Central Mountain Range

Central Mountain Range
Chungyang Range
Central Mountain Range
Highest point
Peak Xiuguluan Mountain
Elevation 3,860 m (12,660 ft)
Coordinates 23°11′N 120°54′E / 23.183°N 120.900°E / 23.183; 120.900Coordinates: 23°11′N 120°54′E / 23.183°N 120.900°E / 23.183; 120.900 
Naming
Native name 中央山脈
Geography
The location of Central Mountain Range
Location Taiwan
Geology
Mountain type Mountain range

The Central Mountain Range, also known as the Zhongyang Range or Chungyang Range (Chinese: 中央山脈; pinyin: Zhōngyāng Shānmò; Wade–Giles: Chung1-yang1 Shan1-mo4; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tiong-iong-soaⁿ-me̍h; also 中央山龍; Tiong-iong-soaⁿ-lêng), is the principal range of mountains in Taiwan. It runs from the north of the island to the south. Due to this separation, connecting between the west and east is not very convenient. The tallest peak of the range is Xiuguluan Mountain, 3,860 m (12,664 ft).

In a broad sense, Central Mountain Range includes its conjoint ranges such as Xueshan Range and Yushan Range; thus the tallest peak of Central Mountain Range in this sense is Yushan (Jade Mountain/Mount Morrison), 3,952 meters (12,966 feet), and the second tallest peak is Xueshan (Snow Mountain), 3,886 m (12,749 ft).

Ecology

The Central Range lies within the Taiwan subtropical evergreen forests ecoregion, and the composition of the forest varies with elevation. The coastal plains and lower elevations are covered by evergreen laurel-Castanopsis forests, dominated by Cryptocarya chinensis and Castanopsis hystrix, with scattered stands of the subtropical pine Pinus massoniana. As elevation increases, the evergreen broadleaf trees are gradually replaced by deciduous broadleaf trees and conifers. At higher elevations, Cyclobalanopsis glauca replaces laurel and Castanopsis as the dominant tree.

Above 3,000 m (9,840 ft), deciduous broadleaf trees like Formosan Alder (Alnus formosana) and maple (Acer spp.) mix with Taiwan Hemlock (Tsuga chinensis). At the highest elevations, subalpine forests are dominated by conifers, including Taiwan hemlock (Tsuga chinensis), Taiwan spruce (Picea morrisonicola), and Taiwan fir (Abies kawakamii).

See also

  • "Taiwan subtropical evergreen forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
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