The
South Western Ghats montane rain forests are an
ecoregionAn ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or "ecozone". Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural communities and species...
of
southern IndiaSouth India, also known as the Dravida in the Indian anthem, is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of area...
, covering the southern portion of the
Western GhatsThe Western Ghats also known as the Sahyadri Mountains, is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea...
range in
KarnatakaKarnataka is a state in the southern part of India. It was created on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act...
,
KeralaKerala , is a state located in southwestern India. The state was created in 1956 on linguistc basis, bringing together those places where Malayalam formed the principal language...
and
Tamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai . Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by Puducherry , Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh...
, at elevations over 1000 meters. They are cooler and wetter than the lower-elevation
South Western Ghats moist deciduous forestsThe South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southern India. It covers the southern portion of the Western Ghats range and the Nilgiri Hills between 250 and 1000 meters elevation in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states.-Setting:The ecoregion...
, which surround the montane rain forests.
The ecoregion is the most
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
-rich in peninsular
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
, and is home to numerous
endemicEndemism is the ecological state of being unique to a particular geographic location, such as a specific island, habitat type, nation, or other defined zone. To be endemic to a place or area means that it is found only in that part of the world and nowhere else. For example, many species of lemur...
species. It covers an area of 22,600 square kilometers (8,700 square miles).
The
South Western Ghats montane rain forests are an
ecoregionAn ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area smaller than a "realm" or "ecozone". Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural communities and species...
of
southern IndiaSouth India, also known as the Dravida in the Indian anthem, is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of area...
, covering the southern portion of the
Western GhatsThe Western Ghats also known as the Sahyadri Mountains, is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea...
range in
KarnatakaKarnataka is a state in the southern part of India. It was created on November 1, 1956, with the passing of the States Reorganisation Act...
,
KeralaKerala , is a state located in southwestern India. The state was created in 1956 on linguistc basis, bringing together those places where Malayalam formed the principal language...
and
Tamil NaduTamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai . Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by Puducherry , Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh...
, at elevations over 1000 meters. They are cooler and wetter than the lower-elevation
South Western Ghats moist deciduous forestsThe South Western Ghats moist deciduous forests is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of southern India. It covers the southern portion of the Western Ghats range and the Nilgiri Hills between 250 and 1000 meters elevation in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu states.-Setting:The ecoregion...
, which surround the montane rain forests.
Setting
The ecoregion is the most
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
-rich in peninsular
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
, and is home to numerous
endemicEndemism is the ecological state of being unique to a particular geographic location, such as a specific island, habitat type, nation, or other defined zone. To be endemic to a place or area means that it is found only in that part of the world and nowhere else. For example, many species of lemur...
species. It covers an area of 22,600 square kilometers (8,700 square miles). It is estimated that two-thirds of the original forests have been cleared, and only 3,200 square kilometers, or 15% of the intact area, is protected.
The southern portion of the Western Ghats contains the highest peaks in the range, notably Anai Mudi in Kerala, at 2695 meters elevation. The Ghats intercept the moisture-laden
monsoonA pennis is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by seasonal changes in precipitation, but now is used to describe seasonal changes atmospheric circulation and precipitation The major monsoon systems of the world consist of the African and Asia-Australian monsoons...
winds off the
Arabian SeaThe Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui, the north-east point of Somalia, Socotra, Kanyakumari in India, and the western coast...
, and the average annual precipitation exceeds 2,800 mm. The northeast monsoon from October to November supplements the June to September southwest monsoon. The South Western Ghats are the wettest portion of peninsular India, and are surrounded by drier ecoregions to the east and north.
Flora
The cool and moist climate, high rainfall, and variety of microclimates brought about by differences in elevation and exposure supports lush and diverse forests; 35% of the plant species are endemic to the ecoregion. Moist evergreen
montaneIn biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
forests are the predominant
habitatThe term habitat has a number of meanings:* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows** Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
type. The montane evergreen forests support a great diversity of species. The trees generally form a canopy at 15 to 20 m, and the forests are multistoried and rich in epiphytes, especially orchids. Characteristic canopy trees are
CulleniaCullenia is a genus of flowering plants native to India and Sri Lanka. Earlier classification schemes place the genus in the Kapok-tree family , but the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group places it in the Malva family ....
exarillata,
Mesua ferreaMesua ferrea is a species in the family Clusiaceae. The plant is named after the heaviness of its timber and cultivated in tropical climates for its form, foliage, and fragrant flowers...
,
Palaquium ellipticum,
GlutaGluta is a genus of plant in family Anacardiaceae.Species include:* Gluta capituliflora, Ding Hou* Gluta curtisii, Ding Hou* Gluta lanceolata, Ridley* Gluta papuana, Ding Hou* Gluta travancorica, Bedd....
travancorica, and
NageiaNageia is a genus of conifers belonging to the podocarp family Podocarpaceae. Nageia includes evergreen shrubs and trees, from one to 54 meters in height. Six species are recognized, with N. formosensis recently split out from N. nagi...
wallichiana.
Nageia is a podocarp conifer with origins in the ancient supercontinent of
GondwanaGondwana , originally Gondwanaland, is the name given to a southern precursor-supercontinent. Its final joining occurred between ca. 570 and 510 Ma ago, joining East Gondwana to West Gondwana. It later separated from Laurasia 180- during the breakup of the Pangaea supercontinent that existed about...
, of which India was formerly part, and a number of other plants in the ecoregion have Gondwana origins. Other evergreen tree species of the montane forest include
CalophyllumCalophyllum is a plant genus of around 180-200 species of tropical evergreen trees in the family Clusiaceae. Its members are native to Australasia, Madagascar, Eastern Africa, South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific islands, the West Indies and Latin America...
austroindicum,
GarciniaGarcinia is a plant genus of the family Clusiaceae native to Asia, Australia, tropical and southern Africa, and Polynesia. The number of species is highly disputed, with various sources recognizing between 50 and about 300 taxa as specifically valid...
rubro-echinata,
Garcinia travancorica,
DiospyrosDiospyros is a genus of about 450-500 species of deciduous and evergreen trees. The majority are native to the tropics, with only a few species extending into temperate regions...
barberi,
MemecylonMemecylon is a genus of plant in family Melastomataceae.Species include:* Memecylon arnottianum, Wight ex Thwaites* Memecylon bequaertii, De Wild.* Memecylon candidum, Gilg* Memecylon cinereum, King* Memecylon clarkeanum, Cogn....
subramanii,
Memecylon gracile,
GoniothalamusGoniothalamus is one of the largest palaeotropical genera of plant in family Annonaceae.-Species list:It contains the following species :Indian Region...
rhyncantherus, and
VernoniaVernonia is a genus of about 1000 species of forbs and shrubs in the family Asteraceae. Some species are known as Ironweed. Some species are edible and of economic value. They are known for having intense purple flowers. The genus is named for English botanist William Vernon. There are numerous...
travancorica.
The other major habitat type in the ecoregion is the
sholaShola is a type of high-altitude stunted evergreen forest found in southern India. Patches of shola forest are usually separated from one another by undulating grassland. Together the shola and grassland form the shola-grassland complex or shola-grassland mosaic...
-grassland complex, found at elevations of 1,900 to 2,220 m.
Shola is a stunted forest, with an upper story of small trees, generally
Pygeum gardneri,
ScheffleraSchefflera is a genus in the flowering plant family Araliaceae. The plants are trees, shrubs or lianas, growing 1-30 m tall, with woody stems and palmately-compound leaves. The circumscription of the genus has varied greatly...
racemosa,
Linociera ramiflora,
SyzygiumSyzygium is a genus of flowering plants that belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. The genus comprises about 1100 species, and has a native range that extends from Africa and Madagascar through southern Asia east through the Pacific...
spp.,
RhododendronRhododendron is a genus of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. It is a large genus with over 1000 species and most have showy flower displays. It includes the plants known to gardeners as azaleas...
nilgiricum,
MahoniaMahonia is a genus of about 70 species of evergreen shrubs in the family Berberidaceae, native to eastern Asia, the Himalayas, North America and Central America. They are closely related to the genus Berberis. Botanists disagree on the acceptability of the genus name Mahonia...
nepalensis,
ElaeocarpusElaeocarpus is a genus of tropical and subtropical evergreen trees and shrubs. The approximately 350 species are distributed from Madagascar in the west through India, Southeast Asia, Malaysia, southern China, and Japan, through Australia to New Zealand, Fiji, and Hawaii in the east. The islands of...
recurvatus,
Ilex denticulata,
MicheliaMichelia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the Magnolia family . The genus includes about 50 species of evergreen trees and shrubs, native to tropical and subtropical south and southeast Asia , including southern China....
nilagirica,
ActinodaphneActinodaphne is a genus of the family Lauraceae or Laurel family that comprises a group of flowering plants within in the order Laurales.-Species:* Actinodaphne albifrons* Actinodaphne bourneae* Actinodaphne cupularis...
bourdellonii, and
LitseaLitsea is a genus of evergreen or deciduous trees or shrubs belonging to the Laurel family, Lauraceae. The genus includes 200-400 species in tropical and subtropical Australia, New Zealand, North America and South America and Asia. China alone has over 70 species, mostly in warm regions of the...
wightiana. Below the upper story is a low understory and a dense shrub layer. These
shola forests are interspersed with montane grasslands, characterized by frost- and fire-resistant
grassGrasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns...
species like
Chrysopogon zeylanicus,
Cymbopogon flexuosus,
Arundinella ciliata,
Arundinella mesophylla,
Arundinella tuberculata,
Themeda tremula, and
Sehima nervosum.
Fauna
The ecoregion also supports a rich fauna, which is also high in endemism: of 78
mammalMammals are a class of vertebrate animals whose females are characterized by the possession of mammary glands while both males and females are characterized by sweat glands, hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex region in the brain.Mammals are divided into three main...
species, 10 are endemic, along with 42% of the
fishA fish is any aquatic vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins...
es, 48% of the
reptileReptiles, or members of the class Reptilia, are air-breathing, generally "cold-blooded" amniotes that generally have skin covered in scales or scutes. They are tetrapods and lay amniote eggs, whose embryos are surrounded by the amnion membrane...
s, and 75% of the amphibians. Of 309
birdBirds are winged, bipedal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Birds range in size from the Bee Hummingbird to the ...
species, 13 are endemic.
The ecoregion supports India's largest
elephantElephants are large land mammals in two genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta. Three species of elephant are living today: the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant and the Asian Elephant...
population, along with populations of threatened
tigerThe tiger is a member of the Felidae family; the largest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera. Native to much of eastern and southern Asia, the tiger is an apex predator and an obligate carnivore...
(Panthera tigris),
leopardThe leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera; the other three being the tiger, lion and jaguar...
(Panthera pardus),
sloth bearThe Sloth Bear , also known as the Lip Bear, is a mammal of the family Ursidae which is native to the lowland forests of India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka...
(Melursus ursinus),
gaurThe gaur is a large, dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The biggest populations are found today in India. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger than the Cape buffalo, water buffalo and bison...
(Bos gaurus), and
wild dogWild dog may refer to:*One of several types of feral dog - domestic dogs which have gone feral - including:**Pariah dogs**Carolina Dogs**New Guinea Singing Dogs**Free-ranging urban dogs...
(Cuon alpinus). The rare and endemic
Nilgiri tahrThe Nilgiri Tahr is an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills and the southern portion of the Western Ghats in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in southern India.It is the state animal of Tamil Nadu.-Etymology:...
(Hemitragus hylocrius) is limited to a 400 km band of
shola-grassland mosaic, from the Nilgiri Hills in the north to the Ashambu Hills in the south. The lion-tailed
macaqueThe macaques constitute a genus of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. Aside from humans , the macaques are the most widespread primate genus, ranging from northern Africa to Japan...
(Macaca silenus) and Nilgiri macaque (Semnopithecus johnii) are endangered endemic
primateA primate is a member of the biological order Primates , the group that contains lemurs, lorisids, galagos, tarsiers, monkeys, and apes, with the last category including great apes. With the exception of humans, who inhabit every continent on Earth, most primates live in tropical or subtropical...
species.
90 of India's 484 reptile species are endemic to the ecoregion, with eight endemic genera (
Brachyophidium, Dravidogecko, Melanophidium, Plectrurus, Ristella, Salea, Teretrurus, and
Xylophis). Almost 50% of India's 206 amphibian species are endemic to the ecoregion, with six endemic genera (
Indotyphlus, Melanobatrachus, Nannobatrachus, Nyctibatrachus, Ranixalus, and
Uraeotyphlus).
Protected areas
As of 1997, 13 protected areas had been designated, covering an area of over 3,200 km².
- Pushpagiri
Pushpagiri, at 1,712 meters, is the highest peak in Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. It is located in the Somwarpet Taluk, 20 km from Somwarpet Town northern part of Kodagu district....
, Karnataka (60 km²)
- Talakaveri
Talakaveri , is the place that is generally considered to be the source of the Kaveri River. It is located in the Brahmagiri hill near Bhagamandala in Kodagu district, Karnataka, 1,276 m. above sea level...
, Karnataka 250 km²)
- Brahmagiri
Brahmagiri is a mountain range in the Western Ghats of south India. It is situated on the border between Wayanad District of Kerala state on the south and Kodagu district in Karnataka on the north side...
, Karnataka (190 km²)
- Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala (50 km²)
- Karimpuzha National Park
Karimpuzha National Park is a 230 km² proposed National Park located at in the Nilgiri Hills, Palakkad district, Kerala, in South India, IUCN category: PRO -History:Madras Forest Act came into force in 1882...
, Kerala (230 km²)
- Silent Valley National Park
Silent Valley National Park സൈലന്റ് വാലീ നാഷണല് പാര്ക്ക് சைலண்ட் வேலி நேஷனல் பார்க் is located in the Nilgiri Hills, Coimbatore - Palakkad districts in South India. The area under this national park was historically explored in 1847 by the botanist Robert Wight, and is associated with Hindu...
, Kerala (110 km²)
- Eravikulam National Park
Eravikulam National Park is a 97 km² national park located along the Western Ghats in the Idukki district of Kerala in India, between 10º05'N - 10º20'N latitude and 77º0'E - 77º10'E longitude...
, Kerala (97 km²)
- Periyar National Park
Periyar is a protected area, and a nature reserve in the South Indian State of Kerala, set high in the mountains of the Western Ghats at the border to Tamil Nadu. It lies in the districts of Idukki and Pathanamthitta...
, Kerala (540 km²)
- Parambikulam
Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary is a 285 km² Protected area in Chittur taluk in Palakkad district of Kerala state, South India. Established in 1973, it is in the Sungam range of hills between the Anaimalai Hills and Nelliampathy Hills., , The Western Ghats, Anamalai Sub-Cluster, including all of...
, Kerala (260 km²)
- Idukki National Park, Kerala (80 km²)
- Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala(40 km²)
- Shenduruny Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala (300 km²)
- Meghamalai
Meghamalai Hills, Theni, Tamilnadu, IndiaMeghamalai, popularly called High Wavy Mountains, is a cool and misty mountain range situated in the Western Ghats in Theni district, Tamilnadu, South India. It is a place of natural beauty dotted with cardamom plantations and tea estates...
, Tamilnadu (120 km²)
- Anamalai, Tamil Nadu (600 km²)
- Mukurthi National Park
Mukurthi National Park is a 78.46 km² protected area located in the south-eastern corner of the Nilgiris Plateau west of Ootacamund hill station in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu state in the Western Ghats mountain range of South India...
, Tamilnadu (60 km²)
- Kalakad Mundanthurai
Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve , situated in the Southern Western Ghats in Tirunelveli district, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is the second largest protected area in Tamil Nadu State. This reserve was created in 1988 by combining Kalakad Wildlife Sanctuary and Mundanthurai...
Tamilnadu(290 km²)
External links