Araucaria moist forests
Encyclopedia
The Araucaria moist forests are a subtropical moist forest
ecoregion of southern Brazil
and northeastern Argentina
.
, Paraná
, Santa Catarina
, and Rio Grande do Sul
, and extending into Misiones Province
of Argentina
.
The ecoregion lies above 500 metres (1,640.4 ft), rising to 1600 metres (5,249.3 ft) elevation on the high slopes of the Serra da Mantiqueira.
The ecoregion is bounded by the Paraná-Paraíba interior forests
to the north, west, and south, the Cerrado
savannas and shrublands to the northeast, The Serra do Mar coastal forests
to the east, and the Uruguayan savanna
to the southwest.
(Cfb
), with frequent frost
s during the winter months and some snow
falls (generally light) in the highest areas. Annual precipitation is high, ranging from 1300–3000 mm (51.2–118.1 in), without a dry season
.
), Campomanesia xanthocarpa (Myrtaceae
), and Parapiptadenia rigida
(Leguminosae). Brazilian Araucaria (Araucaria angustifolia) forms an emergent
layer, growing up to 45 metres (147.6 ft) in height. The forests are significant from an evolutionary perspective, as a relict of mixed coniferous and broad-leafed forests that were once much more widespread, and are home to many taxa characteristic of the Antarctic flora
.
by Conservation International
, and as a Global 200
ecoregion by the World Wildlife Fund.
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests
Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests , also known as tropical moist forests, are a tropical and subtropical forest biome....
ecoregion of southern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and northeastern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
Setting
The Araucaria moist forests cover an area of 216100 square kilometre, encompassing a region of mountains and plateaus in the Brazilian states of São PauloSão Paulo (state)
São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...
, Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
, Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (state)
Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
, and Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, and extending into Misiones Province
Misiones Province
Misiones is one of the 23 provinces of Argentina, located in the northeastern corner of the country in the Mesopotamiсa region. It is surrounded by Paraguay to the northwest, Brazil to the north, east and south, and Corrientes Province of Argentina to the southwest.- History :The province was...
of Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
The ecoregion lies above 500 metres (1,640.4 ft), rising to 1600 metres (5,249.3 ft) elevation on the high slopes of the Serra da Mantiqueira.
The ecoregion is bounded by the Paraná-Paraíba interior forests
Paraná-Paraíba interior forests
The Alto Paraná Atlantic forests, also known as the Paraná-Paraíba interior forests, is a tropical moist forest ecoregion of southern Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and eastern Paraguay.-Setting:...
to the north, west, and south, the Cerrado
Cerrado
The Cerrado, is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Gioas and Minas Gerais...
savannas and shrublands to the northeast, The Serra do Mar coastal forests
Serra do Mar coastal forests
Biome: Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forestsRealm: NeotropicalWWF ID: NT0160Size: 104,800 square kilometers...
to the east, and the Uruguayan savanna
Uruguayan savanna
The Uruguayan savanna, also known as the Brazilian-Uruguayan savanna, is a subtropical grassland and savanna ecoregion which includes all of Uruguay, some areas of northeastern Argentina and southernmost Brazil.-Flora:...
to the southwest.
Climate
The Araucaria moist forests have a subtropical highland climateOceanic 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...
(Cfb
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
), with frequent frost
Frost
Frost is the solid deposition of water vapor from saturated air. It is formed when solid surfaces are cooled to below the dew point of the adjacent air as well as below the freezing point of water. Frost crystals' size differ depending on time and water vapour available. Frost is also usually...
s during the winter months and some snow
Snow
Snow is a form of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by...
falls (generally light) in the highest areas. Annual precipitation is high, ranging from 1300–3000 mm (51.2–118.1 in), without a dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
.
Flora
The ecoregion mostly consists of evergreen subtropical moist forests, with a canopy made up of Ocotea pretiosa and O. catharinense (LauraceaeLauraceae
The Lauraceae or Laurel family comprises a group of flowering plants included in the order Laurales. The family contains about 55 genera and over 3500, perhaps as many as 4000, species world-wide, mostly from warm or tropical regions, especially Southeast Asia and South America...
), Campomanesia xanthocarpa (Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
), and Parapiptadenia rigida
Parapiptadenia rigida
Parapiptadenia rigida is a perennial shrub or tree. It is not a threatened species. It is native to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay...
(Leguminosae). Brazilian Araucaria (Araucaria angustifolia) forms an emergent
Emergent
It may also mean:* Emergent , Neural Simulation Software* Emergent , a 2003 album by Gordian Knot* emergent plant, a plant which grows in water but which pierces the surface so that it is partially in air...
layer, growing up to 45 metres (147.6 ft) in height. The forests are significant from an evolutionary perspective, as a relict of mixed coniferous and broad-leafed forests that were once much more widespread, and are home to many taxa characteristic of the Antarctic flora
Antarctic flora
The Antarctic flora is a distinct community of vascular plants which evolved millions of years ago on the supercontinent of Gondwana, and is now found on several separate areas of the Southern Hemisphere, including southern South America, southernmost Africa, New Zealand, Australia and New Caledonia...
.
Fauna
The ecoregion is home to several threatened species endemic to the Atlantic forests, including the Brown Howler Monkey (Alouatta guariba) and the Red-spectacled Parrot (Amazona pretrei). The Araucaria moist forests is recognized as an important endemic bird area.Conservation and threats
The Araucaria moist forests are part of the Atlantic Forests, which are recognized as a biodiversity hotspotBiodiversity hotspot
A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The Environmentalist” , revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in...
by Conservation International
Conservation International
Conservation International is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, which seeks to ensure the health of humanity by protecting Earth's ecosystems and biodiversity. CI’s work focuses on six key initiatives that affect human well-being: climate, food security, freshwater...
, and as a Global 200
Global 200
The Global 200 is the list of ecoregions identified by the World Wildlife Fund as priorities for conservation. According to the WWF, an ecoregion is defined as a "relatively large unit of land or water containing a characteristic set of natural communities that share a large majority of their...
ecoregion by the World Wildlife Fund.