North of Cuernavaca, Mexico Photograph by David Olson   Southern North America: Southern Mexico Tropical and Subtropical Coniferous Forests   35,400 square miles (91,800 square kilometers) -- about the size of Indiana Critical/Endangered

· Active Volcanoes, Hibernating Butterflies, and Mexican Mice
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Active Volcanoes, Hibernating Butterflies, and Mexican Mice

Growing on the tallest mountain range in Mexico, the pine-oak forests of the Trans-volcanic Belt thrive at altitudes of over 6,500 feet (2,000 m). Their soils capture rain water and re-fill aquifers, providing a critical service to the people of nearby towns and cities. Monarch butterflies, which undertake the largest migratory route of all insects (2,500 miles or 4,000 km), spend winters hibernating in these cool and moist volcanic forests. Half of all Mexican rodents inhabit this ecoregion. Oak species include yellow oak in the west and honey and white oak at higher altitudes. There are more species of pine here than any other ecoregion in the world. Montezuma pine is a dominant species, except in more humid areas where ocote pine grows. At low elevations, the most common pines are the ocote chino and Michoacan pine. Above 9,800 feet (3000 m) the forests are limited to Hartwegâs pine and sacred fir.

Special Features

Mexico's tallest peaks-the awesome snow-capped Pico de Orizaba (18,855 feet or 5,747 m), Popocatepetl (17,887 feet or 5,452 m), and Iztacihuatl (17,159 feet or 5,230 m)-eclipse the surrounding landscape. The mountain forests represent a center of diversity for at least 370 endemic plant and animal species. The highest diversity of reptiles and amphibians in the country is found here, and the intermontane lakes provide habitat to many endemic frogs and axolotls (primitive salamanders with gills). The volcano rabbit is an endemic mammal that can be found foraging in the bunchgrass habitats under pine woodlands.

	Not nearly as imposing as its name, the Montezuma quail is known for its tameness and its ability to project its voice like a ventriloquist.

Wild Side

Puma, grey fox, and bobcat can all be spotted in the trans-Mexican volcanic belt. The high altitude lakes contain a large number of endemic birds. Common birds found throughout the pine-oak forests include the white-winged dove, banded quail, and long-tailed partridge. The beautiful red warbler, colina warbler, and crescent-chested warbler fill the forests with their calls in the cool mornings. Related to the raccoon, the masked cacomistle has a longer, bushier tail and spends its nights climbing trees in search of insects and fruits.

Cause for Concern

The pine and fir forests of this region have been a primary target for logging. Slope erosion after logging leads to less water retention, meaning less water is available for the millions of people who reside in this region. More than half of the population of Mexico lives in the states of the volcanic belt. High levels of air pollution have also damaged the pine-oak forests surrounding Mexico City. Fire suppression is another problem for some fire-adapted forests, because fuels build up and the very hot fires kill trees.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.