The Napo moist forests ecoregion covers part of the Amazon basin to the east of the Andes in the north of Peru, the east of Ecuador and the south of Colombia. It has an area of 25,174,684 hectares (62,208,000 acres).[1] The ecoregion extends from the foothills of the Andes in the west almost to the city of Iquitos, Peru in the east, where the Napo and Solimões (Upper Amazon) rivers join.[2]
The terrain consists of floodplains and very low hills.[1] To the west it is bounded by the foothills of the Andes. It slopes gently down from elevations of 300–400 metres (980–1,310 ft) in the west to elevations of 100 metres (330 ft) in the east. In the plains of the north the higher land rises no more than 10 metres (33 ft) above river level. Soils include older material from the Guiana Shield mixed with Quaternary sediments washed down from the Andes.[2]
The Marañón River defines the southern boundary of the ecoregion. The Caguán River, a tributary of the Caquetá River defines the eastern boundary in Colombia. The Napo River, a tributary of the Solimões, defines the eastern boundary in Peru. Other important Amazon basin rivers that cross the ecoregion include the Morona, Pastaza, Tigre and Curaray, and the headwaters of the Caquetá and Putumayo.[2]
Climate
The ecoregion has a humid tropical climate. Mean annual temperatures are 26 °C (79 °F). At different times of year, different elevations and different distances from the equator monthly temperatures may vary from 12 to 38 °C (54 to 100 °F). Annual rainfall in the furthest west of the ecoregion is up to 4,000 millimetres (160 in), while in the east it is 2,500–3,000 millimetres (98–118 in), still a very high level. There is a "dry" season with rather less rain than at other times of the year.[2] At a sample location at 1°45′S75°45′W / 1.75°S 75.75°W / -1.75; -75.75 the Köppen climate classification is "Af": equatorial, fully humid.[4] At this location monthly mean temperatures range from 25 °C (77 °F) in July to 26.9 °C (80.4 °F) in November. Yearly total rainfall is about 3,250 millimetres (128 in) Monthly rainfall varies from 193.7 millimetres (7.63 in) in December to 366.9 millimetres (14.44 in) in May.[4]
The ecoregion is in the Neotropical realm, in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome.[1] The Napo moist forests terrestrial ecoregion is part of the 367,000 square kilometres (142,000 sq mi) Napo Moist Forests global ecoregion of the northern Amazon basin, which also includes the Ucayali moist forests. The heavy but seasonal rainfall, diverse terrain and soil, and barriers formed by large rivers contribute to great diversity of flora and fauna.[5] In the past the region has undergone large shifts in average temperature and humidity, with new species invading the region or evolving within the region. Large changes in river meanders in the Santa Cecilia region of the northwest of Ecuador may have created barriers that split species into population that then evolved independently.[2]
Flora
In a 1 hectare (2.5 acres) area of the Napo moist forests over 310 species of trees have been counted.[5] The Yasuní Biosphere Reserve contains about 4,000 species of plants.[6] 138 species of orchid have been reported below 300 metres (980 ft) of elevation in Ecuador.[2]
The Yasuní Biosphere Reserve has more than 500 species of birds.[6] Endangered birds include wattled curassow (Crax globulosa).[7]
Status
The World Wildlife Fund gives the ecoregion the status of "Critical/Endangered".[2] Studies in the Yasuní area of Napo Province, Ecuador, show that where roads within oil concessions are uncontrolled they are quickly used by colonists who deforest the area so they can grow crops and pasture for cattle. Where the roads are policed, colonization by non-indigenous people is avoided but species whose meat is sold for food are rapidly depleted in areas within walking distance of settlements.[8] As the indigenous Huaorani people become more connected to markets, their farms are expected to increase in size and the pressure on wildlife to intensify.[9]
Conservation
Protected areas include the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve and the Yasuni National Park.[1] The 2,800,000 hectares (6,900,000 acres) Yasuní landscape in Napo, Ecuador, combines the Yasuní National Park and the surrounding Waorani Ethnic Reserve. It contains parts of the lower Napo and Yasuní rivers. UNESCO designated the area the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve in 1989. It protects the heart of one of Ecuador's last remaining areas of untouched, continuous tropical forest, a biodiversity hotspot that is one of the richest on the planet. It is also home to the uncontacted Tagaeri and Taromenane clans of the Huaorani people.[6] Although a large part of the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve is undisturbed, it is in an area where the rule of law is not enforced and where immigrant farmers are advancing along roads build by oil companies and clearing forest so they can grow crops and graze livestock.[6]
"Napo moist forests", Global Species, Myers Enterprises II, retrieved 2017-04-30
Napo Moist Forests, WWF Global, retrieved 2017-04-30
Sears, Robin; Marín, César; Schipper, Jan, Eastern South America: Southern Colombia, eastern Venezuela, and northern Peru, WWF: World Wildlife Fund, retrieved 2017-04-30
WildFinder, WWF: World Wildlife Fund, retrieved 2017-04-26
July 21, 2023
napo, moist, forests, nt0142, ecoregion, western, amazon, rainforest, colombia, ecuador, peru, nt0142, brown, woolly, monkey, lagothrix, lagotricha, yasuni, national, park, ecuadorlocation, ecologyrealmneotropicalbiometropical, subtropical, moist, broadleaf, f. The Napo moist forests NT0142 is an ecoregion in the western Amazon rainforest of Colombia Ecuador and Peru Napo moist forests NT0142 Brown woolly monkey Lagothrix lagotricha in the Yasuni National Park EcuadorLocation of the Napo moist forestsEcologyRealmNeotropicalBiomeTropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forestsBird species gt 500Mammal species gt 70GeographyArea251 750 km2 97 200 sq mi CountriesColombia Ecuador PeruCoordinates2 30 00 S 74 57 18 W 2 500 S 74 955 W 2 500 74 955GeologyCaguan Putumayo Napo Maranon BasinRiversNapo Caguan Curaray Maranon Morona Pastaza Putumayo TigreClimate typeAf equatorial fully humid Contents 1 Geography 1 1 Location 1 2 Terrain 1 3 Climate 2 Ecology 2 1 Flora 2 2 Fauna 3 Status 4 Conservation 5 References 5 1 BibliographyGeography EditLocation Edit The Napo moist forests ecoregion covers part of the Amazon basin to the east of the Andes in the north of Peru the east of Ecuador and the south of Colombia It has an area of 25 174 684 hectares 62 208 000 acres 1 The ecoregion extends from the foothills of the Andes in the west almost to the city of Iquitos Peru in the east where the Napo and Solimoes Upper Amazon rivers join 2 In the extreme northwest the Napo moist forests ecoregion transitions into Cordillera Oriental montane forests to the west Otherwise it transitions into Eastern Cordillera Real montane forests in the west To the south it transitions into Ucayali moist forests and into a broad belt of Iquitos varzea along the Maranon Solimoes river To the east it transitions into Solimoes Japura moist forests in the south and Caqueta moist forests in the north The Napo moist forests contain areas of Iquitos varzea along rivers in the south and areas of Purus varzea along rivers in the north 3 Terrain Edit The terrain consists of floodplains and very low hills 1 To the west it is bounded by the foothills of the Andes It slopes gently down from elevations of 300 400 metres 980 1 310 ft in the west to elevations of 100 metres 330 ft in the east In the plains of the north the higher land rises no more than 10 metres 33 ft above river level Soils include older material from the Guiana Shield mixed with Quaternary sediments washed down from the Andes 2 The Maranon River defines the southern boundary of the ecoregion The Caguan River a tributary of the Caqueta River defines the eastern boundary in Colombia The Napo River a tributary of the Solimoes defines the eastern boundary in Peru Other important Amazon basin rivers that cross the ecoregion include the Morona Pastaza Tigre and Curaray and the headwaters of the Caqueta and Putumayo 2 Climate Edit The ecoregion has a humid tropical climate Mean annual temperatures are 26 C 79 F At different times of year different elevations and different distances from the equator monthly temperatures may vary from 12 to 38 C 54 to 100 F Annual rainfall in the furthest west of the ecoregion is up to 4 000 millimetres 160 in while in the east it is 2 500 3 000 millimetres 98 118 in still a very high level There is a dry season with rather less rain than at other times of the year 2 At a sample location at 1 45 S 75 45 W 1 75 S 75 75 W 1 75 75 75 the Koppen climate classification is Af equatorial fully humid 4 At this location monthly mean temperatures range from 25 C 77 F in July to 26 9 C 80 4 F in November Yearly total rainfall is about 3 250 millimetres 128 in Monthly rainfall varies from 193 7 millimetres 7 63 in in December to 366 9 millimetres 14 44 in in May 4 Ecology Edit Scene in the Cuyabeno Wildlife ReserveThe ecoregion is in the Neotropical realm in the tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome 1 The Napo moist forests terrestrial ecoregion is part of the 367 000 square kilometres 142 000 sq mi Napo Moist Forests global ecoregion of the northern Amazon basin which also includes the Ucayali moist forests The heavy but seasonal rainfall diverse terrain and soil and barriers formed by large rivers contribute to great diversity of flora and fauna 5 In the past the region has undergone large shifts in average temperature and humidity with new species invading the region or evolving within the region Large changes in river meanders in the Santa Cecilia region of the northwest of Ecuador may have created barriers that split species into population that then evolved independently 2 Flora Edit In a 1 hectare 2 5 acres area of the Napo moist forests over 310 species of trees have been counted 5 The Yasuni Biosphere Reserve contains about 4 000 species of plants 6 138 species of orchid have been reported below 300 metres 980 ft of elevation in Ecuador 2 Fauna Edit white banded swallow Atticora fasciata on the Tiputini River in Yasuni National Park common squirrel monkey Saimiri sciureus in the Cuyabeno Wildlife ReserveThe Yasuni Biosphere Reserve has at least 70 species of mammals This includes 13 primate species including the silvery woolly monkey Lagothrix poeppigii Venezuelan red howler Alouatta seniculus white bellied spider monkey Ateles belzebuth and monk saki Pithecia monachus Other mammals include the South American tapir Tapirus terrestris white lipped peccary Tayassu pecari jaguar Panthera onca Amazon river dolphin Inia geoffrensis tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis and giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis 6 The region is home to the spectral bat Vampyrum spectrum the largest bat in the New World 5 Endangered mammals include white bellied spider monkey Ateles belzebuth giant otter Pteronura brasiliensis and mountain tapir Tapirus pinchaque 7 The Yasuni Biosphere Reserve has more than 400 fish species 6 Endangered amphibians include Hemiphractus johnsoni Johnson s horned treefrog Hyloxalus cevallosi Palanda rocket frog and Pristimantis festae 7 The Yasuni Biosphere Reserve has more than 500 species of birds 6 Endangered birds include wattled curassow Crax globulosa 7 Status EditThe World Wildlife Fund gives the ecoregion the status of Critical Endangered 2 Studies in the Yasuni area of Napo Province Ecuador show that where roads within oil concessions are uncontrolled they are quickly used by colonists who deforest the area so they can grow crops and pasture for cattle Where the roads are policed colonization by non indigenous people is avoided but species whose meat is sold for food are rapidly depleted in areas within walking distance of settlements 8 As the indigenous Huaorani people become more connected to markets their farms are expected to increase in size and the pressure on wildlife to intensify 9 Conservation EditProtected areas include the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve and the Yasuni National Park 1 The 2 800 000 hectares 6 900 000 acres Yasuni landscape in Napo Ecuador combines the Yasuni National Park and the surrounding Waorani Ethnic Reserve It contains parts of the lower Napo and Yasuni rivers UNESCO designated the area the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve in 1989 It protects the heart of one of Ecuador s last remaining areas of untouched continuous tropical forest a biodiversity hotspot that is one of the richest on the planet It is also home to the uncontacted Tagaeri and Taromenane clans of the Huaorani people 6 Although a large part of the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve is undisturbed it is in an area where the rule of law is not enforced and where immigrant farmers are advancing along roads build by oil companies and clearing forest so they can grow crops and graze livestock 6 References Edit a b c d Napo moist forests Myers WWF Abstract a b c d e f g Sears Marin amp Schipper WildFinder WWF a b Napo moist forests Myers Climate Data a b c Napo Moist Forests WWF Global a b c d e f Greater Yasuni Napo Moist Forest USAID p 7 a b c Napo moist forests Myers All Endangered Greater Yasuni Napo Moist Forest USAID p 9 Greater Yasuni Napo Moist Forest USAID p 13 Bibliography Edit Greater Yasuni Napo Moist Forest Landscape Conservation Area PDF USAID Wildlife Conservation Society 2010 retrieved 2017 05 02 Napo moist forests Global Species Myers Enterprises II retrieved 2017 04 30 Napo Moist Forests WWF Global retrieved 2017 04 30 Sears Robin Marin Cesar Schipper Jan Eastern South America Southern Colombia eastern Venezuela and northern Peru WWF World Wildlife Fund retrieved 2017 04 30 WildFinder WWF World Wildlife Fund retrieved 2017 04 26 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Napo moist forests amp oldid 1081170473, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
