Back Selves pluvials montanes de Sri Lanka Catalan جنگلهای بارانی کوهستانی سریلانکا Persian श्रीलंका के पर्वतीय वर्षावन Hindi இலங்கையின் மலைப் பொழில்கள் Tamil Гірські дощові ліси Шрі-Ланки Ukrainian
 Cloud forest near Ella | |
 Ecoregion territory (in purple) | |
| Ecology | |
|---|---|
| Realm | Indomalayan |
| Biome | tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests |
| Borders | |
| Geography | |
| Area | 3,066 km2 (1,184 sq mi) |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | critical/endangered |
| Global 200 | Sri Lanka moist forests (with Sri Lanka lowland rain forests) |
| Protected | 636 km² (21%)[1] |
The Sri Lanka montane rain forests is an ecoregion found above 1,000 m in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. Owing to their rich biodiversity, this region is considered to be a super-hotspot within endemic hotspots of global importance.[2] These forests are cooler than lowland forests and therefore they have ideal conditions for growth of cloud forests. These forests classifications tropical sub montane forest, tropical sub-montane and tropical upper montane.[3] Half of Sri Lanka's endemic flowering plants and 51 percent of the endemic vertebrates are restricted to these forests. More than 34 percent of Sri Lanka's endemic trees, shrubs, and herbs can only be found in this ecoregion. Twisted, stunted trees are a common sight in these forests, together with many varieties of orchids, mosses and ferns.[3] The trees of montane rain forests grow to a height 10–15 meters, shorter than the lowland rain forest trees.[4] These high altitude forests are the catchment area for most of Sri Lanka's major rivers.[5]
| Part of a series on |
| Wildlife of Sri Lanka |
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- ^ Eric Dinerstein, David Olson, et al. (2017). An Ecoregion-Based Approach to Protecting Half the Terrestrial Realm, BioScience, Volume 67, Issue 6, June 2017, Pages 534–545; Supplemental material 2 table S1b. [1]
- ^ "Sri Lanka montane rain forests". Terrestrial Ecoregions. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved 2009-09-16.
- ^ a b World Wildlife Fund, ed. (2001). "Sri Lanka montane rain forests". WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2010-03-08. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
- ^ Senaratna, P.M. (2005). Sri Lankawe wananthara (in Sinhala) (1st ed.). Nugegoda: Sarasavi Publishers. pp. 22–24. ISBN 955-573-401-1.
- ^ Jayawardene, Jayantha (2006-05-29). "Forests and other vegetarian types". Daily News. Retrieved 2009-09-15.