Shilin, China Photograph by Nathau and Nono CHAUCESSE   Eastern Asia: Southeastern China Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests   92,800 square miles (240,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of Oregon Critical/Endangered

· Where Spring Lasts All Year
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
· More Photos

Where Spring Lasts All Year

At an average elevation of 6,600 feet (2,000 meters), the Yunnan Plateau enjoys a relatively mild climate all year. Summers are very wet, but not particularly hot because of the elevation, and winters are cool but not too cold because of the latitude and the abundant sunshine.

Special Features

Most of the Yunnan Plateau receives about 48 inches (120 cm) of rain per year, 80 percent of which falls in the summer. Winter storms can bring light snow to the mountains. Covering much of the Plateau are evergreen broadleaf forests adapted to wet summers and a cool dry season that lasts from November until April. The elevated areas have a warming effect so that the forests here are subtropical. Temperate cloud-forest communities may be found on the crests of taller hills, while low hills support the seasonally dry, subtropical forest.

	Local residents take advantage of this ecoregion’s mild climates to grow crops at altitudes that would be impossible anywhere else in the world. Rice thrives at 10,000 feet (3,000 m) and citrus fruit can be found at nearly 8200 feet (2,500 m).

Wild Side

Several types of oak and laurel trees dominate the ecoregion. The leaves of these trees are hairy, which helps the trees conserve water and remain green during the long dry season. Asiatic black bears, black gibbons, bamboo rats, and several types of pheasants roam the ecoregion. Some other mammals that lived here for thousands of years are gone now, including tigers and other large cats, along with some of the animals they preyed upon, such as deer. The Yunnan Plateau is home to many species of birds, including giant nuthatches, white-eared pheasants, babblers, and green peafowl. Some birds are endemic, such as Yunnan nuthatches, brown-winged parrotbills, and white-speckled laughing thrushes.

Cause for Concern

For thousands of years the Yunnan Plateau has been used for agriculture, and conversion of forests to cropland is happening today even in remote areas. As a result, little original habitat is left. Hunting has also reduced animal populations. Original tree species have been largely replaced by sparse forests of Yunnan pine and rhododendron. Several lakes are polluted, and many fish species are extinct. And while some mountain crests are protected as nature reserves, lower slopes remain at risk.

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