Sierra Nevada Coniferous Forests - A Global Ecoregion
Globally rich conifer forests with diverse amphibian communities
Snapshot: Ecoregion 74
Size:
53,000 sq. km (21,000 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Temperate Coniferous Forests
Geographic Location:
Western United States
Conservation Status:
Critical/Endangered
53,000 sq. km (21,000 sq. miles)
Habitat type:
Temperate Coniferous Forests
Geographic Location:
Western United States
Conservation Status:
Critical/Endangered
Quiz Time!
Which is the largest tree species on earth?
Answer:
The Giant sequoia - that can grow to 80 meters in height and 11 meters in diameter with a weight of nearly 2,000,000 kilograms! These trees require cool conditions and moist soils year-round and can live to be 2,500 years old.
About the Area
The Sierra Nevada conifer forests are home to an enviable variety of confiers including the Giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron gigantea).
Most conifers here are adapted to a climate of cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Other conifer species, such as ponderosa pine, are more tolerant of hot, dry ridges, while species such as Jeffrey pine dominate the Sierra Nevadas' eastern slopes where colder, drier winters are the norm.Local Species
Selected species include the world's largest tree, the Giant sequoia, White headed woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus), Sierra green sulfur butterfly (Colias behrii), Yosemite toad (Bufo canorus), Mount Lyell salamander (Hydromantes platycephalus), the threatened Limestone salamander (H. brunus), Clark's nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), Mountain lion (Felis concolor), Sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana), and Ponderosa pine (P. ponderosa).
Threats
Intensive commercial logging and urban expansion seriously threaten the native habitats of the ecoregion.
Resources
• NationalGeographic.com
