Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests
The Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests is a Subtropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of northern India.
Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests | |
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![]() Hills near Kanpur | |
![]() Ecoregion territory (in purple) | |
Ecology | |
Realm | Indomalayan |
Biome | tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests |
Borders | List
|
Geography | |
Area | 262,642 km2 (101,407 sq mi) |
Country | India |
States | Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | critical/endangered |
Protected | 3,544 km² (1%)[1] |
Geography
It lies on the alluvial plain of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, with an area of 263,100 square kilometers (101,600 sq mi), covering most of the state of Uttar Pradesh and adjacent portions of Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.
The ecoregion is bounded on the north by the Himalayan subtropical pine forests, Terai-Duar savannas and grasslands and Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests of the Himalaya foothills, to the west by the drier Northwestern thorn scrub forests and Kathiarbar-Gir dry deciduous forests, on the south by the Narmada Valley dry deciduous forests of the Malwa and Bundelkhand uplands, and on the east by the more humid Lower Gangetic plains moist deciduous forests.
The ecoregion has a subtropical climate. Rainfall is highly seasonal, falling mainly during the June-to-September southwest monsoon.
Flora
In ancient times the region was mostly forested, with sal (Shorea robusta) the predominant tree. Many trees lose their leaves during the winter dry season. The ecoregion is currently densely populated, and the fertile plains have largely been converted to intensive agriculture, with only a few enclaves of forest remaining.
Conservation
Protected areas within the Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests ecoregion include:[2]
- Jim Corbett National Park
- National Chambal Sanctuary
- Rajaji National Park
- Hastinapur Wildlife Sanctuary
- Karera Wildlife Sanctuary
- Ranipur Sanctuary
- Ken Gharial Sanctuary
- Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary
- Sohagi Barwa Wildlife Sanctuary
See also
- Lower Gangetic plains moist deciduous forests
- Forests of India
- List of ecoregions in India
References
- Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b.
- "Upper Gangetic Plains Moist Deciduous Forests". World Wildlife Fund. Accessed 22 November 2017
External links
- "Upper Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.