Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests

Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests
Gangkhar Puensum from Ura La, Bhutan
Ecology
Biome	Temperate coniferous forests
Borders	Northeastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests, Eastern Himalayan alpine shrub and meadows, Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests and Himalayan subtropical pine forests
Bird species	202
Mammal species	130
Geography
Area	27,500 km2 (10,600 sq mi)
Countries	Bhutan, India and Nepal
Conservation
Habitat loss	28.324%
Protected	22.56%

The Eastern Himalayan subalpine conifer forests is a temperate coniferous forests ecoregion which is found in the middle and upper elevations of the eastern Middle Himalayas, in western Nepal, Bhutan and northern Indian states including Arunachal Pradesh.

The ecoregion forms a belt of coniferous forest covering 27,500 square kilometres (10,600 sq mi) from 3,000 to 4,000 metres (9,800 to 13,100 ft) elevation extending from the Gandaki River in Nepal east through Bhutan and into Arunachal Pradesh. It is part of a transition zone from Indomalaya ecozone, in the south, to the Palearctic ecozone, in the north and is the last habitat below the treeline of the Himalayas. The Himalayas are lined with belts of habitat from the grassy foothills to the high peaks and are home to a number of birds and animals that migrate seasonally through these zones, including these conifer forests, each of which provides crucial habitat at different times of the year. Furthermore the streams and rivers of the steep mountainsides will flood if not held in place by woodland.

The Eastern Himalayas are watered by the Bay of Bengal monsoon so are wetter than in the west and have a higher treeline (4,500m compared to 3,000m in the western Himalayas).

These forests are typically found on steep, rocky, north-facing slopes. The most common trees are Abies spectabilis, Larix griffithii, Juniperus recurva, Juniperus indica, Betula utilis, Acer spp., and Sorbus spp. The understory features a rich community of colourful rhododendrons, including Rhododendron hodgsonii, Rhododendron barbatum, Rhododendron campylocarpum, Rhododendron campanulatum, Rhododendron fulgens, and Rhododendron thomsonii. Other shrubs include Viburnum grandiflorum and Lonicera angustifolia.