Himalayan subtropical pine forests

Pinus roxburghii forest, Uttarakhand, India

Ecoregion territory (in purple)

Ecology
Realm| Indomalayan
Biome| Tropical and subtropical coniferous forests
Borders|

List

* Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
* Western Himalayan broadleaf forests
* Northwestern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
* Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
* Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests
* Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests
* Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands
* Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests
* Northwestern thorn scrub forests
* Baluchistan xeric woodlands

Bird species| 469[1]
Mammal species| 162[1]
Geography
Area| 76,200 km2 (29,400 sq mi)
Countries|

* India
* Bhutan
* Nepal
* Pakistan

Conservation
Habitat loss| 86.65%[1]
Protected| 4.09%[1]

The Himalayan subtropical pine forests are a large subtropical coniferous forest ecoregion covering portions of Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan.

## Geography

[edit]

This huge pine forest stretches for 3000 km across the lower elevations of the great Himalaya range for almost its entire length including parts of Pakistan's Punjab Province in the west through Azad Kashmir, the northern Indian states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim, Nepal and Bhutan, which is the eastern extent of the pine forest. Like so many Himalayan ecosystems the pine forests are split by the deep Kali Gandaki Gorge in Nepal, to the west of which the forest is slightly drier while it is wetter and thicker to the east where the monsoon rains coming off the Bay of Bengal bring more moisture.[2]

## Flora

[edit]

The predominant flora of the ecoregion is a thin woodland of drought-resistant Pinus roxburghii, Pinus hwangshanensis, Juniperus tibetica, Shorea robusta, Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata, and Taxus sumatrana trees with a ground cover of thick grass, as regular fires do not allow a shrubby undergrowth to establish itself. The ground cover consists of Arundinella setosa, cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica) and Themeda anathera.

Pine forest mainly grows on south-facing slopes although in western Nepal there are areas facing in other directions. Some of the larger areas can be found in the lower elevations of Kangra and Una Districts of Himachal Pradesh and in Bhutan. It occurs in smaller patches in eastern Himachal Pradesh and lower Uttarakhand, in the more thinly populated western Nepal, and on the lower elevations (between 1,000 and 2,000m) of the Sivalik and Himachal ranges.

## Fauna

[edit]

Although there is not a rich variety of wildlife here when compared to tropical rainforest for example the region is important habitat, especially for birds. Wildlife includes tigers and leopards although in smaller numbers than in the lowland areas where herds of grazing antelopes provide food for them, whereas these slopes do not sustain grazing in large numbers. More typical animals of the pine forest are langurs and other animals of the Himalayas. Birds include the chestnut-breasted partridge and cheer pheasants that hide in the lush grass.

## Conservation

[edit]

These habitats are vulnerable to logging for firewood or conversion to grazing or farmland and more than half the area has been cleared or degraded which then allows the mountain water to wash away the soil quickly. The most profound changes can be seen in central and eastern Nepal, where the forest has been cleared for terrace farming. The protected areas of pine forest are small but include part of the larger Jim Corbett National Park.

## See also

[edit]

* List of ecoregions in India

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Hoekstra, J. M.; Molnar, J. L.; Jennings, M.; Revenga, C.; Spalding, M. D.; Boucher, T. M.; Robertson, J. C.; Heibel, T. J.; Ellison, K. (2010). Molnar, J. L. (ed.). The Atlas of Global Conservation: Changes, Challenges, and Opportunities to Make a Difference. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-26256-0.
2. ^ "Himalayan subtropical pine forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.

## External links

[edit]

* "Himalayan subtropical pine forests Ecoregion". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.

* v
* t
* e

Ecoregions of India

Tropical and
subtropical
Forests|

| Moist
broadleaf|

* Andaman Islands rain forests
* Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests
* Eastern highlands moist deciduous forests
* Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests
* Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests
* Malabar Coast moist forests
* Maldives–Lakshadweep–Chagos Archipelago tropical moist forests
* Meghalaya subtropical forests
* Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests
* Nicobar Islands rain forests
* North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
* North Western Ghats montane rain forests
* Odisha semi-evergreen forests
* South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests
* South Western Ghats montane rain forests
* Sundarbans freshwater swamp forests
* Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests

|

Dry
broadleaf|

* Central Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests
* Chota Nagpur dry deciduous forests
* East Deccan dry evergreen forests
* Khathiar–Gir dry deciduous forests
* Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests
* Northern dry deciduous forests
* South Deccan Plateau dry deciduous forests

Coniferous|

* Himalayan subtropical pine forests
* Northeast India–Myanmar pine forests

Temperate
Forests|

| Himalayan Broadleaf|

* Eastern
* Western

|

Himalayan Subalpine conifer|

* Eastern
* Western

Grasslands,
Shrublands,
and
Savannas|

| Tropical and subtropical|

* Terai–Duar savanna and grasslands

|

Montane|

| Tibetan Plateau Alpine Steppe|

* Central
* Karakoram-West

|

Himalayan Alpine shrub and Meadows|

* Eastern
* Northwestern
* Western

Flooded|

* Rann of Kutch seasonal salt marsh

Deserts and Xeric|

* Deccan thorn scrub forests
* Northwestern thorn scrub forests
* Thar Desert

Mangrove|

* Godavari–Krishna mangroves
* Indus River Delta–Arabian Sea mangroves
* Sundarbans mangroves

Ecoregions of India

* v
* t
* e

State of Uttarakhand

State capitals: legislative: Dehradun (winter); Bhararisain (summer); judicial: Nainital

Government|

| Symbols|

* Day
* Emblem
* Song
* Motto

|

Executive|

* Governor
* Chief Minister
* Council of Ministers
* Cabinets
* Chief Secretary
* Gazette
* Agencies
* Departments
* Disaster Response Force
* Fire and Emergency Services
* Provincial Armed Constabulary
* Forest Department
* Police Department
* Public Service Commission
* Provincial Civil Service
* Provincial Police Service
* Provincial Forest Service

Legislature|

* Legislative Assembly
* History
* Speaker
* Leader of the Opposition

Judiciary|

* High Court
* Chief Justice
* Judges
* Bar Council
* Lok Adalat
* Lokayukta

History|

| Ancient
kingdoms|

* Uttarakuru kingdom
* Paurava kingdom
* Khasa Janapada kingdom
* Himalaya kingdom
* Parvata kingdom
* Kirata kingdom
* Nanda Empire
* Maurya Empire
* Kushan Empire
* Kuninda Kingdom
* Gupta Empire

|

Medieval
kingdoms|

* Garhwal Kingdom
* Panwar dynasty
* Kumaon Kingdom
* Katyuri dynasty
* Chand dynasty
* Khasa Kingdom
* Raika Kingdom
* Gorkha Kingdom
* Shah dynasty
* Anglo-Nepalese War
* Treaty of Sugauli

Colonial
Uttarakhand|

| Company
rule|

* Ceded and Conquered Provinces
* North-Western Provinces
* Agra Presidency

|

Crown
rule|

* United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
* United Provinces of Agra and Oudh
* United Provinces

Contemporary
Uttarakhand|

* Rampur Tiraha firing
* Bifurcation of Uttar Pradesh

Geography
and
ecology|

| Geological
features|

| Mountains|

* Great Himalayas
* Garhwal Himalayas
* Sivalik Hills
* Mountain peaks
* Bugyals
* Lakes

|

Plains|

* Bhabar
* Terai
* Doab
* Ganges Basin

Ecoregions|

| Highlands|

* Western Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows
* Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
* Himalayan subtropical pine forests

|

Lowlands|

* Western Himalayan broadleaf forests
* Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests
* Terai–Duar savanna and grasslands
* Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests

Demographics|

| Ethnic
groups|

| Indo-Aryans|

* Garhwalis
* Kumaonis
* Jaunsaris
* Buksas
* Tharus

|

Tibeto-Burmans|

* Bhotiyas
* Shaukas
* Rajis
* Jads
* Banrawats

Scheduled Castes
and
Scheduled Tribes|

* Scheduled Castes
* Scheduled Tribes

Languages|

| Official|

* Hindi
* Sanskrit

|

Spoken|

| Indo-Aryan|

* Garhwali
* Kumaoni
* Jaunsari
* Bangani
* Buksa
* Tharu

|

Tibeto-Burman|

* Rongpo
* Byangsi
* Chaudangsi
* Darmiya
* Raji
* Rawat
* Jad

Administrative
divisions|

| Urban|

* Districts
* Tehsils
* Urban Local Bodies
* Municipal Corporations

|

Rural|

* Parganas
* Community Development Blocks

Politics|

* Coolie-Begar movement
* Statehood movement
* Chipko movement
* 2016 political crisis
* Elections
* Local elections
* Assembly constituencies
* Former constituencies
* Parliamentary constituencies
* Rajya Sabha members
* Lok Sabha members

Tourism|

| Monuments|

* World Heritage Site
* Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks
* Ramsar Wetland
* Asan Barrage
* Monuments of National Importance
* State Protected Monuments
* Temples
* Tourist attractions in Dehradun

|

Chardham
circuit|

* Gangotri
* Yamunotri
* Yamunotri Temple
* Badrinath
* Badrinath Temple
* Kedarnath
* Kedarnath Temple
* Sapta Badri
* Panch Kedar
* Panch Prayag
* Gomukh

National
parks|

* Gangotri
* Govind Pashu Vihar
* Jim Corbett
* Nanda Devi
* Rajaji
* Valley of Flowers

Sports|

* Cricket
* Men's cricket team
* Women's cricket team
* Association football
* Men's football team
* Cricket Stadium
* Olympic Stadium
* Sports College

Other
topics|

* Transport
* Airports
* Char Dham Highway
* Char Dham Railway
* Dehradun–Haridwar–Rishikesh Metro
* Music
* Cuisine
* Kumaoni cuisine
* Economy
* Education
* School Education Board
* Institutes of higher education
* Awards and decorations
* Uttarakhand Ratna
* Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman

Districts|

| Kumaon|

* Almora
* Bageshwar
* Champawat
* Nainital
* Pithoragarh
* Udham Singh Nagar

|

Garhwal|

* Chamoli
* Dehradun
* Haridwar
* Pauri Garhwal
* Rudraprayag
* Tehri Garhwal
* Uttarkashi

Major
cities|

* Dehradun
* Haridwar
* Haldwani
* Roorkee
* Kashipur
* Rudrapur
* Kotdwar
* Rishikesh
* Ramnagar
* Pithoragarh
* Srinagar
* New Tehri
* Nainital
* Mussoorie
* Almora
* Pauri

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