Sierra Madre De Chiapas Moist Forests
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The Sierra Madre de Chiapas moist forests is a
tropical moist broadleaf forest Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests (TSMF), also known as tropical moist forest, is a subtropical and tropical forest habitat type defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Description TSMF is generally found in large ...
ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...
in southern
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
and southern
Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
, extending into the northwestern corner of
El Salvador El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
.


Geography

The moist forests ecoregion lies on the southern slope of the
Sierra Madre de Chiapas The Sierra Madre is a major mountain range in Central America. It is known as the Sierra Madre de Chiapas in Mexico. It crosses El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras. The Sierra Madre is part of the American Cordillera, a chain of mountain ...
, between the
Central American pine–oak forests The Central American pine–oak forests is a tropical and subtropical coniferous forests ecoregion in the mountains of northern Central America and Chiapas state in southern Mexico. Setting The Central American pine–oak forests occupy an area ...
which cover the mountains' higher elevations to the north, and the
Central American dry forests The Central American dry forests ecoregion, of the tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests biome, is located in Central America. Geography The ecoregion covers a total area of approximately 68,100 km2. It extends along the Pacific c ...
in the Pacific coastal lowlands to the south.


Climate

The climate of the ecoregion is tropical and humid. The mountains intercept prevailing winds from the Pacific, creating clouds, fog, and
orographic precipitation Orography is the study of the topographic relief of mountains, and can more broadly include hills, and any part of a region's elevated terrain. Orography (also known as ''oreography'', ''orology,'' or ''oreology'') falls within the broader disci ...
. The forests have a cooler and wetter climate than the adjacent lowlands. Average annual temperatures decrease with elevation.


Flora

The main plant communities are montane tropical broadleaf evergreen forest. The forests are of two types, lower montane rain forests and montane rain forests.Breedlove, Dennis E. (1981). ''Introduction to the Flora of Chiapas''. California Academy of Sciences. September 18, 1981. Lower montane rain forest is found in a narrow band along the southern slope of the Sierra. In mature forests, trees form a closed canopy 25 to 45 meters high. Typical canopy trees include '' Alseis yucatanensis'', '' Aspidosperma megalocarpon'', ''
Brosimum alicastrum ''Brosimum alicastrum'', commonly known as breadnut, Maya nut or ramon, and many others, is a tree species in the family Moraceae of flowering plants, whose other genera include figs and mulberries. Two subspecies are commonly recognized: * ''B. ...
'', ''
Calophyllum brasiliense ''Calophyllum brasiliense'' (guanandi) is a species of plant in the family Calophyllaceae. It is native to subtropical and tropical regions of Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Description It is an evergreen tree growing ...
'', '' Dialium guianense'', ''
Erblichia odorata ''Erblichia odorata'' is the sole member of the monotypic genus ''Erblichia''. It is colloquially known as Butterfly tree or Flor de Mayo. Description Morphology ''E. odorata'' is a large tree that can reach heights of 40 meters. It Fl ...
'', ''
Ficus ''Ficus'' ( or ) is a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs, vines, epiphytes and hemiepiphytes in the family (biology), family Moraceae. Collectively known as fig trees or figs, they are native throughout the tropics with a few spe ...
'' spp., ''
Guatteria anomala ''Guatteria anomala'' is a species of plant in the Annonaceae family. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Mexico. It is threatened by habitat loss Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natu ...
'', ''
Licania platypus ''Moquilea platypus'', also known as sun sapote, sansapote, and monkey apple, is a flowering tree in the family Chrysobalanaceae. The specific epithet (''platypus'') is Neo-Latin for "flat-footed". Other names ''Moquilea platypus'' has many c ...
'', '' Magnolia mexicana'', ''
Manilkara zapota ''Manilkara zapota'', commonly known as sapodilla (), sapote, chicozapote, chicoo, chicle, naseberry, nispero, or soapapple, among other names, is an evergreen tree native to southern Mexico and Central America. An example natural occurrence is ...
'', '' Ocotea rubriflora'', '' Ocotea sinuata'', '' Pleradenophora tuerckheimiana'', '' Poulsenia armata'', '' Protium copal'', ''
Quercus oleoides ''Quercus oleoides'', with Spanish common names encina or encino, is a Mesoamerican species of oak in the southern live oaks section of the genus ''Quercus'' ( section ''Virentes''). It grows in dry forests and pastureland of eastern and souther ...
'', '' Quercus skinneri'', ''
Swietenia macrophylla ''Swietenia macrophylla'', commonly known as mahogany, Honduran mahogany, Honduras mahogany, or big-leaf mahogany is a species of plant in the Meliaceae family. It is one of three species that yields genuine mahogany timber (Swietenia), the ot ...
'', ''
Terminalia amazonia ''Terminalia amazonia'' is a species of tree in the Combretaceae family. It is native to North America and South America and has been used for commercial logging. The wood is hard and durable. In Belize, ''Terminalia amazonia'' is widely located ...
'', ''
Trichospermum mexicanum ''Trichospermum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae ''sensu lato'' or Tiliaceae or Sparrmanniaceae. Species are distributed in Malesia to the tropical Americas. Species ''Plants of the World Online'' lists: *''Trichospermum ...
'', ''
Ulmus mexicana ''Ulmus mexicana'', the Mexican elm, is a large tree endemic to Mexico and Central America. It is most commonly found in cloud forest and the higher elevations () of tropical rain forest with precipitation levels of per year,Moreira, I. & Arnaez ...
'', '' Vatairea lundellii'', and '' Vochysia guatemalensis''. The lower montane rain forest has an understory of low trees 10 to 20 meters high. Typical understory tree species include '' Alchornea latifolia'', '' Alibertia edulis'', '' Blepharidium guatemalense'', ''
Bursera simaruba ''Bursera simaruba'', commonly known as gumbo-limbo, the tourist tree, copperwood, almácigo, chaca, West Indian birch, naked Indian, and turpentine tree, is a tree species in the family Burseraceae, native to the Neotropics, from South Florid ...
'', '' Casearia laetioides'', ''
Cassia grandis ''Cassia grandis'', one of several species called pink shower tree, and known as carao in Spanish language, Spanish, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to the neotropics, that grows up to . The species is distributed from southe ...
'', '' Chrysophyllum mexicanum'', '' Cleidion castaneifolium'', ''
Cojoba arborea ''Cojoba arborea'', the wild tamarind, royal mahogany, everfresh tree, or lorito, is a leguminous tree of the family Fabaceae found in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central America, southward to Ecuador in South America at elevations to . The tree ...
'', '' Cymbopetalum penduliflorum'', '' Dracaena ghiesbreghtii'', '' Faramea occidentalis'', '' Forchhammeria trifoliata'', ''Guarea glabra'' subsp. ''excelsa'', '' Hasseltiopsis dioica'', '' Hirtella racemosa'', '' Lacistema aggregatum'', '' Licaria peckii'', '' Orthion subsessile'', '' Ouratea lucens'', '' Palicourea tomentosa'', ''
Piper A piper is a musician, a player of the bagpipe. As a noun proper, Piper may also refer to: People * Piper (given name) * Piper (surname) Arts and entertainment Fictional characters Comics * Piper (Morlock), in the Marvel Universe * P ...
'' spp., '' Pseudolmedia spuria'', ''
Quararibea funebris ''Quararibea funebris'' has common names including (Mayan languages, Maya), , swizzle stick tree, or , (Nahuatl = chocolate flower) , ''tepecacao'', funeral tree, ''flor de tejate'' and ''tejate''. It is a tree native to Belize, Costa Rica, El ...
'', '' Crossopetalum parviflorum'', ''
Rinorea guatemalensis ''Rinorea'' is a genus of flowering plants in family Violaceae. It includes 212 species native to the subtropics and tropics. Selected species 212 species are accepted. Selected species include: * ''Rinorea abbreviata'' * ''Rinorea acutidens'' ...
'', ''
Sideroxylon persimile ''Sideroxylon'' is a genus of trees in the family (biology), family Sapotaceae described as a genus by Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus in 1753. They are collectively known as bully trees. The generic name is derived from the Greek language, Greek words ...
'', '' Simira salvadorensis'', '' Sloanea terniflora'', '' Tabernaemontana donnell-smithii'', ''
Trichospermum lessertianum ''Trichospermum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae ''sensu lato'' or Tiliaceae or Sparrmanniaceae. Species are distributed in Malesia to the tropical Americas. Species ''Plants of the World Online'' lists: *'' Trichospermu ...
'', '' Trophis racemosa'', and '' Wimmeria bartlettii''.
Liana A liana is a long-Plant stem, stemmed Woody plant, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the Canopy (biology), canopy in search of direct sunlight. T ...
s and
epiphyte An epiphyte is a plant or plant-like organism that grows on the surface of another plant and derives its moisture and nutrients from the air, rain, water (in marine environments) or from debris accumulating around it. The plants on which epiphyt ...
s are abundant, and are found in all the forest layers. The forest floor is dense with low-branched shrubs, spinescent palms,
cycad Cycads are seed plants that typically have a stout and woody (ligneous) trunk (botany), trunk with a crown (botany), crown of large, hard, stiff, evergreen and (usually) pinnate leaves. The species are dioecious, that is, individual plants o ...
s, and lianas. Montane rain forest is generally found on steep slopes between 900 and 2200 meters elevation. The forest canopy is 25 to 35 meters high, and more open and irregular than that of the lower montane forest. Typical canopy trees include ''
Alfaroa mexicana ''Alfaroa mexicana'' is a species of plant in the family Juglandaceae. It is endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zon ...
'', '' Aphananthe monoica'', ''Ardisia verapazensis'' subsp. ''verapazensis'', '' Ardisia venosa'', '' Brunellia mexicana'', '' Calatola laevigata'', '' Hedyosmum mexicanum'', '' Hyperbaena mexicana'', '' Lunania mexicana'', '' Matudaea trinervia'', '' Meliosma matudae'', '' Mosquitoxylum jamaicense'', '' Nectandra villosa'', '' Oecopetalum mexicanum'', '' Oreopanax sanderianus'', ''
Oreopanax xalapensis ''Oreopanax'' is a genus of shrubs and trees in the family Araliaceae, comprising circa 85 species native to the Americas. Distribution ''Oreopanax'' species' range extends from Mexico and the Antilles to Argentina and Brazil, with most species ...
'', '' Quercus oocarpa'', ''
Quercus peduncularis ''Quercus peduncularis'' is an oak native to Mexico and Central America, ranging from Jalisco to Honduras.
'', '' Platanus lindeniana'', '' Trichilia erythrocarpa'', and '' Turpinia occidentalis''. There is typically an understory layer of trees and shrubs 5 to 15 meters in height. Understory trees and shrubs include '' Acalypha skutchii'', '' Billia hippocastanum'', '' Centropogon cordifolius'', '' Cephaelis elata'', '' Chamaedorea pinnatifrons'', '' Eugenia ravenii'', '' Hampea longipes'', '' Miconia lauriformis'', '' Mollinedia guatemalensis'', '' Oreopanax liebmanii'', '' Palicourea axillaris'', '' Palicourea elata'', '' Parathesis microcalyx'', ''
Psychotria ''Psychotria'' is a large genus of flowering plants in the coffee family Rubiaceae, with over 1,600 species. The genus has a pantropical distribution and members of the genus are small understorey trees in tropical forests. Some species are endan ...
'' spp, '' Siparuna thecaphora'', '' Trophis mexicana'', and '' Urera caracasana''. Epiphytes are abundant throughout the montane rain forests, and include
moss Mosses are small, non-vascular plant, non-vascular flowerless plants in the taxonomic phylum, division Bryophyta (, ) ''sensu stricto''. Bryophyta (''sensu lato'', Wilhelm Philippe Schimper, Schimp. 1879) may also refer to the parent group bryo ...
es,
fern The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...
s,
orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Eart ...
s,
bromeliad The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a Family (biology), family of monocot flowering plants of about 80 genera and 3700 known species, native mainly to the Tropics, tropical Americas, with several species found in the American subtropics and on ...
s, and aroids. The forest floor is covered with
herbaceous plant Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition o ...
s.


Fauna

The ecoregion has over 300 species of birds, most notably the
resplendent quetzal The resplendent quetzal (''Pharomachrus mocinno'') is a small bird found in Central America and southern Mexico that lives in tropical forests, particularly montane cloud forests. They are part of the family Trogonidae and have two recognized s ...
,
horned guan The horned guan (''Oreophasis derbianus'') is an endangered species in an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which are related to the Australasian megapodes or mound builders (Megapodiidae). It is found in Mexico, Guatemala, and pos ...
, and the
azure-rumped tanager The azure-rumped tanager or Cabanis's tanager (''Poecilostreptus cabanisi'') is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is a local resident in humid broadleaf forests and adjacent plantations of the Pacific slope of western Guatemala and ...
. It is a center of endemism for
salamander Salamanders are a group of amphibians typically characterized by their lizard-like appearance, with slender bodies, blunt snouts, short limbs projecting at right angles to the body, and the presence of a tail in both larvae and adults. All t ...
s and
butterflies Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...
.


Human impacts

Much of the ecoregion's forest has been cleared for agriculture and grazing.Corrales, Lenin & Bouroncle, Claudia & Zamora Pereira, Juan. (2015). An overview of forest biomes and ecoregions of Central America. The lower montane forests have mostly been cleared for coffee plantations. Much of the remaining forest area is fragmented or degraded, and what remains is often on steep or inaccessible slopes. The ecoregion has a road density of 645 meters per square kilometers, the highest of Central America's ecoregions.


Protected areas

16.55% of the ecoregion is in protected areas."Sierra Madre de Chiapas Moist forests". DOPA Explorer. Accessed 3 October 2021

/ref> In 2000 7% of the ecoregion's area was protected. Protected areas in Chiapas include the La Sepultura Biosphere Reserve, La Sepultura and El Triunfo
biosphere reserves Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is an intergovernmental scientific program, launched in 1971 by UNESCO, that aims to establish a scientific basis for the 'improvement of relationships' between people and their environments. MAB engages w ...
, and the Zona de Protección Forestal en los terrenos que se encuentran en los municipios de La Concordia, Angel Albino Corzo, Villa Flores y Jiquipilas Natural Resources Protection Area. Both the Mexican and Guatemalan sides of
Volcán Tacaná The volcano Tacaná is the second highest peak in Central America at , located in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas of western Guatemala and southern Mexico. It is also known in Mexico as ''Volcán Tacina''. Geography The volcano is located within t ...
are protected. Other protected areas in Guatemala include Volcán Moyuta and Volcán Tecuamburro.


See also

* List of ecoregions in El Salvador * List of ecoregions in Guatemala *
List of ecoregions in Mexico The following is a list of ecoregions in Mexico as identified by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). A different system of ecoregional analysis is used by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, a trilateral body linking Mexican, Canadian ...


External links

*


References

{{reflist Ecoregions of Mexico Ecoregions of Guatemala Montane forests Natural history of Chiapas Neotropical tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests Cloud forests of Mexico