Veracruz moist forests
Encyclopedia
The Veracruz moist forests are an ecoregion
, in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome
, in eastern Mexico
.
between the Sierra Madre Oriental
and the Gulf of Mexico
. The forests extend from southern Tamaulipas
state across northern Veracruz
, eastern San Luis Potosí
, and portions of eastern Hidalgo and northeastern Puebla
.
To the north, the forests transition to the dry lowland Tamaulipan mezquital
and the upland Tamaulipan matorral
. To the east, the Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests
occupy the higher elevations of the Sierra Madre Oriental. South of the gap where the Panuco River
cuts through the Sierra Madre, the Veracruz montane forests and Oaxacan montane forests occupy middle slopes of the Sierra. The Veracruz dry forests
separate the Veracruz moist forests from the Petén-Veracruz moist forests
further south.
), sapodilla (Manilkara zapota), rosadillo (Celtis monoica), Bursera simaruba
, Dendropanax arboreus, and Sideroxylon capiri. The southern parts of the ecoregion feature mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla
), Manilkara zapota, Bernoullia flammea, and Astronium graveolens
.
(Corvus imparatus), Altamira Yellowthroat
(Geothlypis flavovelata), and Crimson-collared Grosbeak
(Rhodothraupis celaeno). Two rodent species, the El Carrizo Deer Mouse
(Peromyscus ochraventer) and the Tamaulipan Woodrat
(Neotoma angustapalata), are also endemic.
El Cielo Biosphere Reserve in southern Tamaulipas is the only protected area in the ecoregion.
Ecoregion
An ecoregion , sometimes called a bioregion, is an ecologically and geographically defined area that is smaller than an ecozone and larger than an ecosystem. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and contain characteristic, geographically distinct assemblages of natural...
, in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome
Biome
Biomes are climatically and geographically defined as similar climatic conditions on the Earth, such as communities of plants, animals, and soil organisms, and are often referred to as ecosystems. Some parts of the earth have more or less the same kind of abiotic and biotic factors spread over a...
, in eastern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Setting
The Veracruz moist forests cover an area of 69100 km² (26,679.7 sq mi), occupying a portion of Mexico's Gulf Coastal PlainGulf Coast of Mexico
The Gulf Coast of Mexico stretches along the Gulf of Mexico from the border with the United states at Matamoros, Tamaulipas all the way to the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula at Cancún. It includes the coastal regions along the Bay of Campeche. Major cities include Veracruz, Tampico, and...
between the Sierra Madre Oriental
Sierra Madre Oriental
The Sierra Madre Oriental is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico.-Setting:Spanning the Sierra Madre Oriental runs from Coahuila south through Nuevo León, southwest Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and Hidalgo to northern Puebla, where it joins with the east-west running Eje Volcánico...
and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The forests extend from southern Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas
Tamaulipas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tamaulipas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 43 municipalities and its capital city is Ciudad Victoria. The capital city was named after Guadalupe Victoria, the...
state across northern Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
, eastern San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
, and portions of eastern Hidalgo and northeastern Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....
.
To the north, the forests transition to the dry lowland Tamaulipan mezquital
Tamaulipan mezquital
The Tamaulipan mezquital ecoregion, in the deserts and xeric shrublands biome, is located in the southern United States and northeastern Mexico...
and the upland Tamaulipan matorral
Tamaulipan matorral
The Tamaulipan matorral ecoregion, in the deserts and xeric shrublands biome, is of northern Mexico.-Setting:The Tamaulipan matorral extends along the eastern slopes of the Sierra Madre Oriental range in northeastern Mexico, extending from central Tamaulipas state across central Nuevo León. The...
. To the east, the Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests
Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests
The Sierra Madre Oriental pine-oak forests are a subtropical coniferous forest ecoregion of northeastern and Central Mexico, extending into the state of Texas in the United States.-Setting:...
occupy the higher elevations of the Sierra Madre Oriental. South of the gap where the Panuco River
Pánuco River
The Pánuco River is a river in Mexico that flows from the River Moctezuma in the Valley of Mexico to the Gulf of Mexico.At its source, it serves as a channel for water-drainage for Mexico City. From there, it becomes the state border between Hidalgo and Querétaro as it moves towards San Luis...
cuts through the Sierra Madre, the Veracruz montane forests and Oaxacan montane forests occupy middle slopes of the Sierra. The Veracruz dry forests
Veracruz dry forests
The Veracruz dry forests are a tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion located in central Veracruz, Mexico. They cover an area of . The dry climate is a result of the rain shadow created by the Sierra de Chiconquiaco. The forests receive...
separate the Veracruz moist forests from the Petén-Veracruz moist forests
Petén-Veracruz moist forests
The Petén-Veracruz moist forests ecoregion, of the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forest biome, is found in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico.-Setting:...
further south.
Climate
The climate of the region is tropical and humid, with rains during seven months of the year and mild variation in temperature. Average annual rainfall is 1100–1600 mm (43.3–63 in).Flora
The canopy of this ecoregion is characterized by trees reaching a height of up to 30 m (98.4 ft), such as Mayan breadnut (Brosimum alicastrumBrosimum alicastrum
Brosimum alicastrum, the breadnut or Maya nut, is a Brosimum tree species under the Moraceae family of flowering plants, whose other genera include fig and mulberries The plant is known by a range of names in indigenous Mesoamerican and other languages, including but not limited to: ramon,ojoche,...
), sapodilla (Manilkara zapota), rosadillo (Celtis monoica), Bursera simaruba
Bursera simaruba
Bursera simaruba, commonly known as the Gumbo-limbo, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to tropical regions of the Americas from the southeasternmost United States south through Mexico and the Caribbean to Brazil and Venezuela...
, Dendropanax arboreus, and Sideroxylon capiri. The southern parts of the ecoregion feature mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla
Swietenia macrophylla
Swietenia macrophylla, commonly known as big leaf mahogany, is a species of plant in the Meliaceae family. It is one of two species that yields genuine mahogany timber, the other being Swietenia mahagoni....
), Manilkara zapota, Bernoullia flammea, and Astronium graveolens
Astronium graveolens
Astronium graveolens is a species of flowering tree in the cashew family, Anacardiaceae, that is native to Yucatán in Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Bolivia. Common names include Glassywood, Ronrón , and Aroeira...
.
Fauna
Endemic birds include the Red-crowned Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis), Tamaulipas CrowTamaulipas Crow
The Tamaulipas Crow a crow found in northeastern Mexico and some of southern Texas.- Description :It is a relatively small and sleek looking crow, in length. It has very glossy dark, bluish plumage, which appears soft and silky. The bill is quite slender and black, as are the legs and feet...
(Corvus imparatus), Altamira Yellowthroat
Altamira Yellowthroat
The Altamira Yellowthroat, Geothlypis flavovelata, is a New World warbler. It is a resident breeding bird endemic to the Gulf slope of northeastern Mexico....
(Geothlypis flavovelata), and Crimson-collared Grosbeak
Crimson-collared Grosbeak
The Crimson-collared Grosbeak is a medium-size seed- and leaf-eating bird in the same family as the Northern Cardinal, Cardinalidae....
(Rhodothraupis celaeno). Two rodent species, the El Carrizo Deer Mouse
El Carrizo Deer Mouse
The El Carrizo Deer Mouse is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae.It is found only in Mexico.-References:...
(Peromyscus ochraventer) and the Tamaulipan Woodrat
Tamaulipan Woodrat
The Tamaulipan Woodrat is a species of rodent in the family Cricetidae.It is found only in Mexico.-References:* Baillie, J. 1996. . Downloaded on 19 July 2007....
(Neotoma angustapalata), are also endemic.
Conservation and threats
The forests have been heavily altered by human activity, so that only a few enclaves of mature forest remain. Forests have been cleared for timber harvesting, agriculture, and grazing, and much of the original forest has been replaced with scrubland or secondary forest.El Cielo Biosphere Reserve in southern Tamaulipas is the only protected area in the ecoregion.