Crimean Submediterranean forest complex
| Crimean submediterranean forest complex | |
|---|---|
 View over Yalta | |
 Ecoregion territory (in purple) | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | temperate broadleaf and mixed forests |
| Borders | |
| Geography | |
| Area | 30,009 km2 (11,587 sq mi) |
| Countries | |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | critical/endangered |
| Global 200 | European-Mediterranean montane mixed forest |
| Protected | 3,144 km2 (10%)[1] |
The Crimean Submediterranean forest complex is an ecoregion on the Black Sea coast of Russia and Ukraine. It is in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome.
Geography
[edit]The ecoregion consists of two coastal enclaves on northern coast of the Black Sea; one occupies the central coast of Crimea, extending into the Crimean Mountains, the other occupies the Black Sea coast of Krasnodar Krai, extending inland and eastward along the northwest flank of the Caucasus.
Flora
[edit]At elevations below 400 meters, woodlands and maquis shrublands predominate with:
- oak,
- Stone pine (Pinus pinea)
- Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis)'
- Christ's thorn (Paliurus spina-christi)
- Mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus)
- Ziziphus spina-christi
- Olea europaea
- Balanites aegyptiaca
- Cupressus sempervirens
- Vachellia tortilis
- Phoenix canariensis
- Phoenix dactylifera
- Salix alba
- Juglans regia
- Populus alba
- Populus nigra
- Quercus coccifera
- Pinus nigra
- Ceratonia siliqua
- Arbutus unedo
- Erica arborea
- Laurus nobilis
- Vachellia flava
- Senegalia senegal
- Prosopis cineraria
- Aerva javanica
- Prunus amygdalus
- Corylus avellana
- Juniperus communis
- Pyracantha,
- sclerophyll shrubs
Between 400 and 800 meters are forests predominate with:
- Pitsundian pine (Pinus brutia)
- Downy oak (Quercus pubescens)
- Oriental hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis)
- European ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
- Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
- Quercus robur
- Quercus petraea
- Picea abies
- Abies alba
- Alnus glutinosa
- Fagus sylvatica
- Taxus baccata
- Acer pseudoplatanus
- Malus sylvestris
- Viburnum lantana
- Tilia cordata
- Aesculus hippocastanum
- Rhamnus cathartica
- Ulmus glabra
- Ulmus minor
- Populus alba
- Betula pendula
- Populus tremula
- Populus nigra
- Salix alba
- Juglans regia
- Corylus avellana
- Juniperus communis
From 800 to 1300 meters elevation forests predominate with:
- Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
- Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis),
- Picea abies
- Abies alba
- Betula pendula
- Populus tremula
- Juglans regia
- Corylus avellana
- Juniperus communis
- juniper woodlands
Culture
[edit]The region's warm summers and mild winters make it a popular resort destination. Cities and towns in the ecoregion include Yalta, Alupka, Alushta, Sevastopol, and Novorossiysk. The region's mild winters support vineyards and fruit orchards.
Protected areas
[edit]3,144 km2, or 10%, of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Another 56% is forested but unprotected.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Dinerstein, Eric; et al. (2017). "An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm". BioScience. 67 (6): 534–545. doi:10.1093/biosci/bix014. PMC 5451287.
External links
[edit]- "Crimean Submediterranean forest complex". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund.
- World Wildlife Fund, ed. (2001). "Crimean Submediterranean forest complex". WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08.