Alborz Mountains, northern Iran Photograph by Edward Richards   northern Iran Temperate Coniferous Forests   24,400 square miles (63,300 square kilometers) -- about the size of West Virginia Critical/Endangered

· It’s a Gas
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
More Photos

It’s a Gas

Like a teapot about to boil, this ecoregion is full of steam. Fumaroles—which are holes in the Earth that allow fumes and gases to escape—are just some of the many interesting aspects of this ecoregion. The fumaroles are no deterrent to animals such as deer, sheep, bears, and cats, all of which thrive here.

Special Features

Mountains dominate the landscape of this ecoregion. The highest peak in the Elburz Range is Mount Damavand, a dormant volcano 18,917 feet (5,766 m) tall. Below Mount Damavand’s crater are two small glaciers, as well as fumaroles, hot springs, and mineral deposits. Only between 11 and 20 inches (280 and 500 mm) of precipitation fall annually. The dominant tree, juniper, is resistant to summer drought and heat and can tolerate winter cold equally well. However, the tree grows so slowly that it is difficult to reestablish these forests once they are cut. Shrubs include pistachio, cotoneaster (from the rose family), maple, and almond, with wormwood forming the ground cover.

	The Eurasian lynx is capable of killing prey that is three to four times its size. In this ecoregion it preys mainly on roe deer and other smaller ungulates. This species is larger than either of the other two lynx species, the Iberian or the Canada lynx.

Wild Side

Over the rocky crags of this volcanic ecoregion roam hardy mammals of all types, including brown bears, wild boars, roe deer, and wild mountain sheep. Wild cats, including leopards and lynxes, still prowl the mountainsides. While European pheasants might be seen hiding from their predators in the underbrush, golden eagles are more likely to be seen as they soar over this ecoregion’s high peaks. The eagles prefer cliffs and large trees with horizontal branches for roosting and perching.

Cause for Concern

Extensive logging and clearing of forests for agriculture have nearly eliminated the forests in this ecoregion. The invasion of non-native plant species has also posed a serious threat to native plant communities. A network of dams supplies water to Iran’s capital, Teheran, but it has severely disrupted aquatic ecosystems. Overgrazing at higher elevations by sheep and the continued fragmentation of habitat, which is accelerated by road construction, are also of concern because so few natural areas remain.

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