Tanintharyi limestone tropical evergreen forest

Description

Tanintharyi has extensive patches of limestone karst scattered across the region. In these karst landscapes Tanintharyi limestone tropical evergreen forest occurs. Primary tree species are Dipterocarps that form a closed canopy, although they occur at lower density and lower tree height than surrounding lowland and upland evergreen forest ecosystems. Soils are characteristically extremely shallow and acidic, and may be humus- rich. These forests can be found across the Tanintharyi lowlands on limestone hills and slopes, and in some cases may occur on very steep slopes and cliffs. As a result of the discontinuous distribution of limestone in Myanmar, which can frequently become very dry, endemism is very high. For example, 12 new karst-adapted species of gecko were recently discovered in karst environments, some of which are restricted to isolated caves and limestone towers (Grismer et al. 2018). Reliable year round rainfall, averaging in excess of 100 mm per month and between around 1,900 mm and 3,000 mm per year.

Assessment summary

This ecosystem is highly restricted to limestone substrates and ongoing threats, particularly from quarrying, suggest that this ecosystem is undergoing a continuing decline. Endangered.