| Seram rain forests | |
|---|---|
 Rain forest near Olas, Seram | |
 Ecoregion territory (in purple) | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Australasian realm |
| Biome | tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests |
| Geography | |
| Area | 18,989 km2 (7,332 sq mi) |
| Countries | Indonesia |
| Province | Maluku |
| Coordinates | 3°08′S129°30′E / 3.13°S 129.5°E /-3.13; 129.5 |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | Relatively stable/intact |
| Protected | 2,000 km2%[1] |
TheSeram rain forests is atropical moist forestecoregion inIndonesia. The ecoregion includes the island ofSeram and neighboring islands.
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Seram is the largest island in the ecoregion, with an area of 17,100 km2 (6,600 sq mi). The ecoregion includes several neighboring smaller islands, includingAmbon,Haruku,Saparua, andManipa south and west of Seram, and theGorong archipelago to the southeast. The islands are mountainous, andMount Binaiya (3,027 meters) on Seram is the highest point.
The islands that make up the ecoregion are part ofWallacea, a group of islands that are part of theAustralasian realm, but were never joined to either the Australian or Asian continents. The islands of Wallacea are home to a mix of plants and animals from both terrestrial realms, and have many unique species that evolved in isolation.[2] TheSeram Sea bounds the ecoregion on the north and east, and theBanda Sea lies to the south.Lydekker's Line runs through the Seram Sea; the line demarcates the islands of Wallacea from the islands on theAustralia-New Guinea continental shelf which were joined during the ice ages when sea levels were lower.
The ecoregion has a tropical rain forest climate.
The main plant communities are tropical lowland evergreen rain forest, semi-evergreen rain forest, and montane rain forest.[2]
The ecoregion is home to 38 mammal species.[2] Six species areendemic to the ecoregion: theSeram bandicoot (Rhynchomeles prattorum),Spiny Ceram rat (Rattus feliceus),Dusky mosaic-tailed rat (Melomys aerosus),Manusela mosaic-tailed rat (Melomys fraterculus),Ceram rat (Nesoromys ceramicus), and possibly theSilvery flying fox (Pteropus argentatus).
The ecoregion is home to 213 bird species. 16 species are endemic to the ecoregion.[2] The ecoregion corresponds to the Seram endemic bird area.[3] The largest bird in the ecoregion is the flightlesssouthern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius).[4]
A 2017 assessment found that 2,000 km2 (770 sq mi), or 11 percent, of the ecoregion consists of protected areas. Approximately three-quarters of the unprotected area is still forested.[1] Protected areas includeManusela National Park on Seram.
Media related toSeram Rainforests Ecoregion at Wikimedia Commons