View source for Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests

{{Infobox ecoregion
| name = Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests
| image = Spectacular view of the mountains from Manas National Park.jpg
| image_size =    
| image_alt = 
| image_caption = [[Manas National Park]]
| map = Ecoregion IM0105.svg
| map_size = 
| map_alt = 
| map_caption = 
| biogeographic_realm = [[Indomalayan realm]]
| biome = [[tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests]]
| border = [[Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests]]
| border1 = [[Himalayan subtropical broadleaf forests]]
| border2 = [[Lower Gangetic Plains moist deciduous forests]]
| border3 = [[Meghalaya subtropical forests]]
| border4 = [[Mizoram–Manipur–Kachin rain forests]]
| bird_species = 370<ref name=WWF1/>
| mammal_species = 122<ref name=WWF1/>
| area = 56700
| country = [[Bhutan]]
| country1 = [[India]]
| state = [[Assam]]
| state1 = [[Arunachal Pradesh]]
| state2 = [[Nagaland]]
| habitat_loss = 
| habitat_loss_ref = 
| protected = 5
| protected_ref = <ref name=WWF1/>
}}

The '''Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests''' is a [[tropical moist broadleaf forest]] [[ecoregion]] of [[Northeastern India]] and southern [[Bhutan]].

==Location and description==
The ecoregion covers {{convert|56,700|km2|sqmi|sp=us}} and encompasses the [[alluvial plain]] of the upper [[Brahmaputra River]] as it moves westward through India's [[Assam]] state (with small parts of the ecoregion in the states of [[Arunachal Pradesh]] and [[Nagaland]] and also south [[Bhutan]]). The valley lies between the [[Himalaya]]s to the north and the [[Lushai hills]] to the south and when the river floods during the June to September monsoon it brings up to 300&nbsp;cm of water onto the plain carrying rich soils to create a fertile environment which has been extensively farmed for thousands of years. Other rivers that water the plains as well as the Brahmaputra include the [[Manas River|Manas]] and the [[Subansiri River|Subansiri]].<ref name=WWF1>{{WWF ecoregion|id=im0105|name=Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests|accessdate=2011-11-26}}</ref>

==Flora/plants==
The extensive farming has meant that the original semi-evergreen forest now exists only in patches. Typical canopy trees include the evergreen ''[[Syzygium]], [[Cinnamomum]]'' and [[Magnoliaceae]] along with deciduous ''[[Terminalia myriocarpa]], [[Terminalia citrina]], [[Terminalia tomentosa]], [[Tetrameles]]'' species. Understory trees and shrubs include the [[Lauraceae|laurels]] ''[[Phoebe (plant)|Phoebe]], [[Machilus]]'', and ''[[Actinodaphne]]'', [[Polyalthia]]s, ''[[Aphanamixis]]'', and cultivated ''[[Mesua ferrea]]'' and species of [[Meliaceae|mahogany]], [[Anacardiaceae|cashews]], [[Myristicaceae|nutmegs]] and [[Magnoliaceae|magnolias]], with [[bamboo]]s such as ''[[Bambusa arundinaria]]'' and ''[[Melocanna bambusoides]]''.

==Fauna/animals==
Despite the centuries of human clearance and exploitation, the forests and grasslands along the river remain a habitat for a variety of wildlife including [[tiger]] (''Panthera tigris''), [[clouded leopard]] (''Pardofelis nebulosa''), [[capped langur]], (''Semnopithecus pileatus''), [[gaur]] (''Bos gaurus''), [[barasingha]] deer (''Cervus duvaucelii''), [[sloth bear]] (''Melursus ursinus''), [[wild water buffalo]] (''Bubalus arnee''), India's largest population of [[Asian elephant]]s (''Elephas maximus'') and the world's largest population of [[Indian rhinoceros]], while [[Asian black bear]]s live in the higher slopes of the valley sides. Most of these mammals are threatened or endangered species. The Brahmaputra is a natural barrier to the migration of much wildlife and many species, such as the [[pygmy hog]], [[hispid hare]], or the [[Malayan sun bear]], [[Northern pig-tailed macaque|pig-tailed macaque]], [[golden langur]], [[stump-tailed macaque]], [[western hoolock gibbon]] live on one side of the river only. The area is a meeting point of species of Indian and Malayan origin. The endemic mammals of the valley are the pygmy hog and the hispid hare, both of which inhabit the grasslands of the riverbanks.

The valley is home to rich bird life with 370 species of which two are endemic, the [[Manipur bush quail]] (''Perdicula manipurensis'') and the [[marsh babbler]] (''Pellorneum palustre'') and one, the [[Bengal florican]] is very rare. Woodland birds like [[kalij pheasant]], [[great hornbill]], [[rufous necked hornbill]], [[Austen's brown hornbill|brown hornbill]], [[Oriental pied hornbill]], [[Indian grey hornbill|grey hornbill]], [[peacock pheasant]] and [[tragopan]] are quite common.

==Threats and preservation==
This area has been densely populated for centuries and most of the valley has been and still are used for agriculture. Some blocks of natural habitat do remain, however, mainly in national parks the largest of which are [[Manas National Park|Manas]], [[Dibru-Saikhowa National Park|Dibru-Saikhowa]] and [[Kaziranga National Park]]s in India. In Bhutan, these areas are part of [[Royal Manas National Park]].

===Protected areas===
In 1997, the [[World Wildlife Fund]] identified twelve protected areas in the ecoregion, with a combined area of approximately 2,560&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, that include 5% of the ecoregion's area.<ref>Wikramanayake, Eric; Eric Dinerstein; Colby J. Loucks; et al. (2002). ''Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: a Conservation Assessment.'' Island Press; [[Washington, DC]]. pp. 298-301</ref>

* [[Dehing Patkai Landscape]], including [[Dehing Patkai National Park]] and [[Project Elephant|Dehing Patkai Elephant Reserve]]
* Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, [[Arunachal Pradesh]]  (190&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, also includes portions of the [[Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests]] and [[Himalayan subtropical pine forests]])
* [[Manas National Park]], [[Assam]] (560&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[Bornadi Wildlife Sanctuary]], Assam (90&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[Kaziranga National Park]], Assam (320&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[Orang National Park]], Assam (110&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary]], Assam (170&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary]], Assam (80&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[Sonai Rupai Wildlife Sanctuary]], Assam (160&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[Nameri National Park]], Assam (90&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[Dibru-Saikhowa National Park]], Assam (490&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[D'Ering Memorial Wildlife Sanctuary]], Arunachal Pradesh (190&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)
* [[Pabha Wildlife Sanctuary]], Assam (110&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>)

===Vulture breeding===
{{anchor|Rani Vulture Breeding Centre}}
'''Rani Vulture Breeding Centre''' was established in 2008 inside Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests at Rani in Kamprup district with the help of [[Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre, Pinjore]], which now houses 90 [[vulture]]s as of December 2018. 40 million vultures have died in last 20 years.<ref name=vult1>[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/haryana-may-host-6-nation-vulture-meet-next-nov/articleshow/67168607.cms Haryana may host 6-nation vulture meet next Nov.], Times of India, 21 Dec 2018.</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of ecoregions in Bhutan]]
*[[List of ecoregions in India]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests ecoregion}}
*{{WWF ecoregion|name=Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests|id=im0131}}
* {{cite web|url=https://ecoregions2017.appspot.com/|title=Ecoregions 2017|publisher=Resolve}}<br>Geographical ecoregion maps and basic info.

{{ecoregions of India}}

[[Category:Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests| ]]
[[Category:Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of Bhutan]]
[[Category:Ecoregions of India]]
[[Category:Biota of Bhutan]]
[[Category:Biota of India]]
[[Category:Indomalayan ecoregions]]
[[Category:Environment of Assam]]