Da Hinggan-Dzhagdy Mountains conifer forests

Ecoregion: Da Hinggan-Dzhagdy Mountains conifer forests
Zeya Nature Reserve, Russia
Ecoregion territory (in purple)
Ecology
Realm	Palearctic
Biome	Temperate coniferous forests
Geography
Area	24,837,985 km2 (9,590,000 sq mi)
Countries	Russia, China
Coordinates	51°45′N 123°45′E / 51.75°N 123.75°E / 51.75; 123.75Coordinates: 51°45′N 123°45′E / 51.75°N 123.75°E / 51.75; 123.75

The Da Hinggan-Dzhagdy Mountains conifer forests ecoregion (WWF ID:PA0505) covers the Greater Khingan Mountains of northern Manchuria (China), and across the border north into Russia where it follows the mountain ridge for another 500 km to the east. The mountain forests exhibit a floral community called "Daurian flora", a combination of the Siberian taiga to the north and the Manchurian floral types to the south. The eastern slopes are steep and drained by many rivers, the western slopes are gentler, and there are grasslands on some slopes. The ecoregion is in the Palearctic ecozone, with a Cold semi-arid climate climate. It covers 35,199,998 km² (13,590,795 sq mi).^[1]

Location and description

The ecoregion covers the Greater Khingan mountains in northern Manchuria, crosses the Amur River north into Russia.^[2] In China, this is in the northern parts of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Heilongjiang Province. In Russia, most of the region is in Amur Oblast.^[3]

Climate

Because of its altitude distance from the ocean, the ecoregion has an Subarctic climate (Köppen climate classification Dwc). This indicates a local climate characterized by short, cool summers, and very cold, long winters. These climate regions tend to at higher elevations in the middle of continents, with wide differences between day and night temperatures.

Flora and fauna

Because the ecoregion forms a transition zone between northern (Siberian) and southern (Manchurian) flora types, it features examples of both - approximately two-thirds of the 1,200 local species of vascular plants are Siberian, the other third Manchurian, Daurian and Mongolian. This combination of floral communities is sometimes referred to as "Daurian flora". The dominant trees at higher elevations are Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii), with pine and spruce stands. Typical trees at lower elevation include Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica), hazel, alder, birch, poplars and elms.^[2] The area is one of the few remaining large tracts of forest in China, but was also the scene of the largest forest fire in modern Chinese history (over 1 million hectares in 1987).^[5]

Protections

The federally protected areas in the region are:

• Nora Nature Reserve ("Norsky"). An IUCN class Ia "strict ecological reserve" (a Zapovednik) located in the northwest section of the ecoregion, north of the Russia-China border. Nora is representative of the northeastern part of the Amur-Zeya lowland plain between the Nora River and the Selemdzha River. The reserve is half forested, and half bogs. (Area: 211,168 km2).
• Zeya Nature Reserve ("Zeysky"). An IUCN class Ia "strict ecological reserve" (a Zapovednik) located in the north-central section of the ecoregion, in the mountainous headwaters of the Zeya River. The area is heavily forested, mostly with larch and Mongolian oak. (Area: 99,390 km2).

See also

• List of ecoregions in Russia

References

External links

• Map of ecoregion Da Hinggan-Dzhagdy Mountains conifer forests. GlobalSpecies.org