Entries Tagged 'Ecoregions' ↓
June 8th, 2007 — Ecoregions
As we are finding out more and more about Mexico’s rich biodiversity and birding, we stumbled across a new word in conservation that had Mexico’s name at the very top of their list.
Megadiversity n. A large number and wide range of species; exceptional biological diversity.
—megadiverse adj.
Mexico takes up only 1% of the Earth’s land area, but holds one-tenth of all species known to science. –U.S. Fish and Wildlife
There are seventeen countries that belong to this special category, containing more than 70% of the Earth’s biodiversity.
Here are the seventeen megadiversity countries:
- Australia
- Brazil
- China
- Colombia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ecuador
- India
- Indonesia
- Madagascar
- Malaysia
- Mexico
- Papua New Guinea
- Peru
- Philippines
- South Africa
- United States
- Venezuela
Some of these countries are in more trouble than others:
Brazil has the highest number of threatened bird species in the neotropics, the Phillipines only has 11% of its land protected, and there are terrible problems with pollution in China.
Wildlife Without Borders is a top player in helping countries manage key natural resources with their regional programs.
With the world’s most valuable species and ecosystems disappearing rapidly, regional efforts like those sponsored by the Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Without Borders Regional Programs are needed more than ever: Wildlife–and people–across the globe could benefit from more initiatives like these. –Diane Jukofsky –Board Member and a Founder of the Rainforest Alliance
February 2nd, 2007 — Ecoregions
Name: Queen Charlotte Islands Ecoregion - NA0525 World Wildlife Fund
Location: Archipelago separated from British Columbia and Alaska by the Hectate Straight
Size: 3,900 square miles (about the size of Connecticut)
White-crowned Sparrow, one of the many birds found on the Queen Charlotte Islands
Photo part of the Free to Use Bird Photos on Flickr
General Description: The forest areas consist of old-growth, west-coast rainforests with wetlands mixed in. Nearly 50% of the habitat has been altered mostly due to logging operations. The logging mixed with heavy rainfall create severe erosion problems. The logging has also created a domino effect by increasing the population of the introduced black-tailed deer which in turn hurts the habiat more.
Birding: Queen Charlotte Islands provides a critical stopover site for migrating birds to and from Alaska. The island is also important for colonial nesting birds and raptors. There are several subspecies of birds unique to the area, although there are no full species that are threatened or endangered.
January 29th, 2007 — Ecoregions
Name: Alberta Mountain Forests - NA0501 World Wildlife Fund
Location: Alberta, Canada along the Alberta/British Columbia border
Size: 15,400 square miles (size of Connecticut and Maryland combined)
General Description: The Alberta Mountain Forests are a mixed forest habitat of alpine and subalpine ecosystems. Trees commonly found in this ecoregion are alpine fir and lodgepole pine. The conservation status is stable as there are several large protected areas including Jasper and Banff National Parks.
Birding: A lot of the typical northern forest birds can be found in the Alberta Mountain Forests: birds such as Evening Grosbeak, Redpolls, Waxwings, Crossbills, and Great Gray Owl. Also, Sprague’s Pipit and Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow are found here, two species that are vulnerable.
Cedar Waxwing - often confused with the Bohemian Waxwing
January 27th, 2007 — Ecoregions
Name: NA0505 Blue Mountains Forests - World Wildlife Fund
Location: Northeastern Oregon and extreme southeastern Washington, United States.
Size: 25,000 square miles (About the size of West Virginia, United States)
General description: This ecoregion is found within the Temperate Coniferous Forest major habitat type. 466 species are found in this ecoregion, 42% of them being birds. Riparian and old growth forests and several mountainous and basin areas make up the Blue Mountains ecoregion.
Birding: This area is important for many bird species. Northern Spotted Owl, White-headed Woodpecker, Three-toed Woodpecker and Pygmy Nuthatch are just a few of the species that benefit from the old-growth forests.
Northern Spotted Owl (Threatened)
Photo courtesy (c) of Nathan Hamm
