Central American pine–oak forests


The Central American pine–oak forests is a tropical and subtropical coniferous forests ecoregion in the mountains of northern Central America and Chiapas state in southern Mexico.

Setting

The Central American pine–oak forests occupy an area of, extending along the mountainous spine of Central America, extending from the Sierra Madre de Chiapas and Chiapas Highlands in Mexico's Chiapas state through the highlands of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras to central Nicaragua.
The pine-oak forests lie between elevation. At lower elevations they transition to tropical moist forests on the Caribbean slope, and to tropical dry forests on the Pacific slope and interior valleys. Elevations above are often covered with cloud forest ecoregions, including the Sierra Madre de Chiapas moist forests in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, the Chiapas montane forests along the northern slope of the Chiapas Highlands, and the Central American montane forests in high-elevation enclaves from southern Guatemala to northern Nicaragua.

Flora

The Central American pine–oak forests are composed mostly of pines and oaks, with pines more abundant at higher elevations and oaks at lower elevations. Typical pines include Pinus chiapensis, Pinus tecunumanii, Pinus ayacahuite, and Pinus maximinoi. Typical oaks include Quercus corrugata, Quercus skinneri, Quercus oleoides, Quercus calophylla, Quercus acatenangensis, Quercus brachystachys, Quercus peduncularis, Quercus polymorpha, and Quercus acutifolia. American sweetgum is often found among the oaks and pines.
The Central American pine–oak forests are the southernmost extent of species from genera typical of temperate North America, including pine, fir, cypress, ash, and yew.

Fauna

Native mammals include jaguar, puma, ocelot, Baird's tapir, cacomistle, greater grison, tayra, Central American spider monkey, mantled howler monkey, and Mexican mouse opossum. They also include the bats Balantiopteryx io, Molossus aztecus, Macrotus waterhousii, Glossophaga leachii, Hylonycteris underwoodi, Carollia subrufa, Dermanura azteca, Dermanura tolteca, and Bauerus dubiaquercus. Native rodents include Liomys pictus, Microtus guatemalensis, Ototylomys phyllotis, Peromyscus aztecus, Reithrodontomys sumichrasti, and Scotinomys teguina.
The mountains are designated an Endemic Bird Area, and are home to several limited-range and threatened species. Resident birds include the bearded screech owl, fulvous owl, ocellated quail, belted flycatcher, pink-headed warbler, black-capped siskin, green-throated mountaingem, wine-throated hummingbird, blue-throated motmot, black-capped swallow, rufous-browed wren, blue-and-white mockingbird, rufous-collared thrush, bar-winged oriole, and bushy-crested jay.
The pine–oak forests provide a winter home for several migratory species from temperate North America, including the golden-cheeked warbler and azure-rumped tanager.

Protected areas

11.67% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. Protected areas include:
;El Salvador
;Guatemala
;Honduras
;Mexico
;Nicaragua
Internationally designated protected areas include Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and the Ramsar Sites Humedales de Montaña La Kisst, Lago de Apanás - Asturias, Lagunas de Montebello National Park, Sumidero Canyon National Park, Embalse Cerrón Grande, Eco-región Lachuá, Complejo Güija, Humedales de Montaña María Eugenia, and Sistema de Humedales de la Zona Sur de Honduras.