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| Taiwan subtropical evergreen forests | |
|---|---|
 forest in Chatianshan Nature Reserve | |
 Ecoregion territory (in purple) | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Indomalayan realm |
| Biome | tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests |
| Borders | South Taiwan monsoon rain forests |
| Geography | |
| Area | 33,192 km2 (12,816 sq mi) |
| Country | Taiwan |
| Coordinates | 22°30′N120°45′E / 22.500°N 120.750°E /22.500; 120.750 |
| Conservation | |
| Protected | 6,746 km2 (20%)[1] |
TheTaiwansubtropical evergreen forests is anecoregion that covers most of the island ofTaiwan, with the exception of the southern tip of the island, which constitutes theSouth Taiwan monsoon rain forests ecoregion. The island's concentrated steep mountains host a range offorest types, fromsubtropical forests in the lowlands totemperate andalpine ormontane forests.
Thecoastal plains and lowerelevations are covered byevergreen laurel-Castanopsis forests, dominated by Chinese Cryptocarya (Cryptocarya chinensis) andCastanopsis hystrix, with scattered stands of the subtropical pinePinus massoniana. At higher elevations, Japanese blue oak (Quercus glauca) replacesCryptocarya andCastanopsis as the dominant tree.
As elevation further increases, the evergreenbroadleaf trees are gradually replaced bydeciduous broadleaf trees andconifers. Above 3,000 meters, deciduous broadleaf trees likeFormosan alder (Alnus formosana) andmaple (Acer spp.) mix withChinese hemlock (Tsuga chinensis) andChinese Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga sinensis). At the highest elevations, subalpine forests are dominated by conifers, including Chinese hemlock (Tsuga chinensis),Taiwan spruce (Picea morrisonicola), andTaiwan fir (Abies kawakamii).
There are some rare animal species in Taiwan that are found nowhere else or otherwise in less numbers. Of particular note are: theSwinhoe's Pheasant and theMikado Pheasant, which are almost extinct in nearby regions. TheFormosan rock macaque, a species of monkey, is found only in Taiwan.
20.34% of the ecoregion is inprotected areas. Protected areas include:[2]
Media related toTaiwan Subtropical Evergreen Forests Ecoregion at Wikimedia Commons