Protection ForestAlto Mayo Protection ForestThe Alto Mayo Protection Forest is an area of protected forest land in the Yungas of northern Peru. It is situated in the departments of San Martín, in the Yorongos, Rioja, Elías Soplín Vargas, Nuevo Cajamarca districts, and in the Rioja and Moyobamba provinces....
- Cutervo National ParkCutervo National ParkCutervo National Park is the oldest National Park in Peru. It was established September 8, 1961 by means of Law N° 13964 by the Peruvian Government as the first protected natural area created. Its creator was Salomon Vilchez Murga , a recognized Biologist who was born in Cutervo, Peru. When...
- Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu