Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests
Encyclopedia
The Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests are a subtropical coniferous forest
ecoregion
of northeastern and Central Mexico
, extending into the state of Texas
in the United States.
range, which runs north and south between the Gulf Coastal Plain
to the east along the Gulf of Mexico
, and the Mexican Plateau
to the west. The ecoregion covers an area of 65600 km² (25,328.3 sq mi).
The southernmost forests transition to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests
in Puebla
state, near the southern end of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The forests extend almost continuously along the range through the states of Veracruz
, Hidalgo, Querétaro
, Guanajuato
, San Luis Potosí
, Tamaulipas
, and Nuevo León
. North of Monterrey
, the forests become discontinuous, extending as a series of sky island
s through the states of Nuevo León and Coahuila
, and on into the Chisos
and Davis
mountains of the Big Bend
region of western Texas. Other sky islands can be found on the higher peaks of the mountain ranges rising from the Mexican Plateau to the west.
including Nelson Pinyon (Pinus nelsonii
), Mexican Pinyon
(P. cembroides), Smooth-bark Mexican Pine (P. pseudostrobus
), and Arizona Pine
(P. arizonica), and the oaks Quercus castanea and Q. affinis. On the wetter slopes facing the ocean the most common trees are Mexican Pinyon and Juniperus deppeana
, while on the drier western slopes Weeping Pinyon (Pinus pinceana
) is more common. The forests are home to a great variety of other flora including agave
and other traditional food plants.
(Ursus americanus), which migrate along the Rio Grande
from Northern Coahuila to the Chisos Mountains in Texas, Mule deer
(Odocoileus hemionus), Cougar (Puma concolor), Cliff chipmunk
(Tamias dorsalis), Collared Peccary
(Pecari tajacu), White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica), Jaguar
(Panthera onca) and Coyote
(Canis latrans).
The Maroon-fronted Parrot
(Rhynchopsitta terrisi) and Colima Warbler
(Vermivora crissalis) are endemic to this ecoregion. Wild Turkey
s (Meleagris gallapavo), Peregrine Falcon
s (Falco peregrinus) and Golden Eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos) are also resident.
Pine-oak forests in Coahuila are part of the migration route of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus).
Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests
Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests are a forest biome. They are located in regions of semi-humid climate at tropical and subtropical latitudes. Most tropical and subtropical coniferous forest ecoregions are found in the Nearctic and Neotropic ecozones, from Mexico to Nicaragua and on the...
ecoregion
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 northeastern and Central Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, extending into the state of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in the United States.
Setting
The Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests are found at elevations of 1000–3500 m (3,280.8–11,482.9 ft) above sea level in the Sierra Madre OrientalSierra Madre Oriental
The Sierra Madre Oriental is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico.-Setting:Spanning the Sierra Madre Oriental runs from Coahuila south through Nuevo León, southwest Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and Hidalgo to northern Puebla, where it joins with the east-west running Eje Volcánico...
range, which runs north and south between the Gulf Coastal Plain
Gulf Coast of Mexico
The Gulf Coast of Mexico stretches along the Gulf of Mexico from the border with the United states at Matamoros, Tamaulipas all the way to the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula at Cancún. It includes the coastal regions along the Bay of Campeche. Major cities include Veracruz, Tampico, and...
to the east along the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, and the Mexican Plateau
Mexican Plateau
The Central Mexican Plateau, also known as the Mexican Altiplano or Altiplanicie Mexicana, is a large arid-to-semiarid plateau that occupies much of northern and central Mexico...
to the west. The ecoregion covers an area of 65600 km² (25,328.3 sq mi).
The southernmost forests transition to the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests
Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests
The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests is a subtropical coniferous forest ecoregion of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt of central Mexico.-Setting:...
in Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
state, near the southern end of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The forests extend almost continuously along the range through the states of Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, Hidalgo, Querétaro
Querétaro
Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....
, Guanajuato
Guanajuato
Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....
, San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
, Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
, and Nuevo León
Nuevo León
Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...
. North of Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, the forests become discontinuous, extending as a series of sky island
Sky island
Sky islands are mountains that are isolated by surrounding lowlands of a dramatically different environment, a situation which, in combination with the altitudinal zonation of ecosystems, has significant implications for natural habitats. Endemism, vertical migration, and relict populations are...
s through the states of Nuevo León and Coahuila
Coahuila
Coahuila, formally Coahuila de Zaragoza , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila de Zaragoza is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico...
, and on into the Chisos
Chisos Mountains
The Chisos Mountains are a mountain range located in the Big Bend area of West Texas, USA. The mountain range is contained entirely within the boundaries of Big Bend National Park. This is the only mountain range in the United States to be fully contained within the boundary of a National Park...
and Davis
Davis Mountains
The Davis Mountains are a range of mountains in West Texas, located near Fort Davis, after which they are named. They are a popular site for camping and hiking and the region includes Fort Davis National Historic Site and Davis Mountains State Park...
mountains of the Big Bend
Big Bend (Texas)
The Big Bend is a colloquial name of a geographic region in the western part of the state of Texas in the United States along the border with Mexico, roughly defined as the counties north of the prominent northward bend in the Rio Grande as it passes through the gap between the Chisos Mountains in...
region of western Texas. Other sky islands can be found on the higher peaks of the mountain ranges rising from the Mexican Plateau to the west.
Flora
The dominant species are many species of pinePine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
including Nelson Pinyon (Pinus nelsonii
Pinus nelsonii
Pinus nelsonii , is a species of pine native to the mountains of northeastern Mexico, in Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas at 1,800–3,200 m altitude. It has very singular characteristics and is not closely related to any other pines in either morphology or genetics...
), Mexican Pinyon
Mexican Pinyon
The Mexican Pinyon ' is a pine in the pinyon pine group, native to western North America.-Distribution:The range extends from westernmost Texas, United States , south through much of Mexico, occurring widely along the Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental ranges, and more rarely in the...
(P. cembroides), Smooth-bark Mexican Pine (P. pseudostrobus
Pinus pseudostrobus
Smooth-bark Mexican Pine , distinctive names in Spanish, tree endemic to Mexico.It is 8 to 25 m tall, dense and round top, the bark is brown and fissured and smooth when young. It grows between 1300-3250 m. From 26° to 15° north latitude, from Sinaloa, Mexico to Honduras. It occurs within a...
), and Arizona Pine
Arizona Pine
Pinus arizonica, commonly known as the Arizona pine, is a medium-sized pine in northern Mexico, southeast Arizona, southwest New Mexico, and western Texas in the United States. It is a tree growing to 25-35 m tall, with a trunk diameter of up . The needles are in bundles of 3, 4, or 5, with...
(P. arizonica), and the oaks Quercus castanea and Q. affinis. On the wetter slopes facing the ocean the most common trees are Mexican Pinyon and Juniperus deppeana
Juniperus deppeana
Juniperus deppeana is a small to medium-sized tree reaching 10-15 m tall. It is native to central and northern Mexico and the southwestern United States...
, while on the drier western slopes Weeping Pinyon (Pinus pinceana
Pinus pinceana
Weeping Pinyon is a species of conifer in the Pinaceae family.It is found only in Mexico.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Conifer Specialist Group 1998. . Downloaded on 10 July 2007....
) is more common. The forests are home to a great variety of other flora including agave
Agave
Agave is a genus of monocots. The plants are perennial, but each rosette flowers once and then dies ; they are commonly known as the century plant....
and other traditional food plants.
Fauna
Mammals that inhabit this ecoregion include the American Black BearAmerican black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
(Ursus americanus), which migrate along the Rio Grande
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
from Northern Coahuila to the Chisos Mountains in Texas, Mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
(Odocoileus hemionus), Cougar (Puma concolor), Cliff chipmunk
Cliff Chipmunk
The cliff chipmunk is a small, bushy-tailed squirrel that typically lives along cliff walls or boulder fields bordering Pinyon-juniper woodlands in the Western United States and Mexico. Cliff chipmunks are very agile, and can often be seen scaling steep cliff walls. Cliff chipmunks do not amass...
(Tamias dorsalis), Collared Peccary
Collared Peccary
The collared peccary is a species of mammal in the family Tayassuidae that is found in North, Central, and South America. They are commonly referred to as javelina, saíno or báquiro, although these terms are also used to describe other species in the family...
(Pecari tajacu), White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica), 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...
(Panthera onca) and Coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
(Canis latrans).
The Maroon-fronted Parrot
Maroon-fronted Parrot
The Maroon-fronted Parrot is a large, macaw-like parrot. It is dark green with a dark red shoulder and a maroon forehead and eye-stripe. Its underside of the wings and tail appear to be black when it is in flight. It makes a high, rolling cr-a ak sound...
(Rhynchopsitta terrisi) and Colima Warbler
Colima Warbler
The Colima Warbler, Oreothlypis crissalis, is a New World warbler. It is mainly found in the Sierra Madre Occidental of central Mexico, though its range just barely extends into adjacent southwestern Texas in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park....
(Vermivora crissalis) are endemic to this ecoregion. Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
s (Meleagris gallapavo), Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
s (Falco peregrinus) and Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
(Aquila chrysaetos) are also resident.
Pine-oak forests in Coahuila are part of the migration route of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus).